HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Hi!

I'm using my N770 at home and at the office, and I'd like it to automatically connect to the proper available WIFI network depending from where I am. I explain:
- with my Apple Powerbook, when I'm the office, it automatically connects to MYWORK network and reconnects to MYHOME network when I'm back home, w/o having to change anything in its settings.
- with my N770, if I'm connected to MYWORK network when I'm at the office, I need to select "by hand" MYHOME network when I'm back home.
I've tried to set a default network but I need to choose between MYWORK and MYHOME, so if I choose MYWORK as default, this network will not be available at home, and the N770 will first try to connect to MYWORK then discovers that it can't reach it so prompts me with the list of available networks (including MYHOME).
Am I clear? Let me know if not ;-)

TIA for your help,
Laurent.

Yeah, that's the way it works for me also. It would be great to have an option to switch on/off auto-detection of networks that are listed in the connection settings. Maybe in the next update, or a reasonably small hack that allows this option.

a wifi jumper hack is needed where it automatically searchs for open networks to connect to once it drops from a given network, so that you can effectively walk or drive around using the internet as long as there is an open network, or take the guess work out of selecting the one you want to connect to.

already reported https://maemo.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=367

OK. Thank you for your help.
Wait & see until the next release :rolleyes:

That would take all the fun out of mobile wardiving. :eek: Just kidding, it would be a cool hack to have. :D

That's the way cell phone networks maintain your connection, of course. It's also part of the latest wireless networking technology specifications. Without researching it I'm going to guess it's in the 3rd part of the WiMax spec just adopted. 802.11n, mebbe? Whatever. This step is about to happen and it will turn our portable devices into mobile devices. All we have to do is wait because it is definitely happening. We can be glad that Nokia, a cell phone company, is the 770's manufacturer because as the 770 gains VOIP (by June, I believe) the distinction between a portable device and a mobile one becomes critical.

There isn't really any disagreement about the standards coming in the next generation of wireless networking performance and devices. There is, however, a big disagreement in the standards in the next generation of ultra wide band. Freescale (formerly known as Motorola Semiconductor) on one side and the WiMedia group on the other. The market will decide that one.

Switching seamlessly enough to maintain a voip connection is a standards thing. Taking a few seconds to automatically switch between MYWORK and MYHOME should be a minor scripting hack.

mine once popup up and asked me which network to connect to when the default wasn't found. no idea how I got it to that and it hasn't done it again

make the ssid and the key the same for both nets, home and office :-)
-i

True that next-gen wireless technology will have this built in, and I'm all for it, but I don't think the technology will be as quickly addopted as the 802.11b and 802.11g standards were. Especially if there are software and firmware updates for these established standards in the devices we already have. Knowing technology lifecycles, consumers want to get the most out of their purchases for as long as possible. When the updates stop coming, the product is dying. When the support stops coming, the product is dead. But that's just the way I have to look at it. :D

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

I thought that the Nokia wifi park detector would accomplish this, so I installed it on my n800. When I try to launch and test it, though, the app doesn't come up at all. Has anyone else tested this app on an n800 (download available here: http://parkwifi.nokia.com/1,21,,,202.html)?

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Bump to the top

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Oddly, the comments show "marked as fixed"-- many months ago...

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Does anyone's N770 automatically connect to their default WiFi connection when switched on? Mine doesn't, but I think it used to before I upgraded the firmware for the first time (way back when). I just want to know if this is deliberate on the part of Nokia or I have a wrong configuration....

Thanks.

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Not to plug something I ported myself, but should be a breeze using cron. I'il give it a try over the weekend.

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Use 2007 OS Hacker Edition - it works automatically. Another option is to use DeviceScape which seemed to work pretty well for me.

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Thanks for the replies, all. DeviceScape sounds like a good option from what I've read about it - I know nothing about Linux so OS 2007 is out for me!

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

The DeviceScape software really does sound interesting... but there doesn't seem to be any decent coverage within a 1,000 km of here!
What I would like to see, and what I am working on in my free time, is a daemon that automatically scans the "wifi background" and connects to any open/known AP's that are found. Sort of like the automatic connection of the N800, but this should work with unknown networks too, as long as they're open. And as long as you have permission to use the networks :)

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

How would the program know?

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Well... I guess that part of my post was the usual "disclaimer" kind of speech...

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

Just checking. :D

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

I didn't realise that DeviceScape couldn't be configured for your home network - pity that. It still seems to be useful if there are many hotspots around, but the only free one in Hong Kong is the airport...

Re: HOWTO: automatic WIFI connection?
 

is there any option/widget that can change automatically between Wifi/3G/2G? depending on what you do and where you are?

Sorry for the question, still waiting for my N900. :D