3Com Officeconnect ADSL wireless router

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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

I keep getting a dropped connection when there is more that 1 laptop
wirelessly connecting to the router. Do anyone know if it would improve
reception if I attached a 6 foot length of thin wire to the small antenna
and extended it around the room the router is in?
Just a thought.
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Are you using DHCP to set up the wireless addresses? Have you made enough
of them available?

Try it with the laptops fairly close to the router to eliminate the
reception possibility. You might go into exactly you have your system set
up.

Clark

"Pipex" <access1971@msn.com> wrote in message
news:UPidnSyUkNX6FgbfRVnyrQ@pipex.net...
>I keep getting a dropped connection when there is more that 1 laptop
>wirelessly connecting to the router. Do anyone know if it would improve
>reception if I attached a 6 foot length of thin wire to the small antenna
>and extended it around the room the router is in?
> Just a thought.
>
>
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Yes I'm using DHCP and have sufficient wireless addresses. I use it usually
without any problems when its just me with my laptop connected and my
desktop connected by an ethernet cable, but when my son comes home and logs
on with his laptop I loose the connection. Not all the time, in fact we both
can be connected for several hours. The main problem is I have the message
'acquiring network address'. The only way around it is to restart the router
then it connects fine.
Anyone else experienced this?

"Clark" <who@whoknows.com> wrote in message
news:RlYme.740$RV5.309@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
> Are you using DHCP to set up the wireless addresses? Have you made enough
> of them available?
>
> Try it with the laptops fairly close to the router to eliminate the
> reception possibility. You might go into exactly you have your system set
> up.
>
> Clark
>
> "Pipex" <access1971@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:UPidnSyUkNX6FgbfRVnyrQ@pipex.net...
>>I keep getting a dropped connection when there is more that 1 laptop
>>wirelessly connecting to the router. Do anyone know if it would improve
>>reception if I attached a 6 foot length of thin wire to the small antenna
>>and extended it around the room the router is in?
>> Just a thought.
>>
>>
>
>
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

"Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:EbOdnSTWBtW0GAHfRVnyhQ@pipex.net...
> Yes I'm using DHCP and have sufficient wireless addresses. I use it
> usually without any problems when its just me with my laptop connected and
> my desktop connected by an ethernet cable, but when my son comes home and
> logs on with his laptop I loose the connection. Not all the time, in fact
> we both can be connected for several hours. The main problem is I have the
> message 'acquiring network address'. The only way around it is to restart
> the router then it connects fine.
> Anyone else experienced this?
>
> "Clark" <who@whoknows.com> wrote in message
> news:RlYme.740$RV5.309@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
>> Are you using DHCP to set up the wireless addresses? Have you made
>> enough of them available?
>>
>> Try it with the laptops fairly close to the router to eliminate the
>> reception possibility. You might go into exactly you have your system
>> set up.
>>
>> Clark
>>

Exactly the same here, DHCP and usually one wired and one wireless
connection. However, when anyone comes round and wants to connect a notebook
wirelessly, or I try to use my PDA to connect, then the problems will
eventually start. The only solution is to disconnect all but the most
essential (at the time) wireless client, or restart the router which will
correct the problem for a while. This is hardly the way I would expect to
use a wireless network. It seems that the 3Com wireless gets overloaded with
more than one client. Their product description claims it will support many
more than this; can't remember the exact figure 128 springs to mind. I would
be content with a reliable 2!

I have done all the firmware updates (currently 1.29, the latest from 3Com)
and am thinking of going back through the older versions to see if I can
find a more stable one. But really I have run out of patience with this
paperweight, and was thinking of going for one of the Draytek Vigor series.
They are considerably more expensive than the 3Com, but I suppose you gets
what you pays for.

Would anyone have any opinions on the Draytek Vigor series, say the 2600G or
2600VG?

TIA

Liam
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Liam,
I upgraded the firmware to 1.29 and that's when the troubles started. I
think the previous version installed, which was on it when I bought it, was
1.24 and I had no problems with that version.
I contacted 3Com support and asked if it was OK to install older versions of
the firmware, they said it should be but they would not recommend it.
If you go ahead and find a older version that works could you let me know.
Thanks,
Geoff
"Liam" <not@home.now> wrote in message
news:d7ieut$g66$1@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:EbOdnSTWBtW0GAHfRVnyhQ@pipex.net...
>> Yes I'm using DHCP and have sufficient wireless addresses. I use it
>> usually without any problems when its just me with my laptop connected
>> and my desktop connected by an ethernet cable, but when my son comes home
>> and logs on with his laptop I loose the connection. Not all the time, in
>> fact we both can be connected for several hours. The main problem is I
>> have the message 'acquiring network address'. The only way around it is
>> to restart the router then it connects fine.
>> Anyone else experienced this?
>>
>> "Clark" <who@whoknows.com> wrote in message
>> news:RlYme.740$RV5.309@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
>>> Are you using DHCP to set up the wireless addresses? Have you made
>>> enough of them available?
>>>
>>> Try it with the laptops fairly close to the router to eliminate the
>>> reception possibility. You might go into exactly you have your system
>>> set up.
>>>
>>> Clark
>>>
>
> Exactly the same here, DHCP and usually one wired and one wireless
> connection. However, when anyone comes round and wants to connect a
> notebook wirelessly, or I try to use my PDA to connect, then the problems
> will eventually start. The only solution is to disconnect all but the most
> essential (at the time) wireless client, or restart the router which will
> correct the problem for a while. This is hardly the way I would expect to
> use a wireless network. It seems that the 3Com wireless gets overloaded
> with more than one client. Their product description claims it will
> support many more than this; can't remember the exact figure 128 springs
> to mind. I would be content with a reliable 2!
>
> I have done all the firmware updates (currently 1.29, the latest from
> 3Com) and am thinking of going back through the older versions to see if I
> can find a more stable one. But really I have run out of patience with
> this paperweight, and was thinking of going for one of the Draytek Vigor
> series. They are considerably more expensive than the 3Com, but I suppose
> you gets what you pays for.
>
> Would anyone have any opinions on the Draytek Vigor series, say the 2600G
> or 2600VG?
>
> TIA
>
> Liam
>
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

"Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:X6CdncfKkK5BoT7fRVnyhg@pipex.net...
> Liam,
> I upgraded the firmware to 1.29 and that's when the troubles started. I
> think the previous version installed, which was on it when I bought it,
> was 1.24 and I had no problems with that version.
> I contacted 3Com support and asked if it was OK to install older versions
> of the firmware, they said it should be but they would not recommend it.
> If you go ahead and find a older version that works could you let me know.
> Thanks,
> Geoff

Hi Geoff,

There was a cautionary note on their website that after 1.29 is installed,
no previous saved configurations can be restored. I think by that they mean
the config.bin file that is exported whenever you save a configuration; all
that will be required will be to configure all the settings from scratch.

But I don't think reverting to earlier firmware will do any harm. It is not
as if there are any functional differences between the different versions
(and I have tried them all).

I intend to try this when I get the inclination, hopefully sometime this
week, although I can't remember what version was on mine when I bought it,
and if the wireless DHCP problem was present or as bad then.

Whenever I do get around to downgrading I will post my findings, although I
expect it would take at least a week afterwards to really test it out.

Liam
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

"Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:X6CdncfKkK5BoT7fRVnyhg@pipex.net...
> Liam,
> I upgraded the firmware to 1.29 and that's when the troubles started. I
> think the previous version installed, which was on it when I bought it,
> was 1.24 and I had no problems with that version.
> I contacted 3Com support and asked if it was OK to install older versions
> of the firmware, they said it should be but they would not recommend it.
> If you go ahead and find a older version that works could you let me know.
> Thanks,
> Geoff

Geoff and all,

Just went to the 3Com website to collect all the earlier firmware versions,
lo and behold there is a new one there now, 1.31. But all it says that it
fixes is a country selection problem with 1.2x versions, so I probably won't
even bother trying it as 3Com seem to have their heads firmly up their arses
as far as the wireless performance of this router goes.

And the more I think about faffing about with firmware, the more I might be
inclined to just go and get a decent wireless AP, and use that instead with
the 3Com wireless off (still using the router and DSL modem though).

But if I do go ahead with the firmware experiments I will post the results.

Liam
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Thanks for the info Liam, I'll try the 1.31 version. I'm sure you are right
and it shouldn't make any difference but looking at the changes from the
previous versions that should have created a problem either but it did! So
they make snick in bug fixes without documenting them (as a retired systems
developer I used to do it all the time!).
I'll let you know the outcome of the upgrade
Geoff
"Liam" <not@home.now> wrote in message
news:d7vupe$t7e$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:X6CdncfKkK5BoT7fRVnyhg@pipex.net...
>> Liam,
>> I upgraded the firmware to 1.29 and that's when the troubles started. I
>> think the previous version installed, which was on it when I bought it,
>> was 1.24 and I had no problems with that version.
>> I contacted 3Com support and asked if it was OK to install older versions
>> of the firmware, they said it should be but they would not recommend it.
>> If you go ahead and find a older version that works could you let me
>> know.
>> Thanks,
>> Geoff
>
> Geoff and all,
>
> Just went to the 3Com website to collect all the earlier firmware
> versions, lo and behold there is a new one there now, 1.31. But all it
> says that it fixes is a country selection problem with 1.2x versions, so I
> probably won't even bother trying it as 3Com seem to have their heads
> firmly up their arses as far as the wireless performance of this router
> goes.
>
> And the more I think about faffing about with firmware, the more I might
> be inclined to just go and get a decent wireless AP, and use that instead
> with the 3Com wireless off (still using the router and DSL modem though).
>
> But if I do go ahead with the firmware experiments I will post the
> results.
>
> Liam
>
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Liam and anyone else interested,
I downloaded 1.31 and low and behold the following entry appears in the
accompanying text file

" Software Release V1.31
This version of software fixes the following bugs:
1. Update NTP time server table entries with valid working servers
2. Removed IP conflict error message when Firewall is on and that NAT is
off"

No mention of country settings! I've installed this version but haven't
tried it yet, will let you know how I get on.
Geoff


"Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:S5qdnYcTdOi31TnfRVnyjg@pipex.net...
> Thanks for the info Liam, I'll try the 1.31 version. I'm sure you are
> right and it shouldn't make any difference but looking at the changes from
> the previous versions that should have created a problem either but it
> did! So they make snick in bug fixes without documenting them (as a
> retired systems developer I used to do it all the time!).
> I'll let you know the outcome of the upgrade
> Geoff
> "Liam" <not@home.now> wrote in message
> news:d7vupe$t7e$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>>
>> "Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:X6CdncfKkK5BoT7fRVnyhg@pipex.net...
>>> Liam,
>>> I upgraded the firmware to 1.29 and that's when the troubles started. I
>>> think the previous version installed, which was on it when I bought it,
>>> was 1.24 and I had no problems with that version.
>>> I contacted 3Com support and asked if it was OK to install older
>>> versions of the firmware, they said it should be but they would not
>>> recommend it.
>>> If you go ahead and find a older version that works could you let me
>>> know.
>>> Thanks,
>>> Geoff
>>
>> Geoff and all,
>>
>> Just went to the 3Com website to collect all the earlier firmware
>> versions, lo and behold there is a new one there now, 1.31. But all it
>> says that it fixes is a country selection problem with 1.2x versions, so
>> I probably won't even bother trying it as 3Com seem to have their heads
>> firmly up their arses as far as the wireless performance of this router
>> goes.
>>
>> And the more I think about faffing about with firmware, the more I might
>> be inclined to just go and get a decent wireless AP, and use that instead
>> with the 3Com wireless off (still using the router and DSL modem though).
>>
>> But if I do go ahead with the firmware experiments I will post the
>> results.
>>
>> Liam
>>
>
>
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

"Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4sKdnQDh3f8F0TnfRVnytA@pipex.net...
> Liam and anyone else interested,
> I downloaded 1.31 and low and behold the following entry appears in the
> accompanying text file
>
> " Software Release V1.31
> This version of software fixes the following bugs:
> 1. Update NTP time server table entries with valid working servers
> 2. Removed IP conflict error message when Firewall is on and that NAT is
> off"
>
> No mention of country settings! I've installed this version but haven't
> tried it yet, will let you know how I get on.
> Geoff
>
>
> "Geoff" <meaningless34@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:S5qdnYcTdOi31TnfRVnyjg@pipex.net...
>> Thanks for the info Liam, I'll try the 1.31 version. I'm sure you are
>> right and it shouldn't make any difference but looking at the changes
>> from the previous versions that should have created a problem either but
>> it did! So they make snick in bug fixes without documenting them (as a
>> retired systems developer I used to do it all the time!).
>> I'll let you know the outcome of the upgrade
>> Geoff

Geoff,

That bug-fix list is the same as in the previous couple of versions, so they
mustn't be bothering to update the release notes apart from the version
number in the title.

I downgraded to 1.24 today but likewise haven't really put it through a good
stress test yet. I will report back with findings.

Liam
 
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

>
> Geoff,
>
> That bug-fix list is the same as in the previous couple of versions, so
> they mustn't be bothering to update the release notes apart from the
> version number in the title.
>
> I downgraded to 1.24 today but likewise haven't really put it through a
> good stress test yet. I will report back with findings.
>
> Liam
>

Well...

I tried going back to 1.24; no good. So against my gut feeling I upgraded to
the latest 1.31 version. What a waste of time that was. So as I said in the
subject line, I have now come to my conclusion:

The 3Com 3CRWE754G72-A OfficeConnect 11g ADSL Firewall Router or whatever,
IS INCAPABLE of reliably supporting more than one simultaneous wireless
client.

If anyone is thinking of buying one of these, DON'T. Mine will be soldiering
on for the time being until I work out what should replace it. Favourites at
the moment are Draytek (although a bit expensive for me) and Buffalo (very
good reports about this brand); opinions on these, particularly Buffalo,
would be appreciated.

The 3Com will be cannibalised to see if it contains a mini-PCI 11g card,
which will find a good home in a notebook. The rest of it will probably be
almost as useless as it is now, so will likely end up in the bin.

That just about sums up my experience of 3Com. It just goes to show how you
can fall for a reputable name, only to find out later that they are
producing shíte.

Geoff, I am still interested to know how you get on with 1.31, but I think I
already know the answer to that!

L8R

Liam
 
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