11-12-2003, 08:00 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Microsoft MN-700 Incompatibilities with Mobile Devices?
A few weeks ago I replaced my Microsoft MN-500 with an MN-700, which is an 802.11g firewall/gateway/wireless access point. It has worked flawlessly with my Fujitsu P5010D 802.11g notebook, and the iPAQ 4100 series Pocket PC. Yet for some reason, I can't connect using the Socket 802.11b SDIO WiFi card, or with the Dell Axim 3Xi.
When I connect the Socket card, it keeps blinking and trying to connect, but it never does. With the Dell Axim 3Xi, it connects, but the Axim doesn't report a valid IP address. On the router side of things, I can tell that the X3i has connected and received a valid IP (192.168.2.173) by comparing the MAC addresses. But the Axim is reporting an IP of...ok, after the fifth time, it found the correct IP address. How utterly strange! 8O [Later: the next time I turned it on, it had the invalid IP again!]
I still can't get the Socket card to work however, and when I spoke to a Socket representative at CTIA in Vegas, this was the first they had heard of it. Any other MN-700 users having issues with connecting their Pocket PCs?
UPDATE: Well, it seems this was much ado about nothing, at least as far as the Socket SDIO card is concerned - after hard resetting my iPAQ 1945 and installing the latest Socket drivers for the SDIO WiFi card, I was able to connect to the network, enter my WEP key, and start surfing. Does anyone know of a good speed test site for Pocket PCs? I tried three but none would work properly. The Dell Axim X3i still seems to have issues with the MN-700 and WEP...
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11-12-2003, 08:10 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 108
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So far my new MN-700 is working fine with my Axim X5 and my original Symbol CF WiFi card. I've only used it lightly though (I'm still running my older Linksys access point on a different channel.) I usual like to phase in new stuff until I'm sure things are stable. I'll run some more tests and let you know if I bump into trouble.
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11-12-2003, 08:31 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 476
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Microsoft MN-500
A little off topic...
Did you ever experience odd behavior from your Microsoft MN-500?
It seems to sieze up a couple of times per week -neither of the two PCs I have connected to it (one wired and one wireless) can access the Internet or each other. I have to unplug the power from the router and essentially re-boot it. I am VERY technical - so I am 110% sure that there is nothing wrong with the setup.
Just curious if you (or anyone else) had had similar experiences?
Dave 0X
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11-12-2003, 09:08 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 217
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Re: Microsoft MN-500
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Originally Posted by Zippper
Did you ever experience odd behavior from your Microsoft MN-500?
It seems to sieze up a couple of times per week
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I had the problem you speak of with the MN-500. It would freeze up occasionally. I wasn't keeping track of the frequency, maybe once every couple of weeks. I thought it was my ISP, but maybe not. Like you said, unhooking the power and powering backup (soft reset) did the trick every time.
There has been another firmware update for the MN-500 recently. I will say that since I did that I haven't noticed that problem. That has been a week or two since that update was downloaded.
Overall, I have been very happy with the MN-500 and I plan to upgrade to the MN-700 sometime next year. I really like the configuration software and the way it works with XP.
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11-12-2003, 09:29 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 33
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I am by no means a wireless expert but in my experience I have found that some WI-FI devices using different chipsets (so far I know of two, prism and lucent) can have compatibility issues. I am not sure if Microsoft switched chipsets when moving from an 802.11b platform to 802.11g.
I have been trying to find a listing of manufacturers and chipsets but so far google has not found any sites. I definitely have problems with my setup at home due to conflicting chipsets (but I managed to get it to work using 64 bit encryption vs 128 bit encryption) and I have seen it at the office as well.
I hope this info helps.
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11-12-2003, 10:09 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 476
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"I am by no means a wireless expert but in my experience I have found that some WI-FI devices using different chipsets ... can have compatibility issues"
Good point - but in this case, all of my wireless hardware comes from Microsoft. My hard wired PC, however is not. Perhaps this is the source of the problem...
Dave
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11-12-2003, 10:15 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 33
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Zippper
"I am by no means a wireless expert but in my experience I have found that some WI-FI devices using different chipsets ... can have compatibility issues"
Good point - but in this case, all of my wireless hardware comes from Microsoft. My hard wired PC, however is not. Perhaps this is the source of the problem...
Dave
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Actually my comment was directed towards Jason's post. Sorry for the confusion, this was my first post. I guess I should have refrenced Jason's message.
John
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11-12-2003, 10:21 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 476
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Re: Microsoft MN-500
Quote:
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Originally Posted by mar2k
There has been another firmware update for the MN-500 recently. I will say that since I did that I haven't noticed that problem. That has been a week or two since that update was downloaded.
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Just applied the firmware update - let's see if this helps!
Thanks!
Dave
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11-12-2003, 10:28 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 200
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I was connected to one during the Mobile User Group Tour - connected just fine with an iPAQ 2215 and Socket WLAN card.
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11-12-2003, 10:55 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8
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Re: Microsoft MN-500
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Zippper
Quote:
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Originally Posted by mar2k
There has been another firmware update for the MN-500 recently. I will say that since I did that I haven't noticed that problem. That has been a week or two since that update was downloaded.
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Just applied the firmware update - let's see if this helps!
Thanks!
Dave |
I had the same problem and found that my wireless telephone was causing trouble with the router. I moved the phones bases station to another room and also applied the firmware upgrade and have not had any issues since.
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Linear Mode
