great strength, bad quality

systemd0wn · 08-04-2002

I set up my cisco aironet 340 bridge to be an AP. And even when i have the laptop in the same room i have great Strength, but crappy quality. whats up with that? I have tried working on diffrent channels, and that hasnt helped. any ideas?

Thorn · 08-04-2002

Sounds like interference. Try some or all of the following to see what might help:
-Relocate the AP temporarily in differnet places around the room, or a different room,using a long ethernet cable.
-Reorient the AP antenna(e) if possible. Card antennae tend to be horizontal, and most AP antennae are vertical. This may cause one not to see the signal of the other.
-Try a different card / laptop combination. Borrow a friend's; this can tell if you have a bad card, or the laptop has some problem.
-Check the Aironet manual/help files regarding interference. Most APs have a number of diffenent settings to help mitigate interference issues. Check things like "Frame", "PS mode", etc.

BTW, try having the laptop in a different room. You can be TOO CLOSE to the AP. This can cause interference issues of its own.

systemd0wn · 08-05-2002

Thorn, thanks for responding.

i moved the laptop into my office across the building. but its still a straight shot to where the bridge is... if that make sence. the strength went from like 100% almost to 45% (just using the ruber ducky @ the moment) but the signal quality is still 4%.

ugh.

i wont be able to try another WNIC becouse i dont have one, and dont know any other person that does.

-tried moving the antenna, didnt help realy.

Ran a multicast test:

Testing link to 004096387907 with 100 multicast packets of size 512

GOOD ( 0% Lost) Time Strength Quality %
msec % In dBm % Out dBm In Out
Sent: 100, Avg: 11 100 52 -69 59 0
Lost to Tgt: 0, Max: 12 100 61 -65 82 0
Lost to Src: 0, Min: 11 100 45 -73 38 0

Rates (Src/Tgt) 1Mb: 100/100

i tried droping the transmit power level from full to '5' and i got a 18%signal quality, but the strength is down to like 20%. at least i can ping the bridge now :P

ugh! if i drop it down to '1' i get signal quality of like 25% but the strength is like 1%...
does the strength matter as long as th signal quality is higher?

Thunderforge · 08-05-2002

Well it IS Cisco (I love jabbing them) Could there be anything else in the area causing interference? 2.4GHz cordless phone, microwave? Neighbor with an overpowered antenna blanketing you with interference?

If not, it sounds like something may actually be defective, or on it's way to it. Have you used the card while stumbling at all? Does it get better quality signals then?

You have a Cisco AP, what brand is the card? (This is just curiousity.)

systemd0wn · 08-05-2002

the WNIC is a Cisco Aironet 340 series :P

cisco equipment isnt my pick, its the company's. and that was decided befor i came to work here. :P

i hope the equipment isnt bad. i realy do doubt its that...

Thunderforge · 08-05-2002

ok so since it's a Cisco card you aren't stumbling with it. Can you connect to any other APs using some of the prism tools? If so are the quality ratings the same?

Hey if the gear is bad, maybe you can get the company to go with a decent wireless product, like the ORiNOCO family.

systemd0wn · 08-05-2002

we have 2 of these bridges, and 1 cisco isa card that is going into a 2k server. Im getting the same thing on the 2 bridges, today though im going to just get the 2 to bridge only. then put a computer on each side and see what i can get.

and yes, if the crap is broke, orinoco will do just fine

systemd0wn · 08-05-2002

aight, i got the bridges communicating, etc...

now to take the thing across town. across town being about 1.3-1.5miles heh.

anyway, no real high buildings or anything... the location across town has a

Cisco 12db Omnidirectional
and back here we have a Cisco 21db Dish

the omni ALSO has a 250mw booster on it.
isnt this a little over excesive?! please let me know. how do you figure the reach of an anntenna? i would like to be able to do the math myself. ill search the forums in a bit, have to take this across town. thanks for your help!

rerunn · 08-05-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by systemd0wn
aight, i got the bridges communicating, etc...

Curious to know... what fixed it??

lincomatic · 08-05-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by rerunn

Curious to know... what fixed it??

yes, pls systemdown, enlighten us so that we may learn from you as well

systemd0wn · 08-05-2002

i do think it was that WNIC becouse once i got the 2 bridges communicating (wich wasnt a prob.) i checked the stats on those and everything was great... I took it out to the other location and they are NOT associating though

I did find this tool (im sure everyone has it):

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/102/us-calc.xls

anyway, it should reach even without the amp it should work fine. i have a feeling the guy who set it up first didnt get the dish's running with a line of sight. the trees seem to be in the way in town.

going to take some binoculars or something up their and check the shizal out. :P

duno if that helped anyone.
if it is the line of sight ill let you guys know. thanks

08-04-2002	#1 (permalink)
systemd0wn Probematic Stumbler Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 153	great strength, bad quality I set up my cisco aironet 340 bridge to be an AP. And even when i have the laptop in the same room i have great Strength, but crappy quality. whats up with that? I have tried working on diffrent channels, and that hasnt helped. any ideas? __________________ Systemd0wn '311 Transistor, its a lightning resistor'

08-04-2002	#2 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,361	Sounds like interference. Try some or all of the following to see what might help: -Relocate the AP temporarily in differnet places around the room, or a different room,using a long ethernet cable. -Reorient the AP antenna(e) if possible. Card antennae tend to be horizontal, and most AP antennae are vertical. This may cause one not to see the signal of the other. -Try a different card / laptop combination. Borrow a friend's; this can tell if you have a bad card, or the laptop has some problem. -Check the Aironet manual/help files regarding interference. Most APs have a number of diffenent settings to help mitigate interference issues. Check things like "Frame", "PS mode", etc. BTW, try having the laptop in a different room. You can be TOO CLOSE to the AP. This can cause interference issues of its own. __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary"

08-05-2002	#3 (permalink)
systemd0wn Probematic Stumbler Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 153	Thorn, thanks for responding. i moved the laptop into my office across the building. but its still a straight shot to where the bridge is... if that make sence. the strength went from like 100% almost to 45% (just using the ruber ducky @ the moment) but the signal quality is still 4%. ugh. i wont be able to try another WNIC becouse i dont have one, and dont know any other person that does. -tried moving the antenna, didnt help realy. Ran a multicast test: Testing link to 004096387907 with 100 multicast packets of size 512 GOOD ( 0% Lost) Time Strength Quality % msec % In dBm % Out dBm In Out Sent: 100, Avg: 11 100 52 -69 59 0 Lost to Tgt: 0, Max: 12 100 61 -65 82 0 Lost to Src: 0, Min: 11 100 45 -73 38 0 Rates (Src/Tgt) 1Mb: 100/100 i tried droping the transmit power level from full to '5' and i got a 18%signal quality, but the strength is down to like 20%. at least i can ping the bridge now :P ugh! if i drop it down to '1' i get signal quality of like 25% but the strength is like 1%... does the strength matter as long as th signal quality is higher? __________________ Systemd0wn '311 Transistor, its a lightning resistor' Last edited by systemd0wn : 08-05-2002 at 08:28 AM.

08-05-2002	#4 (permalink)
Thunderforge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 342	Well it IS Cisco (I love jabbing them) Could there be anything else in the area causing interference? 2.4GHz cordless phone, microwave? Neighbor with an overpowered antenna blanketing you with interference? If not, it sounds like something may actually be defective, or on it's way to it. Have you used the card while stumbling at all? Does it get better quality signals then? You have a Cisco AP, what brand is the card? (This is just curiousity.) __________________ Back to the forge, TF

08-05-2002	#5 (permalink)
systemd0wn Probematic Stumbler Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 153	the WNIC is a Cisco Aironet 340 series :P cisco equipment isnt my pick, its the company's. and that was decided befor i came to work here. :P i hope the equipment isnt bad. i realy do doubt its that... __________________ Systemd0wn '311 Transistor, its a lightning resistor'

08-05-2002	#6 (permalink)
Thunderforge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 342	ok so since it's a Cisco card you aren't stumbling with it. Can you connect to any other APs using some of the prism tools? If so are the quality ratings the same? Hey if the gear is bad, maybe you can get the company to go with a decent wireless product, like the ORiNOCO family. __________________ Back to the forge, TF

08-05-2002	#7 (permalink)
systemd0wn Probematic Stumbler Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 153	we have 2 of these bridges, and 1 cisco isa card that is going into a 2k server. Im getting the same thing on the 2 bridges, today though im going to just get the 2 to bridge only. then put a computer on each side and see what i can get. and yes, if the crap is broke, orinoco will do just fine __________________ Systemd0wn '311 Transistor, its a lightning resistor'

08-05-2002	#8 (permalink)
systemd0wn Probematic Stumbler Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 153	aight, i got the bridges communicating, etc... now to take the thing across town. across town being about 1.3-1.5miles heh. anyway, no real high buildings or anything... the location across town has a Cisco 12db Omnidirectional and back here we have a Cisco 21db Dish the omni ALSO has a 250mw booster on it. isnt this a little over excesive?! please let me know. how do you figure the reach of an anntenna? i would like to be able to do the math myself. ill search the forums in a bit, have to take this across town. thanks for your help! __________________ Systemd0wn '311 Transistor, its a lightning resistor' Last edited by systemd0wn : 08-05-2002 at 01:28 PM.

08-05-2002	#11 (permalink)
systemd0wn Probematic Stumbler Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 153	i do think it was that WNIC becouse once i got the 2 bridges communicating (wich wasnt a prob.) i checked the stats on those and everything was great... I took it out to the other location and they are NOT associating though I did find this tool (im sure everyone has it): http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/102/us-calc.xls anyway, it should reach even without the amp it should work fine. i have a feeling the guy who set it up first didnt get the dish's running with a line of sight. the trees seem to be in the way in town. going to take some binoculars or something up their and check the shizal out. :P duno if that helped anyone. if it is the line of sight ill let you guys know. thanks __________________ Systemd0wn '311 Transistor, its a lightning resistor'

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