Help Connect via WIFI problems

[simonv]

Hi guys!

I using Hero for two weeks now. Initially all worked like charm, WiFi included (at home, connected to Linksys WRT610N, open air networks, ...) foe Weather, browsing, Market, .... But after some time (days) it stopped working.

After reading this thread I tried to follow advices you all gave here. I havent upgraded router firmware, because no alternate firmwares exist for this router yet and I also did not disable my WPA2 personal security, because I have to many users on this router (4 wired and 6 wireless computers connected) to make experiments . And I also didn't buy new router, because my Linksys is a week older than my Hero and of course it doesn't cost 30 bucks . I also tested Hero with my brother in law Linksys WRT54GL with stock firmware (6 months old) on which Hero cannot browse the net...

And tesing results are: there is definitely a problem with stock HTC browser since other applications work OK (Weather update, Android Market, Opera Mini which I downloaded using Wifi connection, can browse the net, ping to Hero works OK (response times go higher when Hero enters sleep mode, but drop immediately after you wake Hero up) from WinXP wireless computer (Lenovo X300) and Ubuntu wired computer (Asus Pundit barebone), browsing using IP doesn't work, ...

I have also reset all the browser settings but still nothing works :-(.

What to do next?

 

[Plexus]

@SimonV
You said it yourself: if all other apps work via wifi except your browser this is wher theproblem must be.
Specially if it worked fine until some days ago.
You can try a few things:
Do you use Opera or something else? Have you tried another browser?
If the other browser works all you need is to reinstall Opera (which BTW you can try to do even without trying another browser)
Otherways try to remember : which other app or file did you install just before your browser stopped working?

 

[simonv]

@SimonV
Do you use Opera or something else? Have you tried another browser?
If the other browser works all you need is to reinstall Opera (which BTW you can try to do even without trying another browser)

As I wrote, stock HTC browser does not work, Opera works OK :-(. I can live with opera, but multitouch zooming hooked me on

@SimonV
Otherways try to remember : which other app or file did you install just before your browser stopped working?

I installed only one or two other applications, but I can't really say when it stopped working, because I usually use 2G/3G network connection and not WiFi...

Thanks anyway...

 

[Plexus]

As I wrote, stock HTC browser does not work, Opera works OK :-(. I can live with opera, but multitouch zooming hooked me on



I installed only one or two other applications, but I can't really say when it stopped working, because I usually use 2G/3G network connection and not WiFi...

Thanks anyway...

I'm sorry SimonV , I had the Hero for nearly a month now and still I was convinced that the default browser it used was Opera, which I don't even have (nor I need) on the Hero.
That's because I use the Hero for work and my old HTC TouchHD (with Opera) as my personal phone at the same time.

Anyway , now there's no more doubts whatsoever, if you can browse with another browser it means that the file in HTC browser got damaged , most probably by some other lines of code you have installed.
A simple reinstall (possibly preceded by an uninstall) should solve the problem.

 

[cdmackay]

seems to me this thread has lost its usefulness, as it's now filled with comments describing unrelated issues:

- problems with HTC browser where Opera is OK is not the problem we were discussing, which is a total loss of all wlan traffic.

- without having any clue at all to what the problem is, suggesting just buying a new router is somewhat reckless: how do we know that you won't continue to see a similar problem there?

I also note that I'm continuing to see occasional disconnects even on the latest 2.0 ROM. So, *if* it is an HTC problem, they have not yet fixed it.

 

[simonv]

seems to me this thread has lost its usefulness, as it's now filled with comments describing unrelated issues:
- problems with HTC browser where Opera is OK is not the problem we were discussing, which is a total loss of all wlan traffic.

Sorry for posting in this thread, If you think that is inapropriate, but after reading I felt like I am having same troubles other wrote about.

I quite sure that a lot of users tested wifi only with HTC browser (I did the same before reading this thread) and another thing, my HTC browser works OK with only 2G/3G connection, it stops working when I switch wifi on.

 

[simonv]

I quite sure that a lot of users tested wifi only with HTC browser (I did the same before reading this thread) and another thing, my HTC browser works OK with only 2G/3G connection, it stops working when I switch wifi on.

I found a solution and I would like if somebody can test this also. First I even powered Hero off but that didn't help the browser.

So, now for my solution. It was quite simple. Since I was sure that there must be some configuration problem I switched mobile network off, so phone was without data connection (wifi was off already). Then I switched wifi on and tried the browser. Eureka, it started working. Then I switched mobile network on and browser still works OK.

I quite sure that there must be some problem with Hero's browser handling available connections and that at some time it was unable to use (switch) between mobile and wifi networks.

 

[cdmackay]

If you read back on this thread, you'll see we were originally discussing issues where the Hero cannot be pinged via ICMP, on the local LAN, via wlan. That obviously has nothing to do with the HTC browser.

Of course, I'd not be surprised to hear that there is also a problem with the browser, and I feel I may have seen something of that myself; but that's not what this thread was about. clearly, it is about that now, as you say; hence my comment that it's been derailed beyond usefulness (to the original problem).

 

[cdmackay]

although I don't mean to imply that the later comments aren't useful in themselves, of course

 

[cdmackay]

To recap: I'm still seeing regular drop-outs with the upgraded router, and now still with the Hero upgraded to the HTC 2.0 ROM.

I do note that it seems to drop most when I'm sitting quite close to a different strong wireless client, e.g. a laptop. Perhaps the Hero just isn't a strong enough signal, and gets swamped?

Anyone else notice a correlation between dropouts, and proximity to other clients?

 

[simonv]

Anyone else notice a correlation between dropouts, and proximity to other clients?

Hi. I tested my Hero side by side (10 cm distance) with my notebook (Lenovo X300 with Win XP) and had no dropouts. Both were connected to my Linksys WRT610N with stock firmware (1.00.00.18 i believe).

Here are ping statistics:
Ping statistics for ....
Packets: Sent = 290, Received = 290, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 507ms, Average = 176ms

So I can't second your findings, but this proof is not very scientific since diferent wifi cards can have different powers.

 

[prepbgg]

I've lost my WiFi connection several times when nowhere near a PC (sitting just outside the house) but have never lost it while sitting next to a PC.

 

[jspencer]

Hi,

I've noticed that when I get home or to the office my Hero doesn't automatically connect to Wifi. If I select Settings >> Wireless Controls >> Wi-Fi settings it starts to scan and finds the access point.

Has anyone got a way of making it auto scan or retry scanning a few times?

Thanks!

 

[cdmackay]

ah well, looks like my theory was just coincidence

 

[Slug]

Has anyone got a way of making it auto scan or retry scanning a few times?

While you're in 'Wi-fi Settings', press MENU and select "Scan".

 

[blunderbus]

Ok so I gave in and bought a new Router. Netgear DG834G v5 and lo and behold I have Wifi working. Albeit on WEP though as it kept dropping on WPA.

Really the advise is simple on this issue.....if you can, buy a new router that is listed on here as working.....if not, wait for the update to see if this fixes it.

With Wifi now working, this phone is perfect for me and my use. I for one am glad I chose this phone over the I phone.

Oh..........anyone want to buy a Zoom X6 ?????

 

[BandedHawk]

I found with the stock ROM that sometimes the kernel driver for the WiFi network would lock up after being out of contact with a known network. That went away after I installed Y5 which is a battery saver app. It remembers known networks and their location, and switches the WiFi circuit on when in range and off when out of range. This conserves battery. It also has the added effect of resetting the WiFi driver so I haven't had the WiFi ever mysteriously lock up or stop responding after that. I haven't tried the new ROM without Y5 so I can't comment on whether the lock up problem has disappeared with the updated kernel (and drivers).

BTW, the Hero has a B/G networking chip so it won't support communication with N. However, most N access points support B/G as well (but you may need to enable that it transmits/supports B/G). N is a bit of a power hog still so it isn't the ideal choice with the current technology to drop in a mobile device such as a phone.

The Hero works fine with my Linksys WRT310N a Wireless-N Router, flashed with the DD-WRT firmware and configured to broadcast B/G as well. It gives out a rock solid signal and the Hero seems to have a fairly stable connection to it at all times.

 

[cdmackay]

Ok so I gave in and bought a new Router. Netgear DG834G v5 and lo and behold I have Wifi working. Albeit on WEP though as it kept dropping on WPA.

Really the advise is simple on this issue.....if you can, buy a new router that is listed on here as working.....if not, wait for the update to see if this fixes it.

This is ironic; "dropping on WPA" is a good description of the problem that many of us are having, so I'd struggle to descrive this as "working"

WEP's security is so poor as to be non-existent, so it's not a good choice for many of us...

 

[tim1919]

Hi

I too have just got the htc hero, when i connect to wifi it finds the signal but cannot seem to obtain the ip address?? It just says "unsuccessfull"

I have read the threads below but I'm a bit dumb when it comes down to this sort of stuff. The Wifi was sent up by the provider so unsure of how to go about fixing this. I have a router ( if thats the thing on top of the computer which sends the signal out) but cannot find any software on the pc.

Please forgive me if i'm going over old news but in real need of some help

Tim

 

[cdmackay]

This is ironic; "dropping on WPA" is a good description of the problem that many of us are having, so I'd struggle to descrive this as "working"

A suggestion in another thread seems to have cured the issue for me:

hero wifi dropping out - Page 4 - xda-developers

quick summary: if you have G-mode (i.e. 802.11g) *only* set on your WAP/router, change it to B/G mixed mode.

In the several hours since making this change, I've not had a single drop, and would have had numerous ones normally.

 

[cdmackay]

Hi

I too have just got the htc hero, when i connect to wifi it finds the signal but cannot seem to obtain the ip address?? It just says "unsuccessfull"

I have read the threads below but I'm a bit dumb when it comes down to this sort of stuff. The Wifi was sent up by the provider so unsure of how to go about fixing this. I have a router ( if thats the thing on top of the computer which sends the signal out) but cannot find any software on the pc.

Please forgive me if i'm going over old news but in real need of some help

Tim

Tim, if your wireless is not working at all, then that's a different issue.

Here's we've been mostly discussing issues where the wireless is unreliable: works for a bit, then drops.

Your issue sounds like a basic setup problem, in particular like your router's DHCP has not been setup correctly.

You should be able to connect to your router by visiting your router's IP address in a web browser (possibly using https). Then in the setup screens you should be able to adjust its DHCP settings.

 

[Sub101]

Cheers for this thread, has helped a lot.

I found updating the firmware on my: Belkin F5D8233-4v3(01) has fixed my issues with the Hero working properly with wireless.

 

[Plexus]

Hi
The Wifi was sent up by the provider so unsure of how to go about fixing this. I have a router ( if thats the thing on top of the computer which sends the signal out)

Tim

Tim , I seriously doubt that whatever is in top of your PC could be a router.
The router is wired to your broadband modem and if it would be placed in top of your PC you would'nt need one in the first place because you could just plug the ethernet cable directly to the PC.
Moreover when you try to connect the Hero (or anything else) to your wifi wireless network , in order to obtain your ip adress, the router would ask you for the security code: if you inserted te wrong security code , you would get a message from the phone saying that the connection has been "unsuccessful" : Are you sure that this is not your problem?
Did you change the security code?
If you did'nt and you still have the default code , most brands use "0000" or "1234".

 

[jspencer]

Hi,

Yes, I have updated the firmware on all my wireless access points and none use N. I find this is a problem with the G1 as well. I get home or to the office and I select Settings => Wireless controls and then it scans.

I'll give Y5 a go... I also think it would be good to be able to have a setting that said try connecting x times if a known access point is nearby and connecting is unsuccessful.

Cheers.

 

[Plexus]

Hi,
I also think it would be good to be able to have a setting that said try connecting x times if a known access point is nearby and connecting is unsuccessful.

Cheers.

There are quite a few free apps in the Market that do just what you want and some do more than that that too.
I don't have my Hero here with me to check it, but I think a good one I downloaded is called "WIFI pal" or something similar.

I didn't really understand what your problem is with the N band ( which luckily next month will cease to be preN or draft N to finally be just N), but I hope you are aware that to start streaming on N band to your devices, besides the firmwares and an N router, you also need the appropriate receivers on each device that you want to connect to the network and such a receiver does not exist for the Hero nor for any other cellphone ever produced, so if you're swiching to N make sure that your N router is backward compatible with devices using the G frequencies simultaneously, and even then, since the Hero is a pretty choosy little SOB, try it out before parting with your cash.