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So is the wireless really that bad on a Sentia?

post #1 of 22
12/19/04 at 11:12pm
Thread Starter 
I am about to take the plunge and order a SENTIA or a UNIWILL version, but I have read some negative things about the "wireless performance", is it really that unstable?? It concerns me being it will NEVER be plugged directly to a router, so the wireless is a MUST,

Thanks for any feedback I really appreciate it

R'
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post #2 of 22
12/19/04 at 11:30pm
I have not had any problems with my wireless connection. I have the Intell 2200 card. It gets better reception than my Apple PowerBook with its built in wireless card. Just today I was setting up a wireless network for a client and used my Sentia to configure and test everything. It was getting just as good recption as the Dell, Compaq, Toshiba and HP that I was setting up at the same place.


-BoX
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post #3 of 22
12/20/04 at 4:55am
I was at my friends house with my Sentia and it a neighbor was using wireless internet so I connected and started to surf the web. Because of the distance the signal changed from good to poor. Then they caught on and set up a pw.
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post #4 of 22
12/22/04 at 2:45pm
I live 100 meters from my closests neighbour, as i started up my sentia it picked up a wireless network wich im still trying to find out where it is. but for sure: at least 100 meters away.
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post #5 of 22
12/22/04 at 5:08pm
My Sentia picks up a wireless network from down the block, and the reception is "good".
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post #6 of 22
12/22/04 at 5:52pm
The Intel 2100/2200 wireless cards used on te Sentia perform very well compared to other mini PCI wireless cards. Well thought out design with power consumption in mind without sacrificing signal strength.
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post #7 of 22
1/14/05 at 3:37pm
Mine perfroms pathetically

I stand 15 foot away form my AP (15 ft above me, upstairs) and it takes nearly a minute to download a webpage, if it downloads at all. My flatmates powerbook however, gets it like *that*, super quickly.
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post #8 of 22
1/14/05 at 4:17pm
I had the same problem with the wireless, it would be very spotty. One second had a great connection the next it disconnected. I even bought a new router, but that didn't solve a thing...oh and did I mention I was right next to the router! Waiting for it to come back from the depot, if you want to read my whole story check it out here...

http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=53277
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post #9 of 22
1/14/05 at 4:46pm
I've walked up my street for about 150ft from my house and it still had a good signal (2-3 bars).
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post #10 of 22
1/14/05 at 9:02pm
ive posted a buttload of times about this but my wireless connection (intel 2200bg) sucks ass. range and consistency are the issues at hand. sometimes i can not establish a connection 2ft from my router. and if a connection is established, sometimes ill have to click on a link multiple times for it to start loading. i experience the same issues using other hotspots.
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post #11 of 22
1/15/05 at 11:48am
Get a new wireless card. Yours is buggered.
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post #12 of 22
1/15/05 at 4:27pm
Ewok^

What steps have you taken to improve wireless?

- Check to make sure that the antenna wire is seated properly
- Reinstall to newer driver
- test Intel pro or Windows wireless util to see what best suits you.
Win wireless util works for me, and does not go well with others.
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post #13 of 22
1/15/05 at 5:02pm
I have found that the windows utility works the best for me.

My readings with the Intel software were always: sig. strength=excelent, sig quality=poor. Which ment lots of drops

The windows one said: sig strenght=good, sig. quality=good. It almost never droped the connection.

DJ
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post #14 of 22
1/15/05 at 5:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DesertJester
I have found that the windows utility works the best for me.

My readings with the Intel software were always: sig. strength=excelent, sig quality=poor. Which ment lots of drops

The windows one said: sig strenght=good, sig. quality=good. It almost never droped the connection.

DJ
Same with me. Many times the Intel tray icon shows poor signal quality, meanwhile the windows one shows excellent. Strange.
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post #15 of 22
1/15/05 at 5:21pm
I'm knida surprised I even get any signal at all from our wireless. Its a good 70-80 feet from my tent, across open sand. I will say this for the Sentia and AW in general, my laptop has done very well out here in Kuwait for me the last two months.

I just hope everyone who has had issues lately gets their system's working, they are some kick-a$$ machines.

DJ
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post #16 of 22
1/17/05 at 10:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by booga
Ewok^

What steps have you taken to improve wireless?

- Check to make sure that the antenna wire is seated properly
- Reinstall to newer driver
- test Intel pro or Windows wireless util to see what best suits you.
Win wireless util works for me, and does not go well with others.
Hi Booga, thanks for trying to help me out

I have checked the wire is seated, and also the card. I have tried multiple drivers (stock, and latest) with both intel and xp clients. I am currently waiting to try a mid - old set of drivers (8.1.1.0 or simular, not latest but not oldest) as apparently using these solved somones problem.

Also, i fiddled extensivly with the wireless cards configuration, boosting all its power options to maximum, cts - self enabled etc etc. I even selected b band only (i have a b router) and fiddled with channel numbers on the laptop and the AP.

Why would one wireless cleint get a different signal strength compared to another one? Surely they both get the same information from the card to process?
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post #17 of 22
1/17/05 at 8:02pm
the uutility is displaying differently based on "useable" signal strength. ne programmer may have different ideas from the other. I agree they get the same info.

Maybe a bad card. Have you tried a different card?
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post #18 of 22
1/18/05 at 6:38am
I havnt got any other cards to try. Im just going to send it off to rock, im sure they will try a different card in it.

Rolling back my driver to 8.1.1.0 last night did however seem to make the signal speed always stay at 11mps, i just kept losing connection and having to get my ip address re-assigned by the network.
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post #19 of 22
1/23/05 at 6:01am
Ewok^,

Keep us posted on Rocks findings.
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post #20 of 22
1/24/05 at 10:00pm
Mix up with couriers means laptops not been collected yet, however i will bookmark this and post when i have resolution/ explanation
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