[booner]

Hey,

Ad-Hoc- Networks cause many problems with my new E71.

1. The detection of Ad-Hoc-Networks ia faulty.
Networks sometimes won't be detected even the phone is close to the transmitter (my notebook). On the other hand, when I move out of reach of the network, the E71 won't recognize it either. Result: the connection stays alive until the battery is empty.

2. Battery consumption! Being connected to an Ad-Hoc-Network, my battery drains within a couple of hours, even when actually no data is being exchanged. The best way to empty a full battery is actually to move out of reach of an ad-hoc-network- after 2-3 hours the E71 signals still an existing connection and the battery is empty.

3. Phone Instability and "Out of memory" errors. After being connected to my ad-hoc-network for a couple of minutes, I start getting messages like "memrory full. Close applications and try again" - even the network app. is the ONLY application actually running and I am trying just to open my address book to place an internet call.

Furthermore, trying to switch the phone off in this case won't help since the phone shuts down to some "black but still on" mode, which actually shows a dark yet illuminated main screen, but it does not completely switch off. Also a way to drain the battery very quick! Only solution: battery removal.

4. in some rare cases, the phone starts up again after being connected to an ad-hoc-network for couple of minutes. Yet, I don't know why this happens.

Conclusion: ad-hoc- support with my E71 is *very* buggy. Can someone confirm that? I remember that also the E61 had some problems connecting to Ad-Hoc-Networks though...

Seems like Nokia didn't learn a lesson...

Cheers,

Boon

[grininja]

Hey Boon,
I will buy an usb wireless adapter in a couple of days and I'm a bit concerned about what you said. Did you resolved somehow the issues? Have you tried with another wireless card or adapter?
And have you tried acces point network also? Because I could get a little usb acces point but in 801.11b (not g).
Now, after I read your opinions, I am in doubts.

Cheers,
grininja

[rubberboots]

I have never experienced any problems with being "out of memory" or not being able to connect to network.

On the other and, when I'm at home or close to an established WLAN and use it to call over VoiP it does indeed stay connected as long as I remain in range with the network. This will drain battery, even though you arent actively transmitting data over the network, but I just disconnect as soon as Im done with my VoiP calls.

When you are connected and wish to disconnect, just go: Menu > Connectivity > Conn. mgr > Active data connections and in there you close the connection...

[booner]

My E71 does stay connected even I am out of range- or at least it does *think* that I am connected. Of course I can manually disconnect, if I don't forget or I am "out of memory"- then I am not able to access the connection manager.

@grininja: Problem is NOT solved, but connections to "regular" access points are working fine- they even disconnect properly ;-)

Cheers,


Booner

[saataja]

Situation where adhoc WLAN connection remains active although device is moving out of reach of another adhoc peer is really not an incorrect behaviour but more like an intentional feature of an standard 802.11 WLAN adhoc mode.

Note that whole peer-to-peer Adhoc WLAN network concept is fundamentally different and severily handicapped compared to traditional Infrastructure WLAN mode where network contains at least one WLAN access point which coordinates the network.

In adhoc mode all participants of the adhoc network are equally responsible of performing necessary management tasks needed to keep up the network i.e. send beacons to advertise SSID, answer scan requests etc. tasks that AP handles in Infrastructure mode.

In practise this means that the first device creating an adhoc network with certain SSID will keep on beaconing the adhoc SSID alone until some other device in vicinity decides to join the existing adhoc network. Basically any of the the parties can associate and leave the network without effecting the remaining adhoc participants ability to communicate with each other.

Now if two or more devices are forming an adhoc network and these devices move away from each other's range, all of the devices will independantly continue to keep up the existing adhoc network (keeps the WLAN radio active and continue beaconing the adhoc network's SSID) until particular Adhoc connection is specifically disconnected by the user of the device.

So by the definition (IEEE 802.11 specification) adhoc WLAN mode is not meant to be disconnected automatically when connection between adhoc peers get's lost momentarily or even more permanently.

Higher power consumption when operating in adhoc mode is also somewhat a 'feature' and due to the fact that meaningful power saving mechanisms for adhoc WLAN mode do not exist at the moment, like they do for the Infrastructure mode.

Since all adhoc participants are handling management tasks in turns and there's no single coordination point on the adhoc network (like AP is in Infrastructure mode) WLAN transmitter/receiver on each device must remain in active mode practically all the time. This leads to high power consumption regardless of whether ther is active data transmission ongoing or not. Power consumption is likely to be on similar level than when power saving has been completely disabled for the regular Infrastructure WLAN mode.

Even if device is just alone keeping up the adhoc network (no one else is connected) WLAN remains in active mode since device is constantly sending beacons and waiting to respond to other device's scans in case someone decides to join the adhoc network.

I hope this helps to clarify at least some of the mentioned issues and differences between adhoc and infrastructure modes.


Boon, regarding the E71 WLAN adhoc instability problems.

Is the setup such that you are connecting your phone to internet via laptop's internet connection sharing and then attempted to use E71's built-in VoIP client to make Internet calls via Adhoc WLAN -> Laptop -> Internet? Or are you running some specific application (you referred to 'network app') when these instability issues occur?

Just wondering if your problems might be interoperability issues and specific e.g. to certain laptop WLAN card or driver. At least I haven't seen such instability issues when occasionally using Joikuspot (utilizes WLAN adhoc mode) on E66 against the WinXP laptop with Intel Pro/Wireless 2915 WLAN adapter.

[booner]

@saataja

Thank you for the comprehensive "clarification"! Now I know why the battery drains so fast.

Yes, the setup is as you mentioned:
E71's built-in VoIP client - Internet calls via Adhoc WLAN -> Laptop -> Internet.
I am using some other applications which use the network as well, such as: Nokia Podcasting, Opera Mini, Virtual Radio.

In my notebook there is an Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network card, built in.

Still, I found no clue why after some time I get the "Memory full" error which never occurs when using the applications mentioned above in a "regular" environment with an AP.

Thanks so far,

Boo.

[emobo]

Hi All,

I've had some similar problems connecting to ad-hoc networks I connected my e71 to a public "Free Public Wireless" ad-hoc network (yes I know I shouldn't have done this). I brought up the browser to see if I could get online...and it rebooted.

I tried it again, and it rebooted. This time I got the message "No Gateway reply" before it barfed.

I can understand if ad-hoc support is not good, but rebooting is bad.

I personally have nothing but success when trying it with my infrastructure networks.

I don't really care about ad-hoc support, as you mentioned it is power hungry, but I am surprised it doesn't work at all for my device (Firmware 100.07.76).

Message Edited by emobo on 02-Mar-2009 12:31 AM

[booner]

Luckily, things got better with the 200.xxx firmware!

Nokia realy imporved the ad-hoc stability, even though I still suffer from some reboots rarely.

So try if you can upgrade.

Cheers,

Booner

[emobo]

Thanks for the update booner - glad to hear you've fixed your problem.

Unfortunately my PC code is not able for upgrade. I can debrand my phone, but I'm hopeing my provider will approve the firmware soon. Since I don't use Ad-hoc networks

I'm experiencing quite a few issues related to having a large number of files on my 8GB microSD card. If those are all resolve with the new FW, then I might be convinced to change the PC and flash.

Thanks

[sujit_md]

one more thing i've noticed. If you have an access point defined for a particular connection and you are within range of the connection but not connected, the e71 somehow starts draining all the battery trying to silently connect to the connection (or probably it tries to test the connection... like a ping command) So what i've done is deleted my access point that i defined for my office connection and the result... a significant boost in my battery life. but for my home connection since i only switch on the router when i need to connect to the internet, the battery life does not get affected!!

-Sujit

[emobo]

Sujit,

Try checking your WIFI settings in the Tools->settings app. I have my set to NOT scan for Wifi constantly. Which is possibly what is draining your battery. Instead I have the WIFI scan setup on my home screen, in which I can scan for Wifi on demand. I prefer the control of this approach. I know I haven't been too clear, so let me know if you need further instructions.

[sujit_md]

I've checked that. It is not set to scan for a Wifi automatically

-Sujit