Fast Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems

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(Android device connection problems: edit)
 
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{{Contributions}}
{{Contributions}}
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'''This articles covers Fast Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems.'''
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{{Donate}}
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'''This articles covers fast fixes to common Wi-Fi problems.'''
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{{Wi-Fi Articles}}
 
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{{Wi-Fi Articles}}
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== Top Ten Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems ==
== Top Ten Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems ==
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In network terms, a ''[[Wikipedia:Network bridge|bridge]]'' is transparent, passing data from each side to the other side (wireless to wired, wired to wireless). Thus in normal operation it doesn't have any use for [[wikipedia:IP address|IP addresses]], just [[wikipedia:Media Access Control|MAC addresses]].
In network terms, a ''[[Wikipedia:Network bridge|bridge]]'' is transparent, passing data from each side to the other side (wireless to wired, wired to wireless). Thus in normal operation it doesn't have any use for [[wikipedia:IP address|IP addresses]], just [[wikipedia:Media Access Control|MAC addresses]].
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However, because of the need to ''manage'' Wi-Fi operation ([[wikipedia:Service set identifier|SSID]] selection, [[wikipedia:Wired Equivalent Privacy|WEP]]/[[wikipedia:Wi-Fi Protected Access|WPA]] security, ''etc.''), a Wi-Fi client bridge will typically have ''configuration screen(s)'' at a specified [[wikipedia:Private network|private IP address]] (''e.g., ''192.168.0.254) that can be accessed with a standard Web browser (''e.g., ''Microsoft Internet Explorer) from a local computer. Unfortunately, unlike with a Wi-Fi router, a computer connected to a Wi-Fi client bridge ''can't'' normally communicate with both the client bridge configuration and the Internet at the same time.  To deal with this problem, see [[Wi-Fi How To#Configure a Wi-Fi client bridge|How To Configure a Wi-Fi client bridge]].
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However, because of the need to ''manage'' Wi-Fi operation ([[wikipedia:Service set identifier|SSID]] selection, [[wikipedia:Wired Equivalent Privacy|WEP]]/[[wikipedia:Wi-Fi Protected Access|WPA/WPA2]] security, ''etc.''), a Wi-Fi client bridge will typically have ''configuration screen(s)'' at a specified [[wikipedia:Private network|private IP address]] (''e.g., ''192.168.0.254) that can be accessed with a standard Web browser (''e.g., ''Microsoft Internet Explorer) from a local computer. Unfortunately, unlike with a Wi-Fi router, a computer connected to a Wi-Fi client bridge ''can't'' normally communicate with both the client bridge configuration and the Internet at the same time.  To deal with this problem, see [[Wi-Fi How To#Configure a Wi-Fi client bridge|How To Configure a Wi-Fi client bridge]].
== Poor coverage or range (weak signal) ==
== Poor coverage or range (weak signal) ==
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Amount of antenna improvement
Amount of antenna improvement
* Standard "rubber duck" [[wikipedia:Antenna gain|antenna gain]] (effectiveness) is about 2 dBi.
* Standard "rubber duck" [[wikipedia:Antenna gain|antenna gain]] (effectiveness) is about 2 dBi.
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* It takes an ''increase of 6 dBi to double range''. Thus:
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* It takes an ''increase of 6 dB to double range''. Thus:
:{| border="1"
:{| border="1"
| align="right" |  Antenna:
| align="right" |  Antenna:
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{| style=width="100%"
{| style=width="100%"
|[[Image:Windows Status Connected.png|thumb]]
|[[Image:Windows Status Connected.png|thumb]]
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|Windows may show Wi-Fi<br>as being connected...
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|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
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|Windows may show Wi-Fi<br>as being connected ...<br>&larr;
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<p align="right">... when it doesn't actually<br>have a working connection<br>as shown in<br>Connection Status<br>&rarr;</p>
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<p align="right">... when it doesn't actually<br>have a working connection,<br>as shown in this<br>Connection Status.</p>
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|[[Image:Wi-Fi not really Connected.png|thumb]]
|[[Image:Wi-Fi not really Connected.png|thumb]]
|}
|}
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Possible causes:
Possible causes:
* DHCP failure (interference and/or weak signal, broken DHCP server, or problem with Windows Vista DHCP client).
* DHCP failure (interference and/or weak signal, broken DHCP server, or problem with Windows Vista DHCP client).
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* Initial connection with wrong WEP or WPA key, and is waiting to complete the connect.
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* Initial connection with wrong WEP/WPA/WPA2 key, and is waiting to complete the connect.
* Wireless connection has been lost due to interference and/or weak signal, and is waiting to reconnect.
* Wireless connection has been lost due to interference and/or weak signal, and is waiting to reconnect.
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# Wait until Windows re-establishes the connection automatically.
# Wait until Windows re-establishes the connection automatically.
# Click the Repair button to try to fix the connection more quickly.
# Click the Repair button to try to fix the connection more quickly.
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# Find and correct the cause of the problem (e.g., wrong WEP or WPA key, DHCP failure, insufficient signal).
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# Find and correct the cause of the problem (e.g., wrong WEP/WPA/WPA2 key, DHCP failure, insufficient signal).
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=== Android device connection problems ===
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Certain [[wikipedia:Android (operating system)|Android]] mobile devices ([[wikipedia:Mobile phone|mobile phones]], [[wikipedia:Tablet computer|tablets]]) may connect to Wi-Fi and work for a time but then "hang" or disconnect. The cause appears to be a bug in certain [[wikipedia:Texas Instruments|TI]] Wi-Fi drivers most commonly used in certain [[wikipedia:Motorola Mobility|Motorola]] products.
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The best solution may be to replace the Android device with a completely different device, if possible, that works properly everywhere.
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Otherwise, a possible work-around (where you control the wireless access point or wireless router, but not in other places) is to either:
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<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
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<li>disable [[wikipedia:Wireless Multimedia Extensions|WMM or WME (Wireless Multimedia Extensions)]] in the wireless access point or wireless router (not the mobile device), at the expense of WMM/WME functionality; or</li>
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<li>replace the wireless access point or wireless router with a completely different device that's more tolerant of mobile device issues.</li>
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</ol>
== Slow wireless speed ==
== Slow wireless speed ==
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{{Tip|tiptext=Products with the ''same'' (default) SSID seem like a ''single'' network!<br>See ''[[Wi-Fi#SSID Conflict|SSID Conflict]]''}}
{{Tip|tiptext=Products with the ''same'' (default) SSID seem like a ''single'' network!<br>See ''[[Wi-Fi#SSID Conflict|SSID Conflict]]''}}
* Set a ''unique [[wikipedia:Service set identifier|SSID]]'' in your wireless router or access point.
* Set a ''unique [[wikipedia:Service set identifier|SSID]]'' in your wireless router or access point.
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* Set up ''security'' ([[wikipedia:Wired Equivalent Privacy|WEP]], or better yet [[wikipedia:Wi-Fi Protected Access|WPA]]), a ''very good idea'' in any event.
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* Set up ''security'' ([[wikipedia:Wired Equivalent Privacy|WEP]], or better yet [[wikipedia:Wi-Fi Protected Access#WPA2|WPA2]]), a ''very good idea'' in any event.
== Works with no security, but won't work with WEP ==
== Works with no security, but won't work with WEP ==
* Use a ''[[wikipedia:hexadecimal|hex]]'' key, not a character (ASCII) key. See ''[[Wi-Fi#WEP|Wi-Fi WEP]]''.
* Use a ''[[wikipedia:hexadecimal|hex]]'' key, not a character (ASCII) key. See ''[[Wi-Fi#WEP|Wi-Fi WEP]]''.
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{{Tip|tiptext=[[wikipedia:Wired Equivalent Privacy|WEP]] can be easily cracked! If possible, use [[wikipedia:Wi-Fi Protected Access|WPA]] instead. See ''[[Wi-Fi#Wi-Fi_Security|Wi-Fi Security]]''.}}
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{{Tip|tiptext=[[wikipedia:Wired Equivalent Privacy|WEP]] can be easily cracked! If possible, use [[wikipedia:Wi-Fi Protected Access#WPA2|WPA2]] instead. See ''[[Wi-Fi#Wi-Fi_Security|Wi-Fi Security]]''.}}
== Wake On LAN (WOL) won't work from the Internet ==
== Wake On LAN (WOL) won't work from the Internet ==

Latest revision as of 18:17, 25 January 2012

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