W-Fi, wireless networking, bluetooth; same or not?

[jimmyj68]

Mother-in-law got a Xmas Kindle - she couldn't reach Amazon because no Wi-Fi was available. Wondering if wireless networking routers could serve the purpose, I hooked up a Linksys wireless router for her finagled it's settings and boom she was off and running to get her books and talk with Amazon.

The router I gave her was replaced by the new Cisco (makes Linksys) Valet router for my home wireless network. They have really simplified router setup giving you every thing you need on a USB plug in. With an other USB plug in for my wife's computer, her machine detected the router (Valet) and set itself up in a heartbeat.

Now the question - the valet is hardwired to my computer and is giving me the dickens with instability - I'm unable to access the internet sometimes while my wife is just sailing along. I note the Valet brags on the box aboit its seamless and fast connection to a "wireless" enabled computer - that's what the second USB called the Valet connector does it has to stay plugged into the host computer.

OK, Intel DP55SB motherboard in my machine is Bluetooth capable I just never hooked it up and obtained the required software. If I did, could I then dehardwire my machine and access it wirelessly with the Valet router? Are we basically talking about the same thing when we use the words Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Wireless Networking? My car "bluetooths" with my cell phone needing only to know some address data about it. Phone than becomes the cars audio system.
Oh! I also considered getting another Valet connector for my computer and just repeating the process used on my wife's computer - they want a lot for those little "connectors".

 

[VirtualLarry]

First of all, Bluetooth and WiFi are NOT the same. Second, you could hook up your desktop via WiFi (just add a USB WiFi adaptor), but why? A Wired connection is always preferable. You (in theory) shouldn't be having any problems with the wired connection.

Have you updated your router firmware? Have you updated you OS and drivers?

Give us more details about what happens.

 

[jimmyj68]

Since we last talked I piddled around with it some more and still had problems so I cried uncle and called Valet support (in the Philipines by the way [sp?]). After a spotty session because every time the young lady asked me to do something that caused the router to time out - Vonage dropped through th hole - but we finally together determined, after a number of call backs by her, that the ethernet plug on the router connector #1 of 4 appeared faulty as my switching connectors as a trouble shooter should have done long ago (me), up popped the enternet solid and fast instead of either not at all or impossibly slow. She then walked me through a firmware upgrade and I think we are in clover now.

Also I am now connected at 1 gigabit. I purchased a new Motorola fast 6120 modem a while back but didn't get an increase in speed through my old Linksys "g" router. I new the new router was "n" class but I still did not get a speed bump as indicated by the modem's active connect light being green instead of blue.

Proir to today the Vonage phone/internet connect device was connected directly to the modem as Vonage directed and the router was connected to a feed through from the Vonage box. During my trouble shooting efforts I switched the modem to router connection order and connected Vonage to a router feed (all ethernet cabling). Bypassing the Vonage box bumped throughput up to gigabit level and turned the modem light blue. If I hadn't made that modem signal routing switch I wouldn't have lost the phone when the router hickupped.

Thanks for clearing up the BlueTooth question now I'll have to find out just what makes Bluetooth "wireless" different.

 

[JackMDS]

To put it simple.

Wireless (WIFI) was designed to replace a Network cables (CAT5e/CAT6).

Bluetooth was designed to reliance Mouse, Keyboard, Headphones and other peripherals cables.


😎

 

[wirednuts]

and bluetooth is seemingly about to die. low-power wifi is hitting the market soon... cant remember what its called but they basically want to replace bluetooth with a power-saving wifi that still works the same as regular wifi.

 

[jimmyj68]

Since my last post determined that switching ethernet ports on the Valet did not really cure anything. Turned my system off as I do about once a week, turned it on and no internet connection. Problem same as before. Went back to the valet support phone and we ran through all kinds of checks and tests (including connecting the modem directly to the computer which worked like a charm. Connected as needed with the Vonage box as lead in or follower from the router and it was bad behavior like getting it to work at about 1 megabit a day (smile).

We got it working and the lady in the far away wanted to upgrade to the latest drivers but the Valet refused to accept the new drivers. Finally they said they were passing me off to Cisco here in the states, and Cisco would give me a call.

Guy in California sent an e-mail with his phone number to call him and get my problem straightened out. Got a "I'm away from my desk or etc..." and left my number. This happened four or five times with no return call from Cisco. Decided since it seemed to be working OK I didn't need his driver upgrade and wrote him off. All this time the wireless side to my wife's machine worked fine except when the router was down with troubleshooting.

Turned the machine off last saturday night. Turned it on Sunday afternoon and no internet for me - wife happy. Jumped in the car off to Walmart and bought another Valet router. Thought I'd be fine as this one was Model M20-4A - my original was just M20 or version 1.

Got it home, hooked it up and - you guessed it - same malfunction. Now I'm thinking do I have a bad motherboard ethernet? I was ready to box up the new Valet and hand it back to Walmart since my old was was more than likely OK. Now here is the point to this whole scenario!

During the first problems with the model 1 Valet, I made sure to go to the Intel motherboard site and download the very latest board ethernet drivers. When the new Valet repeated my problems I checked the board driver again, uninstalled the adapter and reinstalled it with the latest drivers - no joy-----finally in desperation, I uninstalled the adapter again and reinstalled it with the driver that came with my motherboard originally.

The valet has been working like a champ ever since - system off - system on - reboot whatever everything is fine.

Should I have completely uninstalled the adapter before upgrading the driver the first time?
Did I have corrupted driver files because I upgraded over the original? I don't know. Is there an incompatability with Intel's latest driver and the Cisco Valet - maybe. But know this - with all the efforts with the model 1 Valet, the computer connection socket light was green. With the new Valet- the light is blue after installing the "old" adapter driver as are all the other indicator lights on the Valet an indicator of 1gigabit operation.

Don't know but all of this talk may help someone out there with router problems. The drivers for your motherboard ethernet adapter could be causing your problems. I will, after enjoying flawless operation for a while, reinstall the old router with the old driver for the computer adapter and see if it works. Wife's computer will holler because the security settings have changed (reset them to the new router when it worked OK). If it does I still think I'll keep the M20-4A
because Cisco has probably fixed a lot of glitches, including updated firmware and drivers.