WiFi Connection Readings

I'm having a few problems with a Wireless CF card in my handheld computer.

The range is really low, I've tried various speeds and channels to no avail.

One of the handheld utilities shows the following data;

SNR 46
Signal -34
Noise -80

These are all taken right beside the access point.

What are they and I haven't a clue if they are good bad or expected.

I know my AP is OK as it gives an excellent signal on my daughter's laptop.

--
Geoff Lane
Welwyn Hatfield Computer Club
www.whcc.co.uk

Geoff,

See my replies below:

>-----Original Message-----
>I'm having a few problems with a Wireless CF card in my
handheld computer.
>
>The range is really low, I've tried various speeds and
channels to no avail.
>
The range may be a function of the antenna configuration
on your handheld (there's a built-in antenna on all
wireless cards), or it may be a function of presence of
steel in the building, or even interference from other 2.4
GHz devices (cell phone or cordless phones, for examples).

In our home network, we see significant decline in signal
strength just by taking the laptop 25 to 30 feet away (8
to 10 meters). Communications essentially stops when we
get to 50 feet (17 meters) or so.

>One of the handheld utilities shows the following data;
>
>SNR 46
>Signal -34
>Noise -80
>
>These are all taken right beside the access point.
>
>What are they and I haven't a clue if they are good bad
or expected.

The only thing that I can think of is to try turning the
handheld 90 degrees -- repositioning the antenna from
horizontal to vertical or vertical to horizontal. There
may be an external antenna available for your wireless
adapter -- consider trying it. There are many, many
802.11 accessories (including antennas) on eBay.
>
These values are certainly ok.

>I know my AP is OK as it gives an excellent signal on my
daughter's laptop.
>
>--
>Geoff Lane
>Welwyn Hatfield Computer Club
>www.whcc.co.uk
>.
>

On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 21:31:41 -0700, "Jerry"
<mrwheels1.nospam@nospamdotcomcastdotnet> wrote:


>>The range is really low, I've tried various speeds and
>channels to no avail.

>The range may be a function of the antenna configuration
>on your handheld (there's a built-in antenna on all
>wireless cards), or it may be a function of presence of
>steel in the building, or even interference from other 2.4
>GHz devices (cell phone or cordless phones, for examples).

The main reason I have discounted the interference is that fortunately
my daughter has a WiFi card in her laptop so I have something to
compare the handheld with.

I appreciate it is a small card and performance may not be as good but
mine is no-where near.

>In our home network, we see significant decline in signal
>strength just by taking the laptop 25 to 30 feet away (8
>to 10 meters).

My laptop is fine,

> Communications essentially stops when we
>get to 50 feet (17 meters) or so.

My handheld does not appear to decline gradually, I do't get a slower
signal, it just stops at about 25 feet.

My laptop performs fine showing an 80pc signal strength at about 50
feet away beyond a brick wall.

>The only thing that I can think of is to try turning the
>handheld 90 degrees -- repositioning the antenna from
>horizontal to vertical or vertical to horizontal.

I've tried standing on my head :-)))))

>There
>may be an external antenna available for your wireless
>adapter -- consider trying it. There are many, many
>802.11 accessories (including antennas) on eBay.

I've seen the netgear site re antenna, I may look in to that but
viewing some messages on the Dell web page news forum I think there
may be an issue with their 'badged' WiFi card.

Geoff Lane

On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 21:31:41 -0700, "Jerry"
<mrwheels1.nospam@nospamdotcomcastdotnet> wrote:


>>One of the handheld utilities shows the following data;
>>
>>SNR 46
>>Signal -34
>>Noise -80

>These values are certainly ok.

meant to ask in my last message, what do the above mean?

What is SNR?

Geoff Lane