WM2005 Wireless

[Chris Oswald]

I am having a problem with OpenNetCF.Net 1.4. I want to know if this
is isolated to my Dell Axim x51.

I have an x50 that runs WM 2003 and an x51 that runs WM 2005. I am
using Odyssey Client for my WiFi settings becuase I can't get WPA-PSK
to work with the Dell Wireless Lan Utility. I know I have a connection
on both PPCs because I can connect to my web services out of the
cradle.

The difference between the two PPCs is when I run the code to discover
my access points the x51 tells me I don't have any wireless access
points avialable. The better part is if I use the OpenNetCF.Net 1.1
dll it usually works . I can use the 1.1 or the 1.4 dll on my x50 and
it works all the time. I'm at a loss for what is going on. Even
though the x51 tells me I don't have a wireless connection outside of
the cradle I can still connect to my web service. Does anyone have a
clue what is up? Is this WM 2005. Is it Dell?

Here is my simple discovery code:

Dim myAdapters As AdapterCollection
Dim adapter As Adapter

'load adapter collection with adapter items
myAdapters = Networking.GetAdapters

If myAdapters.Count > 0 Then
For Each adapter In myAdapters
MsgBox(adapter.Type.ToString)

If adapter.IsWireless Then
MsgBox("Is Wireless")
MsgBox(adapter.AssociatedAccessPoint)
Else
MsgBox("Not Wireless")
End If
Next
End If

 

[Chris Tacke, MVP]

The source for the adapter related classes has been updated in Vault with
fixes, etc. It might be worth pulling those down and seeing how they work
for you. Not saying it will fix this, but it might.

-Chris

 

[Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]]

But if you actually look at what you are doing, I think it's obvious why you
sometimes have a AP and sometimes not. I don't have the Odyssey Client, so
I can't tell you anything about that.

You're iterating through the adapter list. In some cases, you will find a
wireless adapter and in some you won't. It's quite possible that some
clients will make the adapter, even though it's a wireless adapter, look
like a wired adapter. Cisco, for example, does this when you are using
their ACU to control your setup, so that their setup program and not WZC,
controls the adapter settings. Item #2 is that you're only printing the
***associated*** access point. There are plenty of times when this won't be
connected. When the device is cradled, it's *very* unlikely that wireless
is going to be connected, for example, so, although the adapter may appear,
it's also likely that it will be disabled.

Paul T.

 

[Chris Oswald]

Chris, I also tried the 2.0 OpenNetCF.Net classes and it does the same
thing. I don't know what's wrong. I think Dell screwed something up
with the x51, because my wifi connection status doesn't ever read
connected. I know I'm connected because I can hit my Web Services and
I can see it recieving packets. The same settings on my x50 show that
I'm connected. I guess it's some combination of Dell's x51 and WM
2005. I think we'll up a service ticket with our Dell rep and see if
there are issues with WPA on the x51.

 

[Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]]

The 2.0 classes were not updated at the same time. I just made the changes
to 1.4's wireless classes in the last week. If you want to try the changes,
you'll have to get the latest source and use it with 1.4.

Paul T.

 

[Chris Oswald]

Paul,

I am not testing this in the cradle, I am testing this out of the
cradle. I don't profess to be an expert by any means, but how do I
have wired adapters when I'm not in the cradle or connected to a PC in
any way. I'm standing right next to the access point with the PDA, I
know the SSID and it never shows up in the list for my x51 WM 2005. It
works fine for the x50 WM 2003. So it's not obvious to me why it isn't
showing up. Do you still come to the same conclusion?

 

[Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]]

The AP could be set not to broadcast SSID values or could be set to filter
on a small set of recognized MAC values. Given that you see the SSID with
one unit and not another, MAC filtering is the more-likely cause, but, if
the SSID was previously entered manually into the X50, it could still be a
problem with not broadcasting. If you can eliminate both of these as causes
of the problem, then yes, I agree, there seems to be some problem with your
X51. It could be a hardware problem or a software problem.

Paul T.

 

[Chris Oswald]

I will try the new 1.4 libriaries just to make sure. It's not a problem
with MAC filtering because were not doing it. It's also not a problem
with the SSID not broadcasting because I checked that. I appreciate
the ideas Paul and Chris! You and the eMVPs are always great! I will
post back if I figure anything out.

 

[Chris Oswald]

I found out there are some wireless issues with the A06 ROM on the Dell
Axim X51. Hopefully they will have it fixed when A07 ROM is released.
Just an FYI for those of you with X51s.