Check signal using DWL-810+ ?

I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it was too
sensitive to interference. I put a DWL-810+ ethernet-to-wireless bridge in
it's place, but now I have no way to monitor the signal strength from the
DWL-800AP+ in the house. It seems to work great, but how do I know if it's
working at 1, 2.5, 5, 11 or 22 mbps? Netstumbler doesn't recognize it, and
the built-in site survey screen doesn't give any display or power
indication. There must be something to show signal strength/quality? Since
it's a bridge, "wireless zero" service isn't used.
Thanks- Rob

MrSmiley wrote:
> I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it
> was too sensitive to interference. I put a DWL-810+
> ethernet-to-wireless bridge in it's place, but now I have no way to
> monitor the signal strength from the DWL-800AP+ in the house. It
> seems to work great, but how do I know if it's working at 1, 2.5, 5,
> 11 or 22 mbps? Netstumbler doesn't recognize it, and the built-in
> site survey screen doesn't give any display or power indication.
> There must be something to show signal strength/quality? Since it's a
> bridge, "wireless zero" service isn't used.
> Thanks- Rob

Have you considered using something that works very well but is about $20
instead of free?

If so, check out Winc at www.cirond.com IMO a much better program and well
worth the 20 bucks (After a free 30 day evaluation)

"MrSmiley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:_WrVd.69219$(E-Mail Removed):

> I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it
> was too sensitive to interference. I put a DWL-810+
> ethernet-to-wireless bridge in it's place, but now I have no way
> to monitor the signal strength from the DWL-800AP+ in the house.
> It seems to work great, but how do I know if it's working at 1,
> 2.5, 5, 11 or 22 mbps? Netstumbler doesn't recognize it, and the
> built-in site survey screen doesn't give any display or power
> indication. There must be something to show signal
> strength/quality? Since it's a bridge, "wireless zero" service
> isn't used. Thanks- Rob

The DWL-810+ is a wireless client device which acts as a transparent
bridge. NetStumbler won't detect it since it isn't an access point. Nor
of course will NetStumbler indicate the signal strength from other
client devices...

What I did when installing a DWL-810+ on my home network was to use
NetStumbler to perform a site survey so as to identify a location where
the signal level was acceptable. I strengthened the reception by
fitting a 5dBi gain antenna in place of the stock 2dBi antenna.

I then used Qcheck
<http://www.ixiacom.com/products/perf.../pa_display.ph
p?skey=pa_q_check>
to check throughput accross the network. The real life transfer rate is
what you're interested in, rather than the nominal speed. On a nominal
22 Mbit/s network, expect to see transfer rates of 6 - 7 Mbit/s.

You don't say in which mode you are using the DWL-800AP+. If you are
using it as a repeater, expect to see a 50% drop in throughput across
it since it must first listen, then re-transmit.

Aside: one of the things that the documentation doesn't tell you is
that the DWL-810+ supports multiple MAC addresses. This means that you
can connect it to a switch and provide wireless connectivity to several
devices behind the switch. I can confirm it works just fine for one of
my teenage sons, providing wireless connectivity to a PC, PS2 games
console, and an Ethernet-attached print server from a single DWL-810+.

Hope this helps

--

Richard Perkin
To email me, change the AT in the address below
richard.perkinATmyrealbox.com

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it
is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's.
It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs.
-- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

"Peter Pan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

> If so, check out Winc at www.cirond.com IMO a much better program
> and well worth the 20 bucks (After a free 30 day evaluation)

Hmmm... I'm testing Winc at the moment as I'm looking for a utility
which is vendor independent.

It doesn't work at all well in an Extended Service Set (multiple APs
with the same SSID) and only correctly reports the signal strength of
the 'first' AP with presumably the slightly stronger signal.

For example, roughly equidistant from 3 APs the first shows 80%, the
other two show 4 - 6%. NetStumbler and the native card utility report
them all at 80%.

Anyone else seen this? Yes, I have reported it to Cirond and had a
reply about it 'not being optimised' or somesuch...

Kind regards

--

Richard Perkin
To email me, change the AT in the address below
richard.perkinATmyrealbox.com

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it
is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's.
It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs.
-- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

MrSmiley <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it was too
> sensitive to interference.

Did you try shielding the DWL-122? Some people like coffee cans, others
like woks. I think I read about a corner reflector but I didn't save the
comment.

http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q105513C8
http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/u...42-800x600.jpg

A person that I built the two-coffee-can setup for uses a single "3 lb" can
instead. I think the two can was too directional. One day really soon
now, I'm going to check a 3lb can with the dongle in the bottom instead of
the side. ;-)

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

Thanks all for the suggestions. I'll try Winc, I didn't know it existed, I'm
not too cheap to spend $20! The DWL800AP+ is being used as an access point,
not repeater, so I'm hoping for 22mbps, as advertised by D-Link with their
"Air-Plus" hardware. I did try the "coffee can" approach with the 122 USB
adapter, but it was cumbersome and I didn't really see an improvement. If I
switched on the overhead fluorescent lights, I'd lose the wireless
connection. This 800AP+ in the house and 810+ in the garage work very well,
I'd just like a signal indicator to optimize placement before I start
drilling holes.
Thanks again, I'll try Winc.
Rob


<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:d05nj7$27o$(E-Mail Removed)...
> MrSmiley <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it was
too
> > sensitive to interference.
>
> Did you try shielding the DWL-122? Some people like coffee cans, others
> like woks. I think I read about a corner reflector but I didn't save the
> comment.
>
> http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/
> http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q105513C8
> http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/u...42-800x600.jpg
>
> A person that I built the two-coffee-can setup for uses a single "3 lb"
can
> instead. I think the two can was too directional. One day really soon
> now, I'm going to check a 3lb can with the dongle in the bottom instead of
> the side. ;-)
>
> --
> ---
> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5
>

Well, I tried Winc, but it won't detect the DWL-810+, as I guess it is not a
wireless adapter, it's an ethernet-to-wireless bridge. The error message is
"wireless adapyer not available".
Any ideas?
Thanks, Rob

"MrSmiley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:XNuVd.79749$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks all for the suggestions. I'll try Winc, I didn't know it existed,
I'm
> not too cheap to spend $20! The DWL800AP+ is being used as an access
point,
> not repeater, so I'm hoping for 22mbps, as advertised by D-Link with their
> "Air-Plus" hardware. I did try the "coffee can" approach with the 122 USB
> adapter, but it was cumbersome and I didn't really see an improvement. If
I
> switched on the overhead fluorescent lights, I'd lose the wireless
> connection. This 800AP+ in the house and 810+ in the garage work very
well,
> I'd just like a signal indicator to optimize placement before I start
> drilling holes.
> Thanks again, I'll try Winc.
> Rob
>
>
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:d05nj7$27o$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > MrSmiley <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > > I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it was
> too
> > > sensitive to interference.
> >
> > Did you try shielding the DWL-122? Some people like coffee cans, others
> > like woks. I think I read about a corner reflector but I didn't save
the
> > comment.
> >
> > http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/
> > http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q105513C8
> > http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/u...42-800x600.jpg
> >
> > A person that I built the two-coffee-can setup for uses a single "3 lb"
> can
> > instead. I think the two can was too directional. One day really soon
> > now, I'm going to check a 3lb can with the dongle in the bottom instead
of
> > the side. ;-)
> >
> > --
> > ---
> > Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5
> >
>
>

If you don't have wireless on your system, how are you gonna receive
wireless stuf?
You talk about losing the wireless connection when you turn on the
flourescent lights, but then you say you don't have one anyway!
I'm using the dlink USB thing right now, and I just switched programs, and
it works just fine with Winc.... What happened to your 122 USB adapter?


MrSmiley wrote:
> Well, I tried Winc, but it won't detect the DWL-810+, as I guess it
> is not a wireless adapter, it's an ethernet-to-wireless bridge. The
> error message is "wireless adapyer not available".
> Any ideas?
> Thanks, Rob
>
> "MrSmiley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:XNuVd.79749$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Thanks all for the suggestions. I'll try Winc, I didn't know it
>> existed, I'm not too cheap to spend $20! The DWL800AP+ is being used
>> as an access point, not repeater, so I'm hoping for 22mbps, as
>> advertised by D-Link with their "Air-Plus" hardware. I did try the
>> "coffee can" approach with the 122 USB adapter, but it was
>> cumbersome and I didn't really see an improvement. If I switched on
>> the overhead fluorescent lights, I'd lose the wireless connection.
>> This 800AP+ in the house and 810+ in the garage work very well, I'd
>> just like a signal indicator to optimize placement before I start
>> drilling holes.
>> Thanks again, I'll try Winc.
>> Rob
>>
>>
>> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:d05nj7$27o$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> MrSmiley <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>> I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it
>>>> was too sensitive to interference.
>>>
>>> Did you try shielding the DWL-122? Some people like coffee cans,
>>> others like woks. I think I read about a corner reflector but I
>>> didn't save the comment.
>>>
>>> http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/
>>> http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q105513C8
>>> http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/u...42-800x600.jpg
>>>
>>> A person that I built the two-coffee-can setup for uses a single "3
>>> lb" can instead. I think the two can was too directional. One day
>>> really soon now, I'm going to check a 3lb can with the dongle in
>>> the bottom instead of the side. ;-)
>>>
>>> --
>>> ---
>>> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

I'm saying that the DWL-810+ is not recognized by software or device manager
as a wireless device. It is recognized as a wired network adapter, because
it connects to the ethernet adapter in the computer. It is indeed wireless,
802.11b. It's quite a unique device, tonight I plugged it into a hub in the
garage and it will connect to as many computers as you have jacks on the
hub. And, it is much more stable than the 122 I replaced. I guess I'll never
know the connect speed, but as long as it works, I suppose it will suffice.
You must not be familiar with ethernet-to-wireless bridges. I have
reservations about these usb wireless devices, I have an AdHoc install at a
business next Monday using a pair of DWL-G120's, hope it goes OK.
Rob



"Peter Pan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> If you don't have wireless on your system, how are you gonna receive
> wireless stuf?
> You talk about losing the wireless connection when you turn on the
> flourescent lights, but then you say you don't have one anyway!
> I'm using the dlink USB thing right now, and I just switched programs, and
> it works just fine with Winc.... What happened to your 122 USB adapter?
>
>
> MrSmiley wrote:
> > Well, I tried Winc, but it won't detect the DWL-810+, as I guess it
> > is not a wireless adapter, it's an ethernet-to-wireless bridge. The
> > error message is "wireless adapyer not available".
> > Any ideas?
> > Thanks, Rob
> >
> > "MrSmiley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:XNuVd.79749$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> Thanks all for the suggestions. I'll try Winc, I didn't know it
> >> existed, I'm not too cheap to spend $20! The DWL800AP+ is being used
> >> as an access point, not repeater, so I'm hoping for 22mbps, as
> >> advertised by D-Link with their "Air-Plus" hardware. I did try the
> >> "coffee can" approach with the 122 USB adapter, but it was
> >> cumbersome and I didn't really see an improvement. If I switched on
> >> the overhead fluorescent lights, I'd lose the wireless connection.
> >> This 800AP+ in the house and 810+ in the garage work very well, I'd
> >> just like a signal indicator to optimize placement before I start
> >> drilling holes.
> >> Thanks again, I'll try Winc.
> >> Rob
> >>
> >>
> >> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news:d05nj7$27o$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >>> MrSmiley <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >>>> I was using a DWL-122 USB adapter for a while in my garage, but it
> >>>> was too sensitive to interference.
> >>>
> >>> Did you try shielding the DWL-122? Some people like coffee cans,
> >>> others like woks. I think I read about a corner reflector but I
> >>> didn't save the comment.
> >>>
> >>> http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/
> >>> http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q105513C8
> >>> http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/u...42-800x600.jpg
> >>>
> >>> A person that I built the two-coffee-can setup for uses a single "3
> >>> lb" can instead. I think the two can was too directional. One day
> >>> really soon now, I'm going to check a 3lb can with the dongle in
> >>> the bottom instead of the side. ;-)
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> ---
> >>> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5
>
>

"MrSmiley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:MXwVd.3896305$(E-Mail Removed):

> I'm saying that the DWL-810+ is not recognized by software or
> device manager as a wireless device.
And because it isn't an access point and therefore doesn't broadcast
Beacons management frames, it will not be seen by NetStumbler or
Winc.

> It's quite a unique
> device, tonight I plugged it into a hub in the garage and it will
> connect to as many computers as you have jacks on the hub.
Well, most so-called 'gaming adapters' will do this, as will most
multi-mode access points when configured in wireless client mode.

But the documentation never explicitly states that such devices
support multiple MAC addresses, and the configuration diagrmas always
seem to show one DWL-G810+ (or whatever) per attached device...

A good clue for multi-mode devices is that they implement repeater
mode. This is an implementation of WDS (Wireless Distribution System)
which by definition must support transmission between multiple MAC
addreeses. If it uses WDS for one mode, it's likely to use it for
wirless client mode as well. But I've never yet seen it referred to
in the documentation, certainly for D-Link kit with which I'm most
familiar.

> is much more stable than the 122 I replaced. I guess I'll never
> know the connect speed, but as long as it works, I suppose it will
> suffice.
As I said in another post, I would use NetStumbler for the site
survey to identify good placement, then run speed tests using Ixia's
Qcheck product.

Don't expect to see 22 Mbit/s - that's just theoretical. In practice,
you will be lucky to get much more than 6 Mbit/s.

Hope this helps

--

Richard Perkin
To email me, change the AT in the address below
richard.perkinATmyrealbox.com

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it
is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's.
It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs.
-- Oxford University Press, Edpress News