Wireless Networking Gurus, I Need HELP!!!

[lemansnsx]

Sorry to be jumping in late on this one but here are a few suggestions, apologies for duplicating anyone else's:

1. Dump the USB crap. Polling and other issues.
2. Antennas for the router. Easy and cheap.
3. Higher power for the router is available through firmware from Sveasoft - free or subscription based. Boosts router to 84mw.
4. 200mw cards.
5. Antennas for the network cards.

Have a techno friend do a site survey with NetStumbler or similar - that'll tell you what you need to do. I'd do it but Chicago is too far...

Some routers - notable D-Link - have issues with Centrino processors - didn't see Centrino mentioned in your thread but worth mentioning anyway. Fixed through firmware upgrade.

 

[D'Ecosse]

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/equip,16

All you should probably ever need to find on this forum re your Linksys wireless issue - I know you'll enjoy the search function, Ken!

A couple of your other questions - yes you can mix & match b & g on the same network (pretty much all g have b built in also); brand is independent too - anything should work.
(Think about your public wifi accesses like Stabucks, airports etc - think everyone who goes there has the same model?) I use mine all over the world.
Good luck with your problem - I had a ton of issues with my b mode rouer & card; got the g series & have no problems now. If I were to do it again I would not buy Linksys!

 

[nsxtasy]

Okay, it's happening again, so I need to try more things. First I'll exhaust the fixes that don't require spending money to replace the hardware.

there is a VERY high chance this is your problem here:

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,63705,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1

It's apparently not that, because I tried the fix suggested on page 2 of that article (stopping and starting the wireless program on the XP computer) and it didn't work.

So my next step is to try upgrading the firmware for the router. And again, I'm having problems. Yes, I looked at their instructions document for upgrading firmware. The instructions say that the downloaded firmware comes in a zip file, but that's wrong; the firmware only comes as a ...code.bin file, which does not include the Tftp file that would let you specify the IP address for the router. But that's not the only problem; the other problem is that I have no idea how to open the .bin file. And of course the firmware download page, which is one of these:
http://www.linksys.com/download/firmware.asp?fwid=179
http://www.linksys.com/download/firmware.asp?fwid=180
(they offer identical downloads) claims to have a setup wizard available for download, but it doesn't exist.

Any hints what to do with the .bin file to get it to install (and how to point to the IP address for the router without the Tftp file that is supposed to be part of the package)?

Grrr...

 

[jlindy]

Ken

Since I am in a hurry, I haven't taken the time to read everyone's posts, but I just went through the exact same thing that you did. Do you have a version 3 or 4 adapter? For wireless, the version 4 cards have a problem going through a VPN, but I don't know if you need that.

Since I use VPN, I had to switch the version 4 card out for a version three. With the 4, I had flawless access with one exception...not being able to go through my company VPN. I had to switch to the three version (which is not sold anymore so you have to go through linksys directly to get one) Once I got the 3 card, I had nothing but problems. I would have full signal, then no signal, back to full signal all in ten seconds. I would have connections speeds of 14k and sometimes 1M. I switch channels hundreds of times and spent 25 plus hours on the phone with Linksys tech support which was difficult in itself because they are located in India and I had trouble understanding them. I changed parameters and adjusted every damn thing on it a million times it seemed with no luck. The only thing that Linksys could tell me is that "Yep, you definitely have a problem". (no $..T)

Here's the test. It can only be one of two things given that your ISP is functioning properly but since the hardwired computer works fine, I am assuming that it is working. It is either the card or the router. Go to a Starbuck's or somewhere that has wireless access and bring your laptop to test. If the card works fine, then it is your router. If the card doesn't work right, it is the card.

Obviously, the advice of not using a 2.4GHZ phone helps. Not having the router right next to a power source such as a monitor helps as well, but in the end for me, all I needed was to exchange the router and it immediately worked great with no problems since. Plugged it in and in ten seconds my worries were over.

My only theory was that all that tampering by Linksys tech support much have done something. Since everything worked great with the version 4 and went south right after I got the version 3, I concluded that it could only be the card. I was wrong. I would test the card at a Starbucks and if all works right, exchange the router for a new one. I bet it will work. I know it is frustrating. I was contemplating running cat 5 cable throughout my whole house and then taking the router to a field with a baseball bat just like they did to the copier in "office space".

Trust me, it works perfect with XP and you don't need to upgrade firmware. I assume that you just purchased it too.

 

[lemansnsx]

So my next step is to try upgrading the firmware for the router. And again, I'm having problems. Yes, I looked at their instructions document for upgrading firmware.

Grrr...

Ken, I had no trouble getting the setup wizard but, back up for a sec, are you not able to update the firmware from your browser when logged into the router? You should be able to click on the "help" link on your router main page then click the link to "upgrade firmware" then browse to the bin file. Holler if you need more.

 

[nsxtasy]

Ken, I had no trouble getting the setup wizard but, back up for a sec, are you not able to update the firmware from your browser when logged into the router? You should be able to click on the "help" link on your router main page then click the link to "upgrade firmware" then browse to the bin file. Holler if you need more.

Aha! Thanks thanks thanks! That was the point I missed - that I needed to go into the web-based user interface for the router, go into "help" (a cleverly-hidden place to put the firmware upgrade), and open the .bin file from there. Router firmware is now upgraded.

I also spent two hours this evening in a call with Linksys technical support, debugging the problem. We eventually installed the USB adapter on the Windows 98 computer to see if it would work with the router (instead of the hard wiring to the router). It didn't, so we concluded that the USB adapter is toast.

Tomorrow I get to see if Linksys will replace the adapter under goodwill (it's out of warranty now). Otherwise, I'm going to the store to get another USB adapter. Guess which brand it WON'T be?

 

[lemansnsx]

I really don't recommend USB network connections. Other's mileage may, of course, vary substantially just like opinions of Linksys and other brands. I've had very good experiences with Linksys.

When you get this up and running again we'll get you some more power (arrrgh, arrrgh, arrrgh) and get you surfing on your neighbor's connection.<g> J/K

 

[NeoNSX]

<B>Originally posted by Ojas
Do you mean BEFW11S4 instead of BEFWS114?</B>

Yes. Sorry!

Ken, you got something wrong? That can't be right.


ok... joking aside. Looks like you <B>have</B> to use tftp to upload the .bin file. Bit of a silly method, but that's linksys for you. i managed to download TFTP from here: http://www.linksysinfo.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=46 (this is a webforum dedicated to Linksys, so it might be worth your while checking our their forums and using "the search" ) Note this firmware .BIN was released 8th June, which makes it a newer version than you're trying to get off linksys's official ftp site.

I think i'll email tftp too you JUST in case you still can't get it.
Here's a changelog with the firmware:

<I>
A New BEFW11S4 version 4 firmware has been released for the VERSION 4 Model. Read More...

<B>Version 1.50.14</B>
1. Added IGMP proxy
2. Fixed multicast not working in PPPoE connection
3. Fixed port 113(port scan) issue
4. Properly implemented RFC 3360
5. Fixed DHCP (bootp) vulnerability
6. Fixed WPA problem for some adapters.
7. Modified DHCP server revision, fill the siaddr to the server address.
8. Fixed linux that will reply to the long-packet echo reply in the wrong order.
9. Fixed the WAN side sending ArpReq, if received packet are not destination for the router.
10. Modified DTIM Interval range to 1~255.
11. Added Antenna Selection.
12. Fixed Client card send disassociate packet.
13. Fixed PPTP dropping connection issue.</I>


hope this helps. Oh yeah... quick disclaimer: i don't want to be held responsible if your firmware flash goes wrong (has happened by freak chance to me in the past) so double check everything. Good luck.

 

[nsxtasy]

Thanks, Neo.

Remember, though, that my router is version 3, not version 4.

Also, I was able to use the firmware (.bin file) that I had downloaded. The trick was to access it from the web-based user interface for the router. That way, there's no need for the tftp program to identify the IP address of the router; it's already identified in that interface.

I see that Netgear has rebate offers at Best Buy that last two more days on their USB adapters ($50 less $20 for the 802.11b adapter, $70 less $20 for the 802.11g adapter). Heck, the D-link 802.11b is down to $20 after rebate. But I'll probably pop for the Netgear 802.11g adapter; just in case I have to replace the router at some point, I'll have the faster speed. Anyone object to this? Best Buy opens in two hours...

 

[lemansnsx]

Netgear makes good stuff. My objection on general principle to USB network connections stands.

 

[NeoNSX]

Sorry Ken. That's what happens when I try helping without spending the time to read the ENTIRE post.

Netgear and D-link offer both cheap, but effective productlines. As an IT consultant, i wouldn't recommend linksys (hence my remarks earlier) - it's too cheap and i read about a lot of problems. yeah it does the job, but i hate fixing problems due to cheap hardware.

I would personally recommend Netgear. It's not the best, but the best brandnames (3com,intel,etc) cost 3-4x more.

I'd almost forgotten, 2-3 months ago I setup a Netgear wireless access point + a few computers which used Netgear USB, PCMCIA and a PCI cards. Apart from minor problems with the inital installation (Client had opened it up and thought he would try it first ), my experience was very good. The models were WG602 (Access Point), WG111 (54Mbit USB2 adaptor), WG311 (54Mbit PCI card) and WG511 (PCMCIA card).

On my follow-up, the client was very happy. I haven't had any complaints since which is a good sign.


So yeah, go Netgear. And i would suggest sticking to 802.11g compliant hardware to make things simple. Just my (educated) opinion.


edit:
<B>lemansnsx</B> : u just beat me. Why did you object to USB? I would suggest USB over a PCMCIA card. But if you've got a PC, a PCI card is the only way -- it's cheaper!

 

[lemansnsx]

lemansnsx : u just beat me. Why did you object to USB? I would suggest USB over a PCMCIA card. But if you've got a PC, a PCI card is the only way -- it's cheaper!

Oh, I don't know - mostly general principles having to do with bad experiences, dodgy (cheap) hardware purchased by clients, power polling, the fact that USB wireless is kind of kludgy - the wireless device has to emulate an HID device while still supporting hot swap and other features of the USB interface. I'm not a big believer in emulation always preferring a more "pure" solution. Hate USB network connections - the standard is ethernet - why drag another technology into it?

 

[NeoNSX]

Oh, I don't know - mostly general principles having to do with bad experiences, dodgy (cheap) hardware purchased by clients, power polling, the fact that USB wireless is kind of kludgy - the wireless device has to emulate an HID device while still supporting hot swap and other features of the USB interface. I'm not a big believer in emulation always preferring a more "pure" solution. Hate USB network connections - the standard is ethernet - why drag another technology into it?

A more "pure" solution??? You are such an NSX owner!!!

Your arguments are very true (and technically founded too! <IMG SRC="http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif">). But these days it's become increasingly popular to use bridges (hardware) or run things on top of emulation. MS is going to be pushing Virtual Server emulation software (like VMware or VirtualPC) -- i mean, a server running under emulation!?!? (i know they say it's mainly for testbedding) I guess that's saying something for the future stability we may face.

I've had very few problems with Intel's USB solutions on 875 and 865 mainboards. Now VIA, SiS, and Texas Instruments... *shudder*... they have issues. And the introduction of USB2 hasn't been exactly smooth. But maybe keep an open mind - USB is <I>getting</I> better. It's been nice talking technical with another tech person.

 

[D'Ecosse]

...I see that Netgear has rebate offers at Best Buy that last two more days on their USB adapters ($50 less $20 for the 802.11b adapter, $70 less $20 for the 802.11g adapter). Heck, the D-link 802.11b is down to $20 after rebate. But I'll probably pop for the Netgear 802.11g adapter; just in case I have to replace the router at some point, I'll have the faster speed. Anyone object to this? Best Buy opens in two hours...

You didn't read the instructions at the firmware download page did you Ken? tsk!tsk!
Again, I recommend
DSLReports as a great resource - there are a number of hardware forums under the Equipment support header - including specific forums for D-Link & NetGear. See what kind of problems others are having (or not!) with the models you are thinking of.
I too would recommend against a USB model.

 

[NSX-Racer]

Ken, I bought an outdoor external antenna (about 1 meter long) for my router and mounted it in the cellar room where DSL splitter and router are. That allowed me to extend the range to the 3rd floor and appr. 12 meters distance to the airport card of my Powerbook.

You may also watch the polarisation of the antenna. Usualy the antennas in Notebooks are horizontal so you should turn the router antenna also in horizontal position.

Other possibilities are boosters to increase receiving at the router or (if you don't mind the legal rules) receiving and transmitting. You see stuff like that (up to 1 Watt output!) here when you click on "wireless Lan"

 

[nsxtasy]

Well, the use of the USB port does have certain advantages over a network card - including ease of switching to other devices (useful for debugging, as I have found out), the ability to position the device easier for better reception, etc.

Update: I bought and installed the Netgear USB adapter. Initially, it didn't work; the signal strength was low to good, and the wireless PC wouldn't connect to the internet and e-mail through it. Based on the advice on the Netgear website, I did three things: I repositioned the antennas on the router for a better angle tilted so that they had the maximum exposure towards the room where the other PC is (same advice NSX-Racer mentioned); I unplugged the router for a few seconds; and I noticed that one of the two antennas on the router felt loose, so I screwed it in tighter. For the past couple of days, it has been working; signal strength is good to very good, and the connection is being recognized. So fingers are crossed that this will work out now.

Unfortunately, the correction already failed once, but it came back upon rebooting. And the symptoms are not what they were with the Linksys USB adapter, where it showed excellent signal strength and the connection was not recognized at all, so I think that the Linksys USB adapter probably was hosed. If it happens again, and consistently, I'll look into external antenna options for the router.

Incidentally, I had the choice of three networks to connect to... so my neighbors must have wireless networks available. I suppose it's possible that interference from their networks may have been causing some of my problems. (Yes, I am now using WEP encryption to prevent others from hooking into mine.)

Thanks again!

 

[lemansnsx]

Incidentally, I had the choice of three networks to connect to... so my neighbors must have wireless networks available.
Thanks again!

I have the choice of 3-4 from my family room couch. One, directly across the street, is a Linksys router, default settings, no wep, login admin/admin.

Don't rely on wep if you are protecting anything important.

 

[NSX-Racer]

Incidentally, I had the choice of three networks to connect to... so my neighbors must have wireless networks available. I suppose it's possible that interference from their networks may have been causing some of my problems. (Yes, I am now using WEP encryption to prevent others from hooking into mine.)

Hey, you definetely need one of those 1 Watt boosters - then you and all your neighbours will only have one network to choose and that's yours!
Plus: You can extend your network to half of Illinois.

 

[nsxtasy]

Don't rely on wep if you are protecting anything important.

Can you please elaborate?

 

[lemansnsx]

Can you please elaborate?

A paper was released on this several years ago, one of the authors was Shamir of RSA fame. Bottom line: wep is crackable. Real world? Many experts feel that the exploit is overblown and that anyone wishing to "shoulder surf" on a free connection will simply move along to your neighbor's network who is not running wep.
Google wepcrack, airsnort, netstumbler, wardriving - lots of good reading material.

 

[nsxtasy]

Well, now I am having EXACTLY the same problems with the Netgear USB adapter that I was having with the Linksys one. It shows great reception but there is no connection to the internet and I can't ping any websites.

I spent two hours on the phone with Netgear technical support last night trying to figure it out. At the end of the call, they told me to return the USB adapter to the store for a refund, that it might be a "handshake" (compatibility) issue between the 802.11b router and the 802.11g adapter.

Grrr...

 

[Ojas]

It shows great reception but there is no connection to the internet and I can't ping any websites.

You may have already covered this during your call with tech support, but are you able ping the router? Its local IP address should be 192.168.1.1

 

[nsxtasy]

You may have already covered this during your call with tech support, but are you able ping the router? Its local IP address should be 192.168.1.1

Yes, we covered it; I am not able to ping the router. Destination host unreachable.

 

[Ojas]

I assume you are using DHCP... From your computer that is not having issues, open a browser to the router setup. Go to the status page (http://192.168.1.1/Status.htm). Click the DHCP Clients Table button. A window will pop up with a list of computers with IP addresses handed-out by the router’s DHCP server. Is the other computer listed?

 

[nsxtasy]

I assume you are using DHCP... From your computer that is not having issues, open a browser to the router setup. Go to the status page (http://192.168.1.1/Status.htm). Click the DHCP Clients Table button. A window will pop up with a list of computers with IP addresses handed-out by the router’s DHCP server. Is the other computer listed?

No.

But I never set this up before, and it was working ...