WM2003: Can you connect?

[ctmagnus]

(Derived from this thread (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17033).)

After connecting to another network, can you reconnect your Windows Mobile 2003 device to your own SSID broadcast-disabled network?

[Dave Beauvais]

I just voted "no." I just experienced this for the first time tonight. I connected to a friend's WLAN and was unable to connect to my own after returning home. I fixed this by resetting the access point. This was the first time I'd connected to another WLAN since upgrading to WM2003.

Edit: Note, I did not have to turn SSID broadcasting back on; just going to the AP's Web-based management and clicking Apply without changing anything caused it to reboot. After it was back up, my iPAQ connected automatically.

I'm using a Linksys WAP11 v2.2 with firmware v1.1.

--Dave

[ctmagnus]

just going to the AP's Web-based management and clicking Apply without changing anything caused it to reboot. After it was back up, my iPAQ connected automatically.

This was on the desktop end? Becasue if it wasn't performed from your Pocket PC, WM2003 still has problems finding SSID broadcast desabled APs after attaching to a different network.

[Dave Beauvais]

This was on the desktop end? Becasue if it wasn't performed from your Pocket PC, WM2003 still has problems finding SSID broadcast desabled APs after attaching to a different network.
I may need to clarify... I returned home from my friend's house after having connected to his (also SSID broadcast-disabled WLAN) only to find that my (upgraded) h5455 would not connect to my own WLAN. Using a browser on my notebook, I went to the Web-based management interface for my access point and performed an action which caused the access point to reboot itself. Without any additional action on my part, my h5455 associated with the access point once it finished restarting.

I have some additional information to add to this discussion. I stopped by the local Micro Center store this afternoon and wandered through the PDA section. I saw that the display model of the h5555 had its Wi-Fi turned on and was connected to some network there in the store. I pulled out my h5455 to see if it could also connect. In the list of available networks, I saw no fewer than six available wireless LANs. Some were from access points or routers, while others were ad-hoc networks on iBooks or other notebooks in the store. I was unable to connect to any of them, however, even if I tapped-and-held on the name of one and chose "Connect" from the menu.

I gave up when I saw a couple salespeople in the area who were no doubt going to come over and see what kind of damage I was doing, so I bought what I came in for and left. When I got home, I tried connecting to my WLAN again and was unable to. This time, I decided to look at the list of available networks and found that all the networks which were available at Micro Center were gone, but it said I was connected to my friend's network! 8O

I have three WLANs that I entered manually because they have SSID broadcasting disabled. Even though one is located over 100 miles away and I have never connected to it since upgrading my h5455 to WM2003, the network listing showed all three as "Available" and said I was "Connected" to that network instead of my own! :?:

This is truly f... fouled up. How can something like this "work" so poorly in a released product? To say it's broken is being too kind. This one issue stands out for me as a very serious problem which needs to be addressed by HP and/or Microsoft immediately. The whole wireless LAN system on the upgraded h5400s seems thrown together and very poorly-implemented.

--Dave

[ctmagnus]

I may need to clarify... I returned home from my friend's house after having connected to his (also SSID broadcast-disabled WLAN) only to find that my (upgraded) h5455 would not connect to my own WLAN. Using a browser on my notebook, I went to the Web-based management interface for my access point and performed an action which caused the access point to reboot itself. Without any additional action on my part, my h5455 associated with the access point once it finished restarting.

I have some additional information to add to this discussion. I stopped by the local Micro Center store this afternoon and wandered through the PDA section. I saw that the display model of the h5555 had its Wi-Fi turned on and was connected to some network there in the store. I pulled out my h5455 to see if it could also connect. In the list of available networks, I saw no fewer than six available wireless LANs. Some were from access points or routers, while others were ad-hoc networks on iBooks or other notebooks in the store. I was unable to connect to any of them, however, even if I tapped-and-held on the name of one and chose "Connect" from the menu.

I gave up when I saw a couple salespeople in the area who were no doubt going to come over and see what kind of damage I was doing, so I bought what I came in for and left. When I got home, I tried connecting to my WLAN again and was unable to. This time, I decided to look at the list of available networks and found that all the networks which were available at Micro Center were gone, but it said I was connected to my friend's network! 8O

I have three WLANs that I entered manually because they have SSID broadcasting disabled. Even though one is located over 100 miles away and I have never connected to it since upgrading my h5455 to WM2003, the network listing showed all three as "Available" and said I was "Connected" to that network instead of my own! :?:

Very strange... Very strange, indeed!

This is truly f... fouled up. How can something like this "work" so poorly in a released product? To say it's broken is being too kind. This one issue stands out for me as a very serious problem which needs to be addressed by HP and/or Microsoft immediately. The whole wireless LAN system on the upgraded h5400s seems thrown together and very poorly-implemented.

I concur. I've stated elsewhere that I hope this gets fixed in the next EUU/ROM update/SP/whatever.

[Dave Beauvais]

[Absurdly long quote omitted...]
Very strange... Very strange, indeed!
Off-topic: You're trying to get added to my list, aren't you? Stop quoting so much! :lol:

--Dave

[Dave Beauvais]

I submitted this as news, but wanted to post it here, too. HP has released a WLAN driver update for the h5400 and h5500 series iPAQs running Windows Mobile 2003. For the h5400 series, the update is only listed on their site if you look under the h5450, not the h5455. :roll: Here is a link (http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/HandheldiPAQ/us/locate/105_5553.html) to the page where the updates are listed. There is a separate update for networks which use LEAP and those which use 802.1x for authentication. Why they couldn't combine those two into one driver, I can't say.

The driver version that's installed with the WM2003 upgrade for the h5400 series is 3.2.2.96. The update on the site is 3.2.2.115. The reported fixes are Improves connectivity. Improves roaming ability.I have not yet installed this update because I don't enjoy being HP's beta tester any more than is necessary. I believe it's a RAM-based update, not one that updates the ROM, though I may be wrong. Anyone feel like trying this out and seeing if it fixes the problems we've had when moving from one WLAN to another?

Update:
I have now installed this update. It is a RAM-based update which does not update the ROM. (I installed the 802.1x variation of the update, not the LEAP variation, in case anyone is curious.) The update "overwrites" \Windows\vnetusba.dll with the new version. (It doesn't actually overwrite anything; any files placed in RAM with the same name as one in ROM take precedence. If they are later removed, the ROM version takes over again.)

I have not gone to any other networks yet, but I notice no difference other than the change in driver version in Asset Viewer. :) I'll report back later today after I have a chance to connect with another WLAN.
End update

--Dave