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Help Let's talk WiFi -- some basic and not-so-basic questions

Johnny Cakes

Android Enthusiast
Oct 13, 2009
348
69
I am new to the wifi game, having run Cat-5 throughout my house many years ago. But I got a Netgear wireless router at a garage sale for two bucks and configured it on my home network as an access point. No problems.

Here's my questions:

Will the Moment automatically log itself into a WiFi network, assuming that the password has been previously entered?

What happens if there is more than one WiFi point available, for which the Moment knows the password? If it logs in automatically, how does it select and will it change if it loses signal from one or if the other has a stronger signal?

OK, lets assume that the Moment is logged into WiFi (whether that is maunal or automatic). When it comes to accessing the Internet, will the Moment, will it automatically select WiFi over 3G cellular?

Are the speeds supposed to be greater using WiFi? Seems about the same to me. I was hoping for a big improvement.

Also, does the Moment support Wireless-N? In real world conditions, would I see much of an improvement over Wireless-G, which is all my two dollar router supports?

Thanks!
 
Will the Moment automatically log itself into a WiFi network, assuming that the password has been previously entered?

yes

What happens if there is more than one WiFi point available, for which the Moment knows the password? If it logs in automatically, how does it select and will it change if it loses signal from one or if the other has a stronger signal?

good question would need to try " i know you need to login if the second signal is open" at my home i have my wireless router "password protected" but my neighbor has a open signal if i want to use his i need to select it, dosent automatically login !

OK, lets assume that the Moment is logged into WiFi (whether that is maunal or automatic). When it comes to accessing the Internet, will the Moment, will it automatically select WiFi over 3G cellular?

it will use wifi as long as you have it on, the only time i noticed it used evdo or 3g while wifi is on is when i get a mms

Are the speeds supposed to be greater using WiFi? Seems about the same to me. I was hoping for a big improvement.

Its way faster for me "wifi" than 3g or evdo

Also, does the Moment support Wireless-N? In real world conditions, would I see much of an improvement over Wireless-G, which is all my two dollar router supports?

I have a wireless n gigabit router, never had a g router, would need to do speed comparison, but i doubt you will notice much difference remember were talking browsers on cellphones
 
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Assuming you are in America both the N and G standards are much faster than common DSL/Cable plans. Your internet bottleneck probably isn't the wireless router.

That's an important point nyall makes so I'm going to expand it just a bit. G is faster than the internet speeds coming into 90% of homes. The only time one would see a benefit to using N over G is when transferring files (mostly large ones) within the internal network. Any page loads and video streaming via the internet would appear to be moving at the same speed to an observer.
 
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That's an important point nyall makes so I'm going to expand it just a bit. G is faster than the internet speeds coming into 90% of homes. The only time one would see a benefit to using N over G is when transferring files (mostly large ones) within the internal network. Any page loads and video streaming via the internet would appear to be moving at the same speed to an observer.

N carrys twice the distance of G and twice the speed. and like was said the only thing you will really notice is file transfers on networked computers. but you do gain the grater distance and less interference of N. G runs at 54mbps average cable line is about 15mbps. I notice a huge differance when i use my wi-fi. and i dont think the moment is N.
 
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We upgraded in our house to Wireless N... before we had G. Differences I've seen: Download and upload speeds: both are a great deal faster. The reason behind this I think is more related to the distance boost. When we had G, I would get 'poor' signal in my room, whereas now I have 'Excellent' (2 bars to 5). I still think that upgrading to wireless N is a good choice, but ONLY (as of right now) if you're trying to stretch it out across a larger distance.
 
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N carrys twice the distance of G and twice the speed. and like was said the only thing you will really notice is file transfers on networked computers. but you do gain the grater distance and less interference of N. G runs at 54mbps average cable line is about 15mbps. I notice a huge differance when i use my wi-fi. and i dont think the moment is N.
Twice the speed.. Ehh iffy.. Twice the distance.. Ehh Iffy.. got tons of factors that contribute to these things :D
Note i am pretty damn sure the moment only has a wireless G card in it.. this means no matter if you have an N router or G router, it will always be running G (N runs on a 5.8gighz signal while G runs on 2.4gighz) an N router running in compatiblity mode (default unless you specify N only) will output both 2.4 gighz and 5.8 gighz.. your phone can only see 2.4 tho thus it is the exact same thing as a G router...
 
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I noticed a big difference in the distance i could go when i went to N. i was able to walk quite a ways down a street before i lost my signal. and "supposedly" N travels through walls and other devices with "less" interference.
You talking about the moment gets a signal further then it did before in wifi? Usually that is because they are putting more powerful and many more antenna in most of the newer routers.. The old wrt54g(s) had 2 external antenna at 2-3 dbi a piece.. now my WRT160N (an n router) has either 5 or 7 internal antenna at about 5 dBi a piece... you get a much better signal when they antenna has more power and their are more to create a uniform field :)
 
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You talking about the moment gets a signal further then it did before in wifi? Usually that is because they are putting more powerful and many more antenna in most of the newer routers.. The old wrt54g(s) had 2 external antenna at 2-3 dbi a piece.. now my WRT160N (an n router) has either 5 or 7 internal antenna at about 5 dBi a piece... you get a much better signal when they antenna has more power and their are more to create a uniform field :)

Oh no I'm just talking about N vs G in general. like you said the Moment is G and having N does nothing for it.

Ha yeah i still use the wrt54g (as a bridge) thats one of the best routers ever! The N i use is a dlink DIR-625 it has 2 external antennas.
 
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What happens if there is more than one WiFi point available, for which the Moment knows the password? If it logs in automatically, how does it select and will it change if it loses signal from one or if the other has a stronger signal?

In your WiFi properties you will see a list of remembered access points. It will connect to access points in the order in which they were added. If you connected to your neighbors router before you connected to your own it will always connect to theirs when coming out of sleep mode before attempting yours until you tell it to 'forget' that router. Then when you add it back it'll be under yours on the list of remembered routers.

If the phone is active, however, it will attach to the first available network and should stick to it until that signal is lost or the phone goes to sleep and releases the WiFi. I say should because that is typical WiFi behavior but you never know.

Also, does the Moment support Wireless-N? In real world conditions, would I see much of an improvement over Wireless-G, which is all my two dollar router supports?

The WiFi module in the Moment is B/G only. And no, no increases other than range that has been said already.
 
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To access the wireless at my university the network is 'open' but you have to sign in (personal user name and pass) via a login webpage prior to actually being connected to the wifi. It's kind of annoying to have to do this every time instead of the phone just connecting to the nextwork.

So two options that I am wondering would be possible:

1. best case, somehow it can automatically sign into the network once it is detected.

2. at least have the user name and pass remembered (i cant figure out how to have it remember logins). this way all i would have to do is open up the browser and click log in.

Any help would be great, #2 should be possible I just haven't figured it out; #1 maybe not but I hope that would be super sweet! Thanks!

**I should note, I have disabled cell tower data transfer (reason I bought the nexus one so I didn't have to pay $30 a month when wifi is everywhere!). So accessing wifi is the only way I get data connection; hence the importance of directly/automatically connecting ;)

***Here is a link to a forum where it looks like someone presents a solution for a computer; I'm not sure if this can be extended to the N1
 
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