N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

My wife's iTouch finds and connects to WiFi hotspots at greater distances than my N810. I have to be about twice as close before I can connect. Any solution for this?

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Maybe you have a bad tablet. My N810 connects the same distance as any iPod.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

My N810 is weaker than some laptops and stronger than others. When the source is not close, its reception often depends on its orientation and the keyboard (opened or not). Sometimes this makes me angry because before N810 I had 770 and the reception of 770 is the best I have ever seen.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

My N810, routinely finds and is able to connect to way more AP's than my laptop... (and the laptop's pretty good at it)

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Well, part of the problems with long range wifi is the antenna. The n810 doesn't have all that great of one. Although someone in here did come up with a mod (you gotta be somewhat brave to pull this off) that would allow you to add a larger antenna to the unit and thus get better reception and range. Problem is, I don't know which thread it was in.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

How would I go about verifying this more objectively? Is there a really sophisticated software app that might help?

I have not had my N810 for 30 days yet, so I guess I could exchange it or send it back if there is a problem. In general, my N810 is really slow -- all apps seem really slow. It doesn't connect to WiFi well, and the GPS is so bad that it is useless.

My wife's iTouch makes my N810 seem 10 years old. Her iTouch does everything faster. We pulled in to a WiFi hotspot to check on movie schedules the other day, and she had connected, browsed all the movies and gotten all the info while I was still trying to get connected.

I sure would be pleased if all this is explained by a bad unit. I really do not want to get an Apple or Windows product, and I'll accept a bit less performance in order to run Linux, but the performance of my N810 is such that the unit is nearly unusable. I had been considering just sending it back for a refund and giving up on tablets...

This comment ("Maybe you have a bad tablet.") gives me some hope.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Another hope is -- bad software. Try the following: update to the last version of the OS (if you your unit doesn't use it already), then enable swap, then install tear as web browser. Others may give other suggestions.

All this will not make the WiFi connectivity faster. For this, move to to a better place (if possible) and turn the back of the device towards the antenna of the WiFi spot. Watch your hands as they can easily block a weak signal.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

There is an ap "WifiInfo" that gives some detailed information about detected connections. You may find it useful in evaluating performance.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Thanks. This is a cool app.

Now I just need to learn how to make sense of the SNR values...

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Where should I place my hands to avoid blocking the WiFi signal? (I looked here, but that didn't help me: http://www.nmacleod.com/nokia/schematics/).

I have the latest OS (my device came with it) and I increased the memory for swap a few weeks ago, but that didn't help.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

I have used WiFiInfo and noted what those SNR (signal to noise ratio) values are with a good solid signal. The first value needs to be low like less than 60. The second value needs to be high like greater than 90. At home I get 54/95. At work I get 60/94.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Thank you. Now I understand.

I'm getting values from 86/89 with quality value 7% up to 81/89 and 17% (depending on how I orient the N810). My connection is dropping and when it works, it is very slow.

My wife's iTouch is having no trouble connecting at all and she is standing right beside me. (She even has her back to the access point.) She says her email & browser are working normal (which, when I've used her iTouch, is faster than my N810 ever works).

At home we are connecting to a small, weak access point. (But we wanted one that would be too weak for the neighbors to see easily.)

BTW, this WifiInfo app is great. Very helpful. I am going to try to find one for the iTouch. (Anyone have suggestions?)

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

You may find Wikipedia better at explaining that than I can.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

The iPod is much faster because it has a lower rez screen, better browser (than MicroB), and has a faster and newer processor (I am assuming is it a 2nd Gen?). And it is iPod Touch. Little pet peeve of mine.

I don't know about your N810, but mine picks up way more APs than any of the three laptops in my house.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Thanks. I'm going to try a better browser, but I wonder if my N810 is "bad". It is the worst device in my house at connecting to the WiFi AP. It shows really bad signal strength when other devices are picking up the signal fine.

OK, I'll call my wife's "Apple device" an iPod Touch from now on. :)

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

I use to never browse with my NIT much using the default browser, because it was slow and used battery life a lot more. But then I install Tear. It is sooooo much faster and thus easy on the battery. Now I browse all the time instead of cracking open the laptop.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

How do I get the Tear browser? I've been searching for half and hour and I can't find a download for it.

EDIT: Qole's repo link doesn't work. All instructions seem out of date. Wow, this is hard!

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Check the first post in this thread.

Scroll down after the first set of screenshots for installation instructions.

<Edit>

The repository method is likely your best way to install so it installs all the necessary components.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Hmm. I reflashed my tablet last week and never had any problems reinstalling Tear. I had the repository so it installed it automatically for me.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

I found my solutions here:
http://wiki.maemo.org/Tear

Got it installed.
Now trying to get all the settings right (such as using it as the default browser).
Thanks.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

You probably looking for that thread. Really interesting, and do not look like so difficult to modify.
If the antenna is that bad, and there is plenty of place to put a better one, why Nokia but such a bad antenna?:confused: It is maybe related to some FCC regulation ?

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

But that's not affecting wifi performance, is it?
I mean, a dropped/unstable connection vs. a steady/stable connection doesn't depend on screen resolution.

In my case (n800) I find wifi performance average: sometimes a noname usb stick (with no external antenna) can connect while the tablet cannot, sometimes the reverse is true.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Thanks for these schematics - I was looking for something like this. :)

The upper part of the back side of your device is plastic. This plastic part has to be clear from your hands.

Re: N810 is weak at connecting to WiFi
 

Those signal values your tablet reports look very weak... My tablet at fair distance from AP reports about 60-65dBm signal and has no problems at connection. I have also a desktop at the same place which sometimes drops connection... but my tablet never. If your values you reported are within ~20 feet from your AP then I'd say that your tablet has a problem.