Proxim HomeRF USB Wireless for $39!

[seanthedealliker]

Kcobra - I cannot get the Ethernet Bridge to be seen, no matter what I try. Here is my e-mail to technical support:

I am trying to get your Cordless Ethernet Bridge to work with the USB Adapter (HRF). I have two sets of each, and can only get the two USB Adapters to work in Peer-to-Peer mode. I downloaded the latest Win2K drivers, but Composer can not find the base station. I have yellow lights on both Bridge units I have tried. Both base stations do not have a "teach" mode, and any part of the serial number does not work. Is there a different client software I should be using to setup the Bridge?

Serial # of the current Bridge I am trying is 492005-104J0027. This doesn't appear match up with what the Composer software is looking for, which is 0020A6-XXXXXX, although I have tried all combinations including physical address.

This came as a kit, do you have support for Win2K on both the Bridge and the USB Adapter?

--
I tried everything I can think of. The USB adapters work in peer-to-peer but I cannot get anything going with the Ethernet Bridge. What a pain...

 

[kcobra]

Sean: Sounds like exactly the same thing I experienced with XP and the wireless modem and USB nic. Hope you can get it going. I am going to wipe my HD and reinstall XP and the Proxim utilities and see if that helps any.

As far as the distance this will do, I wasn't real impressed. I tested out the Proxim gateway and the PCI nic and it went about the same distance that I got with SMC 802.11b equipment. I am not saying the Proxim doesn't go decent distances, just it didn't go farther than 802.11b, as Practically Networked suggested it would.

 

[kcobra]

Sean: I think I may have found a fix for your problem. The following fix assumes you have the Ethernet Bridge (uses the OpenAir spec) and NOT the Gateway (uses the homeRF spec). Anyways, try this:

• 1. Reboot and kill the Composer software.

• 2. Go into the Hardware Manager and find your USB nic and click on Properties.

• 3. Under the advanced tab change "Wireless Protocol" to "OpenAir Only" and "Station Type" to "Station". (if you have the homeRF Gateway, then change "Wireless Protocol" to "HomeRF Only")

• 4. Click OK then close the Hardware Manager and reboot.

After I did the above, Composer found my cordless modem. Also, now when I boot up XP, the Maestro utility finds the cordless modem right away. I don't know yet how reliable the connection is gonna be as I just did all this. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[kcobra]

BTW, with the above solution, I uninstalled the standalone Win2k driver and used the full utility suite from Proxim.

 

[seanthedealliker]

No luck but I did get Symphony to see the base station in the Network Map. But when I do a test, it comes back "isn't found". I keep thinking I am missing something, like another utility to setup the base station once it is found. I am calling tech. support but only getting "leave a message ". I will let you know as I progress.

 

[mutex]

I had the same bridge-USB kit from Tiger when they start to have the kit for 99 back in Sept. The kit is working flawlessly after I install Win2k driver on my Win2k laptop. Distance is very good.

 

[seanthedealliker]

I talked to Proxim tech. support. It appears they have had trouble with the older, now discontinued 4209 Bridge. They said with the 4309 Gateway you won't have any issues, send the kits back.

So, I called TigerDirect - got an RMA and am shipping everything back. The USB adapter to USB adapter worked great in peer-to-peer but the Bridges have issues.

On another note, and I will post this in a new topic - NetGear has their non 802.11b 11 Mbps products at discontinued prices:

11 Mbs Multimedia enabled wireless PCI Adaptor Card (includes card & antenna). - NOT 802.11B compatible

11 Mbs Multimedia enabled wireless access point for "W" Series products only. - NOT 802.11B compatible

 

[acebathound]

Yeaaaah! This Proxim stuff rocks. I bought a PCI & PC Card off of eGay (PCI card in a win2k machine and PC Card in a WinXP machine). Faster than I expected! I can even play mp3s while surfing.. I went up to my attic (brrrrrr) and it worked fine there too. Really happy about this purchase =)

Now, my question.. anyone know how to get the PCI card working in WindowsXP? I tried installing the win2k driver, but it kept complaining about "network unplugged" or something.. and didn't seem to install correctly. Is there a way to get in working in XP? Otherwise I figured I'll have to put it in a Linux box b/c I'll be converting the win2k machine to XP soon.

 

[kcobra]

I found out the passwd to telnet into the cordless modem. Telnet to 10.0.0.1 and enter "brando" or "buddha" as the passwd. "brando" worked for me. I don't know if these passwd's will work with the proxim cordless gateway/bridge.

 

[Joony]

-------------ATTENTION-------------


GET YOUR STUFF CHEAPER HERE THEN TIGER DIRECT!!!


-------------ATTENTION-------------

there was a whole thread on this place...not a scam.

 

[jonnyfin]

from past experience i'll say that justdeals.com sucks! but for these prices you can afford to take a chance. if you have to rma something good luck getting someone on the phone who speaks english!

 

[ouzome]

Now I rarely do this, but you guys in this thread would have a lot less problems if you would have searched for a better deal. . .
with a technology you would still want to use by the end of the year.

 

[ajb35]

Based on product #'s, both tiger direct and just deals are selling the HRF product. This means 1.6Mbs, 1.2 standard. At least just deals has it labeled correctly. Tiger direct has earned their rep. They are advertising the usb adapter as 10Mbs 2.0 standard, but with the 1.6/1.2 part #. Of the ppl who ordered, can anyone confirm which part they are shipping?