Access vs. Wi-Fi

[Anthony E. Scandora, Jr.]

I support a number of customers of a third party product that has MDAC
clients using an Access 2000 .mdb file on a host. That application is solid
on wired connections, but flaky and corrupts the database over Wi-Fi. The
vendor says don't use Wi-Fi, and I remember reading some time ago that Access
has a problem with Wi-Fi.

Upgrading to a later version .mdb file is not an option, and in a
spectacular display of arrogance and contempt for customers, Linksys wireless
drivers do not work on SP3 and the last time I checked there was no projected
date for working SP3 drivers.

Does Access have a problem with Wi-Fi? Has it been fixed in a recent
version of MDAC?

 

[Brendan Reynolds]

I support a number of customers of a third party product that has MDAC
clients using an Access 2000 .mdb file on a host. That application is
solid
on wired connections, but flaky and corrupts the database over Wi-Fi. The
vendor says don't use Wi-Fi, and I remember reading some time ago that
Access
has a problem with Wi-Fi.

Upgrading to a later version .mdb file is not an option, and in a
spectacular display of arrogance and contempt for customers, Linksys
wireless
drivers do not work on SP3 and the last time I checked there was no
projected
date for working SP3 drivers.

Does Access have a problem with Wi-Fi? Has it been fixed in a recent
version of MDAC?

It's not just an Access problem, Anthony. You'd likely encounter the same
sort of problems with any file-based data store. You'll need to either use a
more stable network, or use a client-server database. Or, perhaps, use a
remote access technology such as Terminal Server, so that your users can log
on to the PC where the data is stored and run the app remotely there.

 

[a a r o n _ k e m p f]

Brandon;

it -IS- just an Access (Jet) problem.
Maybe you should just upsize-- it works great for me!

ADP SQL Server works great over wireless.

Sorry that you're too much of a wuss to learn ADP, it doesn't mean
that you need to blame all the shortcomings on Access on the network

-Aaron

 

[Anthony E. Scandora, Jr.]

As I wrote in my initial posting, it's a third party product with distributed
MDAC clients using an Access 2000 .mdb file on a host computer. Of course
any real database product would do better than tha laughably misnamed Jet,
but this is a critical application for a number of my clients, and we are at
the mercy of the vendor, who even though SQL Express works and costs nothing
to developers or users, is not going to invest in the development, testing,
and support of a new platform.

I was just wondering (wishing?) if a new MDAC or a registry value might
mitigate the problem.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

It's not just an Access problem, Anthony. You'd likely encounter the same
sort of problems with any file-based data store.

I've read a number of comments that wireless networking is troublesome
for Word, Excel and PPT files as well. Especially the larger files.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I was just wondering (wishing?) if a new MDAC or a registry value might
mitigate the problem.

No.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Your only possibility to circumvent this limitation from that third party
would be to use remoting such as Terminal Server or Thinsoft (or to install
a lot of Windows XP or Vista in a virtual environment and use them
separately).

Of course, if I were you, I would also look into the possibility of finding
another supplier for this critical application or even to redevelop it
yourself; if it's possible.

--
Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
MVP - Windows Live Platform
Email: sylvain aei ca (fill the blanks, no spam please)
Independent consultant and remote programming for Access and SQL-Server
(French)

 

[David W. Fenton]

=?Utf-8?B?QW50aG9ueSBFLiBTY2FuZG9yYSwgSnIu?= <Tony at AES Systems
Corp dot com> wrote in

I remember reading some time ago that Access
has a problem with Wi-Fi.

Access has a problem with unreliable networks of any kind. WiFi is
notoriously unreliable and completely unsuitable for use with an
Access app (unless the app is running on a Terminal Server on the
other end of the WiFi connection).

 

[David W. Fenton]

Don't use wi-fi or don't use Access.

Er, don't use Access connecting to a Jet back end across a wireless
connection (and where I say "a wireless connection" you can read
"any unreliable network").

An Access front end to a SQL Server back end (or any other server
back end) is not going to corrupt the back end.

 

[David W. Fenton]

=?Utf-8?B?QW50aG9ueSBFLiBTY2FuZG9yYSwgSnIu?= <Tony at AES Systems
Corp dot com> wrote in

As I wrote in my initial posting, it's a third party product with
distributed MDAC clients using an Access 2000 .mdb file on a host
computer.

No, it's using a Jet MDB.

Of course
any real database product would do better than tha laughably
misnamed Jet,

Do you want help in this newsgroup or not? If so, then don't say
stupid things like that.

but this is a critical application for a number of my clients, and
we are at the mercy of the vendor, who even though SQL Express
works and costs nothing to developers or users, is not going to
invest in the development, testing, and support of a new platform.

I was just wondering (wishing?) if a new MDAC or a registry value
might mitigate the problem.

No. It's inherent in any file-based data, even Word or Excel files.

The only solution I can see (short of replacing the wireless network
with a wired network) is hosting the app on Windows Terminal Server.
The vendor ought to be interested in making sure this is possible,
as wireless networks are becoming more and more common

 

[aaron.kempf]

Tony;

you're _SO_ full of shit!

-Aaron

I've read a number of comments that wireless networking is troublesome
for Word, Excel and PPT files as well.  Especially the larger files.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
   Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
   Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems athttp://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
   Tony's Microsoft Access Blog -http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[aaron.kempf]

Access doesn't have a problem with anything.

It's just _JET_ that ****ing sucks balls

Upsize to ADP, it will work perfectly!

-Aaron

 

[aaron.kempf]

ADP works great over _PRACTICAL_ networks like:
a) the internet
b) WAN
c) VPN
d) Wireless
e) LAN