DI-614+ and Palm WiFi -- Must reboot AP?!?

mfield3 · 06-10-2003

Hi,

I'm having a problem connecting a wireless device to my DI-614+ (firmware 2.18) and am looking for any suggestions on fixing the problem. Here's what's happening: I have a new Palm with built-in 802.11b. I also have a D-Link 614+ with MAC filtering on, SSID broadcast off, and WEP on. The first time I connect the Palm wireless, it works perfectly. If I disconnect and try later to reconnect, my Palm will not connect to the access point (it appears that it is not associating with the access point, because it never gets to the point where it tries to get an IP address). I must reboot the access point in order to get the Palm to connect again (which it does fine the first time, but not after that...the cycle repeats!).

At a friend's house, I have a Linksys access point with identical
configuration (the same exact SSID, SSID broadcast disabled, MAC filtering on, WEP enabled with the same exact WEP key), and my Palm connects perfectly every time. My Palm also connects fine to the access points in my office (I do not know what brand they are). I also have a laptop with an Orinoco card, and it connects perfectly to all these access points, including the D-Link. So I can't pin the problem on any single device -- it appears to be something about the combination of the D-Link and the Palm.

Any ideas as to what may be causing this problem, or how to fix it?

Thanks!
Marc

Thorn · 06-11-2003

Because it can connect once, it sounds like the Key Share function is at the wrong setting. Are the keys Open, Closed (aka Shared) or both? This needs to be consistant across all devices. BTW, although it sounds weird, Open is actually the more secure of the two methods.

More troubleshotting: Try turning everything to default: (WEP off, MCL off, SSID Broadcast on) and see if the cycle is the same. Then try enabling one function at a time. I'd try in this order: SSID Broadcast, MCL, WEP.

One other potential problem area is the WEP level. (40/64 or 104/128.) If it is 104/128 you need to know that this is NOT standard, and each manufacturer implements this differently. There may be just enough of a difference in the way the encryption occurs to cause problems on the second pass. Try at 40/64 bit first (which is part of the standard and should always work) then 104/128 bit.

Also, if that is not the latest firmware on the 614, you might want to update it.

mfield3 · 06-11-2003

Thanks, Thorn. I'll give these suggestions a try. On another website's forums (Palm-related), I got a reply indicating that another user with the same two devices had the same problem, and that re-enabling SSID broadcast fixed it...so I'll try that first as you suggest.

Marc

tourist26 · 06-15-2003

My Dad just had a similar problem here...

We have an SMC 2652W access point and he just got a Linksys WCF11 card for his IPAQ 3835 with CF sleeve. Basically, he'd put the IPAQ on and it would flood the AP with data causing all other computers using the wireless link to be cut off. The only way to regain access was to reboot the AP. We read a review site for the WCF11 and they had the same problem and, in the end, had given up.

It ended up to be the IPAQ was requesting an invalid IP address and wasn't accepting the one offered by the DHCP server. We just put in a static IP on the IPAQ and all was well.

Hope this helps

Regards.

tourist26

mfield3 · 06-15-2003

Well, in this case, turning SSID broadcast back on did the trick. Now it works perfectly every time I connect.

FWIW, I had tried both static and dynamic IP addressing and that didn't make the problem better or worse.

Thanks!
Marc

06-10-2003	#1 (permalink)
mfield3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 10	DI-614+ and Palm WiFi -- Must reboot AP?!? Hi, I'm having a problem connecting a wireless device to my DI-614+ (firmware 2.18) and am looking for any suggestions on fixing the problem. Here's what's happening: I have a new Palm with built-in 802.11b. I also have a D-Link 614+ with MAC filtering on, SSID broadcast off, and WEP on. The first time I connect the Palm wireless, it works perfectly. If I disconnect and try later to reconnect, my Palm will not connect to the access point (it appears that it is not associating with the access point, because it never gets to the point where it tries to get an IP address). I must reboot the access point in order to get the Palm to connect again (which it does fine the first time, but not after that...the cycle repeats!). At a friend's house, I have a Linksys access point with identical configuration (the same exact SSID, SSID broadcast disabled, MAC filtering on, WEP enabled with the same exact WEP key), and my Palm connects perfectly every time. My Palm also connects fine to the access points in my office (I do not know what brand they are). I also have a laptop with an Orinoco card, and it connects perfectly to all these access points, including the D-Link. So I can't pin the problem on any single device -- it appears to be something about the combination of the D-Link and the Palm. Any ideas as to what may be causing this problem, or how to fix it? Thanks! Marc

06-11-2003	#2 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,361	Because it can connect once, it sounds like the Key Share function is at the wrong setting. Are the keys Open, Closed (aka Shared) or both? This needs to be consistant across all devices. BTW, although it sounds weird, Open is actually the more secure of the two methods. More troubleshotting: Try turning everything to default: (WEP off, MCL off, SSID Broadcast on) and see if the cycle is the same. Then try enabling one function at a time. I'd try in this order: SSID Broadcast, MCL, WEP. One other potential problem area is the WEP level. (40/64 or 104/128.) If it is 104/128 you need to know that this is NOT standard, and each manufacturer implements this differently. There may be just enough of a difference in the way the encryption occurs to cause problems on the second pass. Try at 40/64 bit first (which is part of the standard and should always work) then 104/128 bit. Also, if that is not the latest firmware on the 614, you might want to update it. __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary" Last edited by Thorn : 06-11-2003 at 06:53 AM.

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06-11-2003	#3 (permalink)
mfield3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 10	Thanks, Thorn. I'll give these suggestions a try. On another website's forums (Palm-related), I got a reply indicating that another user with the same two devices had the same problem, and that re-enabling SSID broadcast fixed it...so I'll try that first as you suggest. Marc

06-15-2003	#4 (permalink)
tourist26 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Uk Posts: 4	My Dad just had a similar problem here... We have an SMC 2652W access point and he just got a Linksys WCF11 card for his IPAQ 3835 with CF sleeve. Basically, he'd put the IPAQ on and it would flood the AP with data causing all other computers using the wireless link to be cut off. The only way to regain access was to reboot the AP. We read a review site for the WCF11 and they had the same problem and, in the end, had given up. It ended up to be the IPAQ was requesting an invalid IP address and wasn't accepting the one offered by the DHCP server. We just put in a static IP on the IPAQ and all was well. Hope this helps Regards. tourist26

06-15-2003	#5 (permalink)
mfield3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 10	Well, in this case, turning SSID broadcast back on did the trick. Now it works perfectly every time I connect. FWIW, I had tried both static and dynamic IP addressing and that didn't make the problem better or worse. Thanks! Marc