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Polaris: WLAN problems?

Hi all,
I recently bought my HTC Polaris. It's the first wireless device I have, so I also bought a WiFi router to test it. I do not have any previous experience with WiFi on WinMobile, so the problems I am having could just be due to my newbie-ness...
I initially set my WLan router to WPA-PSK. I was able to get my Polaris connected, but at random times and repeatedly the device would stop receiving data (using IE, Google Maps...) with no apparent reasons. The wlan was still shown as connected in . At other times, it was unbearably slow. Sometimes it was difficult to reconnect after that.
Now I set my router to unprotected WLan, just for the sake of test. The connection with my Polaris seems more stable. I will keep testing.
In both situations there is something that puzzles me. In Settings-Connections-Wireless Lan, Main tab, it shows:
Tx speed = 54 Mbps
Rx speed = 1 Mbps
Also in the Advanced tab, the status is always shown as "Associated to the network" ("Associato alla rete"). I never saw "Connected to the network" ("Connesso alla rete") here.
Is this right? Did anyone else experience problems with the Polaris WLan? Is it possible that it works ok with no encryption, and doesn't with WPA? Please help!
*update*: while I was typing I was looking closely at the Rx speed. It seems to jump anywhere from 1 to 54 Mbps (but mostly stays at 1). I did not move the Polaris during this test. The signal strenght is good. The WLan adapter of my PC (where I'm typing looking at my Polaris screen) shows it as "excellent" and the connection pc-router is absolutely fast and stable.
I have no clue of what it can be.
----------------
Lucio

WLAN Problems
This may not be related but I am managing to use a Netgear Router with WEP, however I do experience a lot of drop outs but more importantly I can't get any connections with the phone unless the battery saver setting is set for max performance. The phone also gets quite warm after 15 minutes operation on this setting.
Stuart

as enterpryse has suggested you could go to settings>connections> wireless Lan> Power mode and move the cursor to best performance.
let me know if anything changes.

Jackster said:
as enterpryse has suggested you could go to settings>connections> wireless Lan> Power mode and move the cursor to best performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say this is the best bet too.
But if you still having trouble try to reconfig your router allowing basically anyone regardless of topology to connect with it. And try using your pc simultaneously to see if it’s the router.
It could also be certain pages that you browse or maybe you router is updating too frequently I had that problem the other day because but kept updating my router for me.
And how long does you device take before it get quite hot? would i be out of line if i said maybe its because you're insulating the device with your hand? (I know the device needs to be held lol but that might be the only answer to your problem unless it’s an excessive heat problem then I would consider contacting HTC / the battery manufacturer / processor manufacturer)

Well, I'll be...
I kept trying to duplicate the problem. I set my WiFi router back to WPA as it was before when I was getting problems. Same PSK.
But after the first bad experiences (and my previous post), no more problems. The Rx speed is usually 42 to 48 Mbps now. It looks like this was the indicator that something was wrong in my first attempts, when I always got Rx=1. At 42 or more, everyting goes fast: Opera, Fast GPS, Google Maps... And I did not experience any more connection drops, data flow hangs, or slowness in connecting to the WLan.
The WLan router was already working fine, since I was already connected to it with my pc. I cannot explain why it didn't almost work and it's working fine now. The only thing I changed was the WLan channel. Could this be an explanation?

Moebius61 said:
The only thing I changed was the WLan channel. Could this be an explanation?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, are there any other wlans around you? If they are on the same channel your router goes down with the speed till a stable connection is established.
Even if you have other wireless device e.x mouse, headset, keyboard. They often transmit on the 2,4GHz band an interfere with wlans.

Can't even load wireless mode!
I've just received my Touch Cruise and have started setting things up. I'm a previous owner of the Hermes so I know my way around the device. Or so I thought...
Using Comm Manager to start up wireless lan, when I click on the button, it thinks for a while but doesn't load up WLAN. The button stays in the "off" setting. Tried pressing a few times, no luck.
Tried switching off all other connection types and just switching on WLAN - still doesn't work. Tried using the hotlink via "Wireless LAN" icon through settings/connections to turn WLAN on. Still no luck. Resetting makes no difference.
Phone is otherwise working brilliantly. Looks like a driver issue, as I had a similar problem from time to time on the Hermes with Black ROM. Any ideas on what else I could try?

le_paulo
"Resetting makes no difference."
Did u do a soft or hard reset?

@Jackster - both soft and hard reset tried. No difference. But after the hard reset I re-installed Goodlink which threw up an error message "Communication port WIFI is locked down". Which suggests to me that WLAN is visible but access has been restricted somehow.
The question is why (??) and how to undo it...
Nothing a cooked firmware can't fix
Meantime, if anyone knows registry settings I should check to do some basic diagnostics, I'd appreciate it.

Moebius61 said:
Hi all,
I recently bought my HTC Polaris. It's the first wireless device I have, so I also bought a WiFi router to test it. I do not have any previous experience with WiFi on WinMobile, so the problems I am having could just be due to my newbie-ness...
I initially set my WLan router to WPA-PSK. I was able to get my Polaris connected, but at random times and repeatedly the device would stop receiving data (using IE, Google Maps...) with no apparent reasons. The wlan was still shown as connected in . At other times, it was unbearably slow. Sometimes it was difficult to reconnect after that.
Now I set my router to unprotected WLan, just for the sake of test. The connection with my Polaris seems more stable. I will keep testing.
In both situations there is something that puzzles me. In Settings-Connections-Wireless Lan, Main tab, it shows:
Tx speed = 54 Mbps
Rx speed = 1 Mbps
Also in the Advanced tab, the status is always shown as "Associated to the network" ("Associato alla rete"). I never saw "Connected to the network" ("Connesso alla rete") here.
Is this right? Did anyone else experience problems with the Polaris WLan? Is it possible that it works ok with no encryption, and doesn't with WPA? Please help!
*update*: while I was typing I was looking closely at the Rx speed. It seems to jump anywhere from 1 to 54 Mbps (but mostly stays at 1). I did not move the Polaris during this test. The signal strenght is good. The WLan adapter of my PC (where I'm typing looking at my Polaris screen) shows it as "excellent" and the connection pc-router is absolutely fast and stable.
I have no clue of what it can be.
----------------
Lucio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the same problem. I changed the connection settings of ActiveSync to
allow wireless connections when connected to a desktop computer.
Maybe this will fix your problem.

session said:
I got the same problem. I changed the connection settings of ActiveSync to
allow wireless connections when connected to a desktop computer.
Maybe this will fix your problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good but where did you find this option on ActiveSync ? I just see an option whith BT not Wifi ?

Moebius61 said:
Hi all,
I recently bought my HTC Polaris. It's the first wireless device I have, so I also bought a WiFi router to test it. I do not have any previous experience with WiFi on WinMobile, so the problems I am having could just be due to my newbie-ness...
I initially set my WLan router to WPA-PSK. I was able to get my Polaris connected, but at random times and repeatedly the device would stop receiving data (using IE, Google Maps...) with no apparent reasons. The wlan was still shown as connected in . At other times, it was unbearably slow. Sometimes it was difficult to reconnect after that.
Now I set my router to unprotected WLan, just for the sake of test. The connection with my Polaris seems more stable. I will keep testing.
In both situations there is something that puzzles me. In Settings-Connections-Wireless Lan, Main tab, it shows:
Tx speed = 54 Mbps
Rx speed = 1 Mbps
Also in the Advanced tab, the status is always shown as "Associated to the network" ("Associato alla rete"). I never saw "Connected to the network" ("Connesso alla rete") here.
Is this right? Did anyone else experience problems with the Polaris WLan? Is it possible that it works ok with no encryption, and doesn't with WPA? Please help!
*update*: while I was typing I was looking closely at the Rx speed. It seems to jump anywhere from 1 to 54 Mbps (but mostly stays at 1). I did not move the Polaris during this test. The signal strenght is good. The WLan adapter of my PC (where I'm typing looking at my Polaris screen) shows it as "excellent" and the connection pc-router is absolutely fast and stable.
I have no clue of what it can be.
----------------
Lucio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same problem here. Tx = 54mbit Rx = 1 mbit. Sometimes it works ok (with Rx 24-54mbit) but most of time there are huge drops so i cant use wlan at all.
My Nokia N95 works excellent at the same settings with same router.
My polaris wlan battery is set to "Max Performance".
Any clue?

weird
This is the second XDA Orbit 2 (Polaris) I've had in a week. I returned the first one because of WLAN problems. Exactly the same with this one.
I have a Netgear DG834GT, WPA-PSK encryption set to 'auto 108mbps' on channel 6. As other posters here, tried no encryption, changing channels, g only, g & b, as well as all the other suggestions on here. All I got was Rx=1, screen icon showing connected and no web access etc.
Then I noticed that my Orbit 2 mac address appeared on the Wireless Station Access list in my router wireless settings. I clicked on the Add button to add my XDA to the Trusted Wireless Station list (but Access Control was NOT switched on) and EUREKA, it started working, but not very reliably. Surely this shouldn't be necessary. I have had an XDA Orbit for a year with absolutely no problems, so I know my around the new one. There must be a problem with the Orbit 2 - surely we can't all be wrong?

(Solved) please Help WiFi

ok i did a search for WiFi problems everyone else's problem seems slightly different then mine
or not the same in the least
here is my problem
First i have NO data Plan so i turn 3g/4g off
then i Turn on WiFi and it works till i turn it off or reboot the phone
THEN even though it still connects to WiFi and my router says it's connected
i get no data throughput
no amount of resetting, deleting my router profile, rebooting phone, rebooting router, and messing with everything i can find INCLUDING setting my router to OPEN, changing the channel, changing from N to G or B from 40 mhz to 20
NOTHING works
EXCEPT
resetting phone to factory default
then it works again TILL i turn WiFi off or reboot/restart phone
any ideas ?
.

ok you can ignore this it has something to do with turning off the network 2g/3g/4g
I'm not sure what the setting is causing the problem, as I'm still looking into it
I'll post here when i find the setting that is causing the problem
in case it will help someone else
UPDATE:
ok under "Mobile network settings"
you can not turn off "Data enabled" (Enable data access over Mobile network)
why this affects WiFi i do not know as it should ONLY affect 2g/2g/4g
Because it says "Over Mobile network"
but it turns off WiFi data also
If i find anything else that effects WiFi I'll post it here
but for now this is the solution to my problem
PS: it's nice to be able to solve your own problem
PSS: don't call T-Mobile for help they will say you need flex pay or better plan to use WiFi, i hung up on the stupid bass-turd,
not to add to the fact it's super hard to understand their mangled English!
.

i got that problem last night, during my open box and testing the phone, all you have to do is reset the phone, then you are set to go; hope it works for you.

thanks for the reply
i found out what i was doing wrong
and edited my post
so others can not do what i did
thanks for the reply though

Maybe they did this on purpose to keep you from using the device with out a data plan. Who knows.

Has anybody tried to connect to a Time Capsule?? I cannot get my G2X to see my router for nothing. Is the G2X compatible with a N router??

s00paSold3r said:
Has anybody tried to connect to a Time Capsule?? I cannot get my G2X to see my router for nothing. Is the G2X compatible with a N router??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe you should open your own thread about this ?
i do not use "Time Capsule" and not sure what it is (A router?)
to answer your last question the G2X supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot. so yes it supports the "N" standard
BUT
might not be compatible with ALL b/g/"N" routers
should be compatible with them all BUT might not be ...........
i am not an expert on routers, so cant say for sure
also could be that your router is to far away from your phone
your phones antenna is tiny, so has to be closer to the router then say a laptop or computer.
you might also want to consider going to a friends house and trying their wireless router.
anyway opening your own thread on this is your best bet
.

I have an airport extreme broadcasting mixed n/b/g and mine is really struggling. At first I thought it was the browser, but now it's doing it in both dolphin and the stock browser. It stalls a lot, connection seems to stop and restart. I already disabled wifi sleeping on the device. Pretty frustrating. Oh and mine is setup as hidden with no security on it at this time so that isn't the issue.

a1yet said:
maybe you should open your own thread about this ?
i do not use "Time Capsule" and not sure what it is (A router?)
to answer your last question the G2X supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot. so yes it supports the "N" standard
BUT
might not be compatible with ALL b/g/"N" routers
should be compatible with them all BUT might not be ...........
i am not an expert on routers, so cant say for sure
also could be that your router is to far away from your phone
your phones antenna is tiny, so has to be closer to the router then say a laptop or computer.
you might also want to consider going to a friends house and trying their wireless router.
anyway opening your own thread on this is your best bet
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did start my own thread.... and the wireless works everywhere else I connect to, The Time Capsule works because my laptops and everything wireless is working ok.

[Q] Need advice on transfer speeds/video recording

Hoping someone could shed some light and/or point me in the right direction. I just go my TF and upgraded to the latest stock firmware from ASUS. I am having two issues that may or may not be unique to me, one being almost a deal breaker for me.
1) My wifi speeds are running below my expectations. I am measuring around 11Mbits/s reads, while using various SMB explorers. I have run internet speed tests that have measured around 20Mbit/s reads from the stock browser though. I am running on a wireless 54 Mbit/s g-router. While I didn't expect 54Mbit/s, I did hope for the 30ishMbit/s I have been getting with various laptops.
My concern mainly lies with video streaming from my NAS as 11 Mbps is borderline for my uses. I am getting those transfer rates from the NAS and from my Win7 setup as well. My hope is that the SMB file sharing apps aren't optimized and I can wait it out and hope to get at least the 20 MBps rates that I am seeing from the internet speed tests. Should I try to throw in a wireless N in to the mix and if so besides WEP (which I assume is limited to 54mbps) is there any other encryption that the TF supports over WiFi? I ask so I can research the best match wireless -n access point for the TF. I don't see the ability to change the authentication/encryption as the 'Advanced' tab on the TF settings is greyed out.
2) I am getting significant audio sync issues while recording video. Playback of video is smoother with the new firmware but I see an occasional stutter. I could live with that if the audio stayed in sync (playing back with built in player and mobo). THis one is not a dealbreaker as I will rarely use the video but I am concerned this is an issue with my device. The realtime playback during recording is terribly stuttery (though this isn't a big deal since the playback is far smoother).
I haven't rooted yet but has anyone used cifs.ko successfully and seen better transfer rates than some of the SMB implementations in terms of transfer rates?
Thanks for any advice on routes to go or just general confirming that these are issues you don't see.

Anyone able to chime in on this for me?

1) It sounds like you need to upgrade your wireless hardware. WEP is easily crackable nowadays by anyone who googles how to do it, and has been for a while. WPA2 is usually a much safer option if your equipment doesnt support it then its probably time for an upgrade. Wireless N routers are pretty cheap nowadays via ebay, so there's not really any reason not to get one (I've bought a few for around £5 each on there). It should increase your throughput dramatically, and increase the range you can use your wifi devices at. I'd also advise setting up MAC filtering and hiding your network from prying eyes if you do all this to make it more secure. Plenty of guides on the net for that, and it's very easy to do.
2) I don't get the audio sync issues you have, but then the quality of the audio via video recording is terrible, so I've not used it much. I've yet to try this, but perhaps plugging a microphone into the headset jack will help with your sync issue, just an idea to try. And if it doesnt help then perhaps another app would.

thanks for the reply.
I will try both suggestions.

stuntdouble said:
1) It sounds like you need to upgrade your wireless hardware. WEP is easily crackable nowadays by anyone who googles how to do it, and has been for a while. WPA2 is usually a much safer option if your equipment doesnt support it then its probably time for an upgrade. Wireless N routers are pretty cheap nowadays via ebay, so there's not really any reason not to get one (I've bought a few for around £5 each on there). It should increase your throughput dramatically, and increase the range you can use your wifi devices at. I'd also advise setting up MAC filtering and hiding your network from prying eyes if you do all this to make it more secure. Plenty of guides on the net for that, and it's very easy to do.
2) I don't get the audio sync issues you have, but then the quality of the audio via video recording is terrible, so I've not used it much. I've yet to try this, but perhaps plugging a microphone into the headset jack will help with your sync issue, just an idea to try. And if it doesnt help then perhaps another app would.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't want to hijack but i have been using a netgear dg834 and am looking for a new router and a way to improve security as i use my wireless a lot more now so any links to tips or recomends for routers would be greats

combat goofwing said:
don't want to hijack but i have been using a netgear dg834 and am looking for a new router and a way to improve security as i use my wireless a lot more now so any links to tips or recomends for routers would be greats
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any well known brand (such as Belkin, Netgear, Linksys, Buffalo) will do you fine. Just check out their product page from the manufacturers website before you buy. Things that it should have as basic specs are a NAT firewall, 256bit WPA2 encryption, 2.4ghz operating spectrum and obviously compatibility with your current operating system. An easy to use setup is always a must for those not very confident in their tech abilities.

[Q] Wi-Fi not working. Am I the only one?

Okay, a little about my setup. I have tested on Slim ICS 2.7, 2.9; Codename Android 1.4, 1.5.5; as well as AOKP (I dont know exact builds, but am on the latest now - build 28). I have a Cradlepoint MBR 1000 which is a b/g/n 4g router (though I only have cable hooked up - was bought originally to allow me to broadcast my Clear 4g service, but Clear doesnt work where I live now).
EVO 3D, iPhone 4s, All my laptops, HeroC, Kyocera Echo, Roku...I mean everything connects to my Wi-Fi EXCEPT my NS4G...WTH?
Does anyone else have this issue?...could it be some settings with the N router?...I cant believe everything but this phone works.
Please help. It is so frustrating to be limited to 3g that works intermittently while I am at home. I have all my apps from the Google Play backed up to my sdcard so I dont have to connect to install them...it is a huge pain. Thanks in advance

Need some more description. What settings do you have on the router, how have you tried to connect, does it connect then drop out, can you see the network at all, etc?

Either your phones wifi hardware is gone or your house.
So here's what you can do to narrow down on the problem.
Tell me if you can connect to any other wifi hotspots outside your house. If it does connect then problem is router if it doesn't than problem is with the phone.
Good luck.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

Does it detect any Wi-Fi networks at all?
Does it detect any Wi-Fi networks at all? or just can't make the connection

I have the same problem but only at home .I don't anderstand a lot about this, I change my rom with ice scream sandswich 4.0.4 it was working with 4.0.3. Where is the problem. Thanks for your help.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium

shockem said:
Either your phones wifi hardware is gone or your house.
So here's what you can do to narrow down on the problem.
Tell me if you can connect to any other wifi hotspots outside your house. If it does connect then problem is router if it doesn't than problem is with the phone.
Good luck.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not necessarily. Setup of each router can change in numerous ways so as to stop certain devices from working, as can certain phone settings not allow connecting to certain routers. It is not quite so black and white, and we already know the router works.
daviki said:
I have the same problem but only at home .I don't anderstand a lot about this, I change my rom with ice scream sandswich 4.0.4 it was working with 4.0.3. Where is the problem. Thanks for your help.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like a channel setting problem. Easiest way is to open up your router config and change the channel between 1 and 12 and this shouldn't happen again. Alternatively you could mess around with your build.prop.

Harbb is right, you might want to test several things within your router:
Change channels (use 1, 6 or 11-12)
Set it to only use on b/g connections (don't use n)
Different authentication methods (WPA2 with AES, etc)
And make sure you don't have a limit on your DHCP settings (just to make sure you don't have a ton of devices connected so it's not handing more IPs) or MAC filter.

Okay, sorry for not replying sooner. I posted this, then went to bed.
@Harbb:
It does see the network, lets me connect, put in the password, and says it is connected. It always says the connection is poor when I know it should be a good connection. The phone then shows the wifi icon and up and down arrows inside of the icon...I never see a portion of blue. When I try to download from the market, it will act like it is working, then the icon will disappear/reappear numerous times before it tell me there is not a connection.
As for my router setup. I do not know what information will help in this but here is some info: I do not have MAC filtering on, WISH is active (dont use it), WPA2 Only Personal AES (this is what I use), Channel 6 (I have tried channel 11 because I read somewhere the Wii needed 1 or 11 or one of my devices needed it), Transmission rate is Best, Channel is Auto 20/40 MHz, Mixed b/g/n (to utilize N and G, it has to be on this setting, there isn't an option for Mixed n/g), it is set on 192.168.0.x, NetBIOS mode type is Mixed (Broadcast then Point to Point).
@shockem I have not tested it with any other hotspot to see if it is just a problem with that router and this phone. I will try if I can find an open hotspot and let you know.
@Billchen0014 It does detect the network and connects, but drops it constantly...I cant even download a <1MB file from the market.
@Harbb (2) Going by your advice to daviki...it looks like I need to check another router. I go by a Starbucks, so I will try their hotspot...unless it isn't free, then Ill look around.
Thanks everyone who is helping me with this.
@Oogway, I will try G only and see what happens...if I use Mixed it has to be g/b or b/g/n. As for DHCP there is only 2 maybe 3 devices connected and No MAC filtering

Could it be the Wifi country code issue?

Is that something on the phone? Also, I tested different channels (1, 6, 11) as well as b/g and g only. Still no go.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA

Thanks for the info. Test another hotspot (preferably one with a wpa2 password too if possible) and let us know. I'll reply later with some things to try as I gotta get going.

Okay, I did test one more thing. I sat right next to the router and it had full bars. Stayed full and my speed tests were great. Moved to where I sit on the couch about 30 walking steps away and no connection. I know the signal reaches because it is where I use laptops and other devices. The PS3 and Wii are further away and have no issue. It is not a clear path, but there aren't any doors between the router and the couch.
Just some more info...leading me to believe it is an issue with the phone. I get horrible service with Sprint also, so it may be connected. I don't know.
Any ideas? Is it just because of how far away I am?
Again, thanks everyone for the help. It has been so frustrating ever since I got the phone.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA

Wifi Analyzer can give you a dB reading on the signal strength if you'd like to try that from a distance too. Wifi at uni likes to show low bars quite often, however alot of the time i have great signal and it shows through wifi analyzer. May not be related since uni is a peap connection, but worth a shot anywho. Might give another hint on whether you should seek out warranty or router settings.

encryption is not compatible RANT

I have all kinds of computers tablets and gadgets. I have had no problems connecting to my wireless network until the Microsoft Surface came along. My router is the Motorola NVG 510. It doesn't have many settings that can be changed. I am using WPA2 Personal AES and a password. The only way I can Connect My Surface to this network is to turn off encryption. l had the same problem with the Surface RT. .
Tried for 24 hours now to connect... AT & T Says the problem is Microsoft related and Microsoft blames AT & T . l GIVE UP!!. Returning the Surface and going to keep my Samsung Slate 7 . . . has Windows8- WiFi and 3G. . .

how the hell do AT&T come into your wireless settings?

SixSixSevenSeven said:
how the hell do AT&T come into your wireless settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is AT&T's router. I have Uverse and this is the one they gave us.Motorola should be who i call if anyone but the problem is Microsoft's ..All others have no problem connecting

shEEEsh said:
I have all kinds of computers tablets and gadgets. I have had no problems connecting to my wireless network until the Microsoft Surface came along. My router is the Motorola NVG 510. It doesn't have many settings that can be changed. I am using WPA2 Personal AES and a password. The only way I can Connect My Surface to this network is to turn off encryption. l had the same problem with the Surface RT. .
Tried for 24 hours now to connect... AT & T Says the problem is Microsoft related and Microsoft blames AT & T . l GIVE UP!!. Returning the Surface and going to keep my Samsung Slate 7 . . . has Windows8- WiFi and 3G. . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never had an issue with any form of encryption with the Surface RT - it's got the standard windows 8 wifi stack and connects to anything I throw at it, including WPA2/AES.
Not sure why you're having an issue, but you haven't given us much to go on for troubleshooting.

And getting a real router isn't possible?

Talon Pro said:
And getting a real router isn't possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently this (MOTOROLA NVG510) router is the only one I can use in my area with U-Verse.

Thats bull. Is it a combo router/modem? If so you should still be able to hook up a wireless router off of that if it has at least one ethernet port.

see thats what BT claimed when they installed BT infinity at my grandparents but we dont have the stock router running off of it

Thanks for the suggestions. I returned the Surface. I don't know enough about routers and modems to install anything else or even how to buy something else. On the other hand. Annoys me that every gadget I own (and there are many) connects with no problem EXCEPT the surface.
diane

Your router is old. Something is probably interfering with the Surface Pro's connectivity. Your SP's wifi card isn't busted if it can connect without encryption. It shouldn't have a problem. I'd suggest ditching the modem's wifi and buying a router and using that instead for wifi and leave the modem alone.
99% sure it's a setting in your router that's causing you to not be able to connect a new device through wifi.

First port of call when having wifi issues is to remove all encryption/security settings and have it as a fully open network, if that works then slowly add security/encryption until you find out where it falls over, worse case scenario is a network that appears to be open but uses MAC address filtering to keep people out.

Trig0r said:
First port of call when having wifi issues is to remove all encryption/security settings and have it as a fully open network, if that works then slowly add security/encryption until you find out where it falls over, worse case scenario is a network that appears to be open but uses MAC address filtering to keep people out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the problem was for sure the modem. There are no settings to tweak... It's gotta be the worst modem on the planet-but then U.verse doesn't feel any faster than my old ATT DSL connection. I asked to have my DSL back and ATT said that was not an option. ATT told me this modern is the only one for my area. Maybe it is time I looked into Brighthouse. I am sure there is a way around that modem but in my frustration I returned the Surface. Very sure I will buy another Surface . . I still have my Samsung Slate 7 with Windows 8... Another plus is it has a 3G connection. the more I use Windows 8 the more I like it, wish the Slate was a bit smaller.

Wireless encryption is done router side rather than modem side. You can use the ISP's modem and the connect it to an aftermarket router without issue. Its impossible for the ISP to prevent that. If its a combo modem and router then it is still possible to do.
All routers must have settings, unless you mean it has limited settings.
I've lucked out personally. My ISP's free router isn't the best on the planet but as a freeby is great. Full range of settings. Its a combo modem/router in one but I haven't had issues with that and it is perfectly happy for me to plug other routers into it (which I did once as an ethernet extension cable of sorts, otherwise my other routers are inferior) or according to a friend who used to be on the same ISP it quite happily connects to other modens and acts as a router perfectly fine still.

SixSixSevenSeven said:
Wireless encryption is done router side rather than modem side. You can use the ISP's modem and the connect it to an aftermarket router without issue. Its impossible for the ISP to prevent that. If its a combo modem and router then it is still possible to do.
All routers must have settings, unless you mean it has limited settings.
I've lucked out personally. My ISP's free router isn't the best on the planet but as a freeby is great. Full range of settings. Its a combo modem/router in one but I haven't had issues with that and it is perfectly happy for me to plug other routers into it (which I did once as an ethernet extension cable of sorts, otherwise my other routers are inferior) or according to a friend who used to be on the same ISP it quite happily connects to other modens and acts as a router perfectly fine still.
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We already tried to tell him that and he wouldnt listen.

>We already tried to tell him that and he wouldnt listen.
OP's name is Diane.
Secondly, as posted in the OP, the device is a Motorola NVG 510. A 10-second lookup would show that it's a combined ADSL2+router, and it's not a simple matter of swapping out a router. Combined-function devices are SOP for leased models, since it saves the company money over having two boxes.
http://google.com/search?q=Motorola+NVG+510
It's a Surface problem. The user shouldn't be expected to mess with things like router settings and learn to be a geek. The device in question is obviously in popular use, and it's up to MS to get it right. The OP did the correct thing in returning the Surface.
However, for those with more tech savvy, the above search produces this help page for the modem+router,
http://www.ron-berman.com/2011/11/24/motorola-nvg510-help-page-for-att-u-verse-users/
which has both the manual and more importantly, a FAQ to troubleshoot connection issues, and links to more appropriate forums to ask further questions on this particular topic.

As I said, even on a combo unit you can use a different router. As long as the new router can recieve internet from any other device via ethernet all you do is connect it to the ISPs router. It will then share that connection. Yes your ISP's router will still be broadcasting but so will the new 3rd party one, you just connect to that. This is a configuration I have tested with a BT homehub and some ****ty Netgear.
To access the new routers settings, unplug it from the ISPs router first and then access the settings in the normal way. or if you can find the new local IP for the additional router you can use that.

>As I said, even on a combo unit you can use a different router. As long as the new router can recieve internet from any other device via ethernet all you do is connect it to the ISPs router. It will then share that connection.
Either the new router has to be reconfig'ed into an AP, or the old router needs to be disabled. Can't have both routers active. Likewise, the old wifi needs to be disabled, or the new one reconfigured that they don't conflict. Regardless, it's not plug and play. Either or both units would need configuration.
The household Internet router is the single most critical piece of equipment there is, because if the user messes up, s/he loses Internet access ENTIRELY and access to any further help. Without local help, that may mean several days' downtime and an expensive bill for onsite repair. I would NEVER, EVER tell a non-tech user to reconfigure his/her router, especially when the person said "I don't know enough about routers and modems to install anything else or even how to buy something else."
Everyone here has good intentions and want to help. Then, the first thing to helping is to listen to what is said, and gauge the person's comfort level with tech. No one even bothered to check up on the OP's router model.
The OP has a stable, working setup. Anything that jeopardizes that setup is bad advice, not unless you are willing to foot the onsite service cost for the person. The preferred solution is to remove the known-problem component, which in this case is the Surface.
PS: A long shot is to go into the Surface's Device Manager, select the Properties tab of the wifi card, and muck around with the advanced settings (if there are any).

You can totally daisy-chain routers using their default settings. Not sure why you would think otherwise...
That said, if you wanted port forwarding and such to work smoothly, it *would* be best to turn off DHCP and NAT on the inner router. However, that's not necessary to simply get Internet access via the router.

GoodDayToDie said:
You can totally daisy-chain routers using their default settings. Not sure why you would think otherwise...
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Which is precisely what I originally said.
I have daisy chained a cheap as **** netgear router to my BT homehub without any setting changes at all. I was actually using it as an ethernet extension cable pretty much, I didnt have a single cable long enough so I plugged one between the homehub/main router and the netgear and one between the netgear and a raspberry pi. Would you look at that, my laptop can connect to the netgear and get internet access from it, the pi also connects via its ethernet port perfectly.
My grandparents use a set of homeplugs, how do they connect? daisy chaining.
One of my mates has 3 ethernet devices in one room but only one LAN port drilled into the wall (he had an electrician out once to actually have LAN sockets fitted in a few rooms). Solution: cheap wireless router connected to the LAN port in the wall. Other devices connected to the router. Router had 6 ports so he still has 2 left over. Devices connect to it fine. Originally it was default settings but he has since gone and disabled the routers wifi as he doesnt use it.
That said. I came across a linksys unit once which refused to be used as an access point of any kind. But that was only once.

>You can totally daisy-chain routers using their default settings. Not sure why you would think otherwise...
Having nested routers (ie segmenting the network) is a prescription for myriad network problems in the hands of a non-tech user. Again, listen to what the OP said, rather than assume everyone is a geek who knows what DHCP and NAT means, let alone how to change them.
Even if the OP can get the new router configured and running properly, the potential for problem remains. When ISP service goes down, the ISP tech will remote troubleshoot the leased equipment (the old router), since that's the ISP's responsibility. With user equipment attached, troubleshooting responsibility passes on to the user, which the OP has stated in no uncertain terms that she's not capable of.
The point isn't to get Internet access. The OP already has Internet access. The point is to get the Surface to connect to the network, but NOT AT THE EXPENSE of adding networking complications that the OP can't handle.
>I have daisy chained...
This suffices for simple Internet access, until you run into programs or devices that break because of the multiple redirections. I doubt UPNP/DLNA works on nested NATs. Ditto discovery. Devices/periphs on one network segment won't be able to connect to those on another segment.
The wifi will work, but given that most 2.4GHz wifi default to channel 1 or 6, it will likely conflict with the old wifi and work POORLY when both are active.