Sandisk wi-fi SDIO card

[freitasm]

Right... I'll start with my own observations: wi-fi is not as easy to setup as it appears... I've just bought a Sandisk wi-fi SD card to use with my Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC (iPAQ H3970) and I am having no luck at all.

First, installed the software, and that was a no brainer. Insert the card the LED started blinking. Great stuff. The wireless icon in the status bar appeared and it had an option "AP Browser". Very neat, it lists AP in the area.

I then tried to connect to a Dell TrueMobile 2300, but there is no way to make it work. I do have WEP set on this AP, and can't change it (it's not mine). I know the AP is working fine, there are two laptops connected to it right now, one with a 802.11B card and the other with 802.11G pc card. When I try to connect I see a yellow padlock with a red cross over it.

Anyway, contacted sandisk support, which replied in a timely manner. I was told that "AP Browser" is not available on Windows Mobile 2003. But it worked before! And mini stumbler can't scan, showing "no wireless". Strange, but there's an AP somewhere close here because I'm able to connect to this "default" AP and connect to the internet. I also tried connecting to the wi-fi network provided by Toshiba during the Bluetooth Americas 2003 (San Jose, CA) and no luck there either.

I was asked to manually create an AP entry in the wireless settings. I tried doing so. The problem is that as soon as I turn the Pocket PC off and on the new entry is gone. nowhere to be found again. And no matter how many times I change "My network card connects to" to The Internet it always go back to "Work":

Well, it's now three days and this thing did not work properly yet. I'm returning the Sandisk to Amazon, and I'll blame everything on a poor driver implementation and bad Microsoft Windows Mobile software.

Yes, it seems I have a DNS server, but it's not working, because the Pocket PC can't resolve any domain name...

Ideas before I pack this to post back to Amazon?

[Anthony Caruana]

Right... I'll start with my own observations: wi-fi is not as easy to setup as it appears... I've just bought a Sandisk wi-fi SD card to use with my Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC (iPAQ H3970) and I am having no luck at all.

Agreed - it's better than it used to be but not perfect

And mini stumbler can't scan, showing "no wireless".

Have you tried Pocket WinC? It may be that Mini Stumbler doesn't properly support the NIC. Just a guess.

I was asked to manually create an AP entry in the wireless settings. I tried doing so. The problem is that as soon as I turn the Pocket PC off and on the new entry is gone. nowhere to be found again.

I just did this on my 2210 and, as long as the NIC was in, the connection I created was retained.

And no matter how many times I change "My network card connects to" to The Internet it always go back to "Work":

I think that's a "feature"

My last resort is always, in this sort of problem, to do a full backup of my device and then do a hard reset. Install the driver for the NIC and try again. If it works, then possibly a driver from another device is the issue. If not, then you are not destined to use this device.

Good luck

[freitasm]

Thanks Anthony... I'll have to try the other software. Will download later tonight. About the hard reset - this device was reset last week :(

[Dave Potter]

Try the Socket SDIO Wi-Fi card. I have mine setup with 128 bit WEP and MAC address filtering and it works great. I like the software/drivers that come with it too.

http://www.socketcom.com/product/WL6200-480.asp

[freitasm]

Tried Pocket WinC. It says "Unable to locate adapter. This application will be closed".

The wi-fi indicator is there, there's a connection to an unknown network but with wrong IP and DNS, but other programs can't see the adapter.

Sandisk did not reply to my last two emails, both with the appropriate support ticket # in the subject.

I guess it's time to return this piece of :pukeface: and put Sandisk on my list of companies that don't reply e-mails :evil:

[Dave Potter]

The Socket SDIO Wi-Fi card does work with PocketWinc. I am using it right now!

[freitasm]

Well, from my experience Sandisk has problems. Their product does not work well, and after six emails their support replied with

a) a wrong name
b) "The SD Wi-fi is not compatible with Toshiba". Ah wait minute. It doesn't matter that in my case I'm using a HP iPAQ.

Horrible support. Bad Product. Hope they stop selling this thing.

[freitasm]

Got an email from Sandisk with explanation about new drivers being developed, etc.

Too bad it's too late. Sent the Sandisk wi-fi SD back to Amazon today and bough an iPAQ H4155. What a machine. Turned it on and got the network - no problems. Now to transfer the stuff from my H3970 to this new Pocket PC.

[Anthony Caruana]

Great device Mauricio

I had a 4150 and 4350 for a week to review and they are both awesome devices. Other than the "yellow screen" issue, I would buy the 4150 in a heartbeat. The only thing stopping me at the moment is my investment in CF devices (camera, VGA output)

The WiFi range on the 4000's is excellent. I could pick up access points while sitting in a cab travelling at 60 kmh! From my 17th floor office I was picking up APs from other buildings.

Good luck!