AvantGo connection problems, BEFW11S4

Subject: Linksys BEFW11S4 Version 4 Wireless-B Broadband Router and
Toshiba e740 PDA wireless client in "Power Save Mode"

According to the release notes of the latest firmware (1.45.3) for the
BEFW11S4 Version 4 Wireless-B Broadband Router, Linksys claims to have
fixed connection issues with certain wireless clients in power save
mode. (See notes below).

Apparently, Linksys must have forgotten to include the Toshiba e740
Pocket PC PDA (with integrated Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b) on the list of
tested devices in "Power Save Mode." It took almost a week of
troubleshooting to solve the connection problems with the PDA's
wireless Outlook e-mail and AvantGo connectivity (error 5463) through
the BEFW11S4 Version 4 router.

In "Power Save Mode" (found in the Advanced Wireless LAN Utility),
access using Pocket Internet Explorer was marginal but acceptable, and
downloading e-mail was "hit and miss" with frequent timeouts. Wireless
syncing with AvantGo was nearly impossible with the exception of a few
times (out of more than one hundred tries), and this greatly added to
the frustration level of troubleshooting the problem.

Finally, after rereading the Linksys release notes for the version
1.45.3 firmware update, it dawned on me that they had NOT fixed the
connection issues with ALL wireless clients as they might mislead us
to believe in line 5 (see below). With "Power Save Mode" turned off
(tested on two Toshiba e740 PDA's), Internet surfing, e-mail, and
AvantGo work flawlessly (at the expense of not being able to
conveniently turn off the Wi-Fi to conserve battery power – but that
is a Toshiba issue).

Linksys, Toshiba, and AvantGo make no mention of the associated Error
5463 (unable to retrieve information from server) in their knowledge
bases, which is the error displayed when attempting to synchronize
with the AvantGo service.

My other BEFW11S4 Version 3 router does not have any of these issues,
and Linksys seems to have completely repackaged the Version 4 router
(this is another issue that I would like to have explained to me one
day in that they decided to retain the same part number for a product
that uses a completely different firmware).

Linksys, Toshiba, and AvantGo should update their knowledge bases to
reflect the connection issues with the BEFW11S4 Version 4 and the
Toshiba e740 in "Power Save Mode." In addition, Linksys needs to
correct this issue in their next release of the firmware for this
router.

Bruce Farrar

Attachment – release notes on firmware 1.45.3 for BEFW11S4 Version 4

Linksys- A Division of Cisco System, Inc.
Product: BEFW11S4v4
Classification: Firmware Release History
Release Date: July 1, 2003
Last Firmware Version: 1.45.3
_______________________________
WARNING: This firmware only works with the version 4 of the BEFW11S4.
It is strongly recommended that you check the "Model No" on the bottom
label of the router to see what version you have before downloading
this firmware.

Version 1.45.3

1. Fixed unstable HTTP and FTP download
2. Fixed MSN 4.7 and 5.0 compatibility
3. Updated for XBox compatibility (This is not XBox Certified)
4. Fixed UPnP connection
5. Fixed connection issues with certain wireless clients in power save
mode
6. Fixed Multiple Microsoft VPN connections
7. Fixed an issue with PPPoE connection accessing secured sites as
reported by ISPs

Version 1.44.2
- Original Release

On 2 Sep 2003 02:58:39 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) (Bruce) wrote:

>Subject: Linksys BEFW11S4 Version 4 Wireless-B Broadband Router and
>Toshiba e740 PDA wireless client in "Power Save Mode"

I avoid PS mode at all costs, on all my WiFi gear. On a good day it
slows the connection to a crawl. On a bad day it makes the connection
drop.

---------------
French invasion:
http://www.metrospy.com/boycott_brands.htm