Help with SIMPad and WLAN, please!

[Mastiff]

Hi, guys! Got my SIMpad three frustrating hours ago, but I didn't even get to first base and can't get anywhere.

I can easily connect p2p to my notebook (with a Trend 301 22 MBPS PC Card), but when I try to connect to my access point, a Trend BRP 311 AP, bridge and router, I get nowhere. It's obvious that the SIMpad knows that something's there, since it stops on channel 6 and gets stuck in state "Scanning" on 2 Mbits/s. I do not use WEP encryption or any kind of filtering, my AP is totally open (out here where I'm about 10 km from the closest WLAN that's not dangerous). I have the same SSID on both, and I have tried with WEP as well, but that did not help. Can anybody help me here? I'd really appreciate it!

[Ben S]

I wish I could help, Tor. Mine worked "out of the box" without having to do anything special.

Hopefully someone else can help out.

[Dave T]

Boy, that's too bad. Mine worked right out of the box, too. I was pretty surprised. I put the card in, and got right on the web.

So, either something's different in your unit, or it's something to do with your AP, I would guess. Or, maybe your card is bad? How about trying the card from your notebook? Might be a hassle, though, if it needs different drivers.

On a related note - have either of you gotten ActiveSync to work? I have ActiveSync 3.5 on my PC, that I use with my PPC. The SimPad came with 3.1 (in German, I think). 3.5 "sees" the Simpad, but won't add a new partnership for it.

[Ben S]

I have a similar issue.

I can sync via the serial cable (horribly slow) normally. Trying to sync via the WLAN will only sync as "Guest".

The port next to the serial port is clearly a USB port, right? But the manual says it is "unused/unsupported". I wonder if we could try it, though?

[Dave T]

If you sync as guest, you can still open explorer from ActiveSync, right? That sounds fine to me - all I need is to copy files. How do you set it up to sync via the WLAN, though?

(BTW, the times seem an hour off on the forum)

pps - Ben, ygm.

[Mastiff]

Can't you just access the network via the file explorer, like on a regular PPC (\\Server will get you to the root of the computer called Server and so on)? I just learned that trick myself... :wink:

[Dave T]

I don't think so - I don't think it's seeing my network. Probably something to do with authentication. My network is set up as a peer-to-peer NW. It looks like the Simpad wants to connect to a domain. I know I had some issues with accessing my 98 HTPC from my Win2K laptop. May be something similar.

If you have any suggestions, let me know. Otherwise, I'll try to figure it out.

Good luck with your problems, too!

[Mastiff]

I'm still stuck, but I have narrowed it down. The WLAN card is OK, I tried it on my notebook and it worked perfectly there. So it's something between my SIMpad and the access point. Since it worked on P2P it has to be the interaction between the SIMPad and the AP. I have an access point with 44 mbps firmware, I will try to get the original firmware back and see if that helps.

But at least I can play a little bit with NetRemote via the desktop. But installing programs via the sync cable takes like forever! :roll:

[sapnho]

As far as ActiveSync is concerned, I needed to upgrade to version 3.7 which is available for download on the Micorsoft pages.

[Aaron]

My understanding is that the Simpad will only use 16 bit cards... that means 802.11b only. Get yourself a 3com, lucent, orinoco, linksys, and such.

[Mastiff]

Aaron, I have the original Siemens card, the problem is in my WAP. But I have borrowed (well, bouht with a 30 days money back refund option which I will use) a Belkin AP until I get a solution with my old system or buy a 3Com Office Connect 54 mbit kit. And that works nicely, so I'm on the Net with it now. :wink:

[Aaron]

Mastiff,
3Com Office Connect 54 mbit ???

are you sure that works with the SIMpad? Is it 16bit?

Getting 54mbit (or even 22) would be pretty nice!

[Mastiff]

Yes, I can confirm that. I use the 3Com office connect AP, router and bridge, and it works very well. Connect times, even with WEP encryption, is less than five seconds for the SIMpad and about seven for the Ipaq 5450. Of course I don't get any speed advantages, only 11 mbit, but then again that's more than enough for what NetRemote should do (except for maybe if I should try to play all my tracks at once...). So I can recommend that solution fully. It's even cheap, I paid around 160 dollars for the AP/router/bridge and a PC Card for my laptop. That's value for money!

[Aaron]

I see... so it only works at 11mbit, not 54, or 22. Ah...
what do you mean by 5 seconds? Is that ime from power on to network connectivity?
I have a NetGear MA401 and a Linksys WAP11 and my times are also 5 - 7 seconds.

[Mastiff]

Yes, by connect time I mean the time from I push the power button and until the green "light" in my CCF comes.