Can't get wireless working right with D-link 713p...

[Entity]

A while ago, I picked up the D-Link DI-713P Wireless Broadband Router and Access Point with 3-Port Switch from Amazon for $99. I set it up to use with the 3com 3CRWE62092A Wireless Card + Xjack in my laptop. After tinkering with linux forever, I gave up, and installed Windows 95 on my laptop (an older laptop, but not that bad).

Here are system stats:

Windows 95 4.00.950 C
Pentium 233 MMX
96mb RAM
3com 3CRWE62092A Wireless Card
Latest 3com Drivers

Running latest firmware updates from Dlink.

Whenever I try to use this setup, even with the laptop 10 feet away from the Dlink, I get horrible speeds from the network. I'm on cable and the home PC (connected via a wire) works fine, but the laptop pings horribly, and pulls down files at ~4k/s. WTF is wrong?

Please help if you can. This is almost unbearable.

Rob

 

[Rallispec]

make sure you go to the d-link website and download the latest firmware for the router and drivers for the wireless NIC...

i had the same problem with mine and after the firmware update i noticed a huge increase in performance.

edit.. just reread the post-- you already have firmware-- give me a sec to dig up some more links for you that i found helpful before

 

[Rallispec]

first though-- have you reset the router?
maybe its got a bad setting or something.

leave it plugged in-- get a pin and push in the little reset button on the back and hold it. about 10 seconds later, unplug the AC adapter from the back of the router, still holding down the reset button. 20 seconds later plug it back in and then release the reset button.

just a thought at least.. it worked for me once when i first had problems with it.

 

[Entity]

<< first though-- have you reset the router?
maybe its got a bad setting or something. >>


Yeah, I have. The problem only appears on the wireless side - on my PC, no problems at all. Full speed.

Rob

 

[Rallispec]

one more thing, do you have any wired computer computers hooked up to switch? if so what kind of speeds are they getting.

and do you have a non-wireless NIC for your laptop you can switch too and test. Maybe its possibly a windows95 or laptop problem or NIC problem.

edit.. n/m, beat me to it.

 

[Entity]

^

Non-wireless NIC provided fast speeds.

Rob

 

[Entity]

Ah! Installed Redhat 7.3, got wireless working, connections are still slow. :|

Rob

 

[manly]

You should try an Agere Orinoco client. The hardware is much better than every brand except Cisco (which is too expensive) and it is very well supported by Linux.

The only problem (which wouldn't affect you) is that the USB clients are not supported by Linux.

 

[Entity]

Any advice outside of buying more hardware?

 

[TaylorD]

unfortunately, I think your 3com with XJack card may be the problem...

I picked up one of these thinking what a great idea it was to have a hide away antenna.... When I started using it, I soon found out, that "great idea" sacrifices performance, as the card has half the range of a cheaper SMC card (with a more bulky antenna)....

I also found the XJack was slower than the SMC card, even from 10ft away.

I am very disappointed with 3com, and this thing is being returned tomorrow


(also, your link to amazon is busted)

 

[Entity]

Link fixed. I'll be really bummed if it's the card, but I guess I can sell it.

Rob

 

[Entity]

Now I'm trying a new card (Dell TrueMobile 1150 / Orinocco Gold) and am still having problems, with a new laptop.

WTF?

Rob

 

[Entity]

Ok, this is very strange now. I moved the WAP about ten feet, and it's working much better now. Speeds are decent but not great; one thing I noticed is this: the speed is reported at 1.0Mbps, though the connection is also showing up as "excellent" quality in the XP configurator. Is there anything else I should do? I'm a bit new to wireless, if ya can't tell.

Rob