Advent 7027 Wireless Capabilities

LFCFan

Has anyone got the new Advent 7027 Laptop? I bought it yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to find that it has a built in Wireless card and was wondering if anyone else has been able to use it if they have this laptop? Tried accessing an AP in my estate but it wouldn't see it. Just wondering if there was anything I was missing.

jesus_thats_gre

Originally posted by LFCFan
Has anyone got the new Advent 7027 Laptop? I bought it yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to find that it has a built in Wireless card and was wondering if anyone else has been able to use it if they have this laptop? Tried accessing an AP in my estate but it wouldn't see it. Just wondering if there was anything I was missing.

I have the 7017 model and often had problems connecting to either another client or AP... Is it showing up and not connecting, or does it just not see any wireless networks.

BigEejit

Do they have those mini-pci cards or is it actually built-in ... ? The mini-pci are supposed to be the dogs proverbials ....

LFCFan

It's a Mini PCI and it shows nothing. There mat be a chance though that the AP I'm trying to connect to is down but if it's not I have a problem because the chap with the AP is sending out some pretty strong signals from his house 100 metres away and I stood practically in front of it and still couldn't see the network.

BigEejit

I'd say make for the nearest known good wifi hotspot ... sort it out once and for all ... your neighbour may have moved the WAP, a couple of walls will shorten the range down to tens if not single digits of meters....

jesus_thats_gre

I thought the distance an average AP transmits is about 300 feet? Assuming its using the default arial.

LFCFan

Originally posted by JesusThatsGreat
I thought the distance an average AP transmits is about 300 feet? Assuming its using the default arial.

Well this AP is fairly powerful as it's servicing a lot of houses in our estate.

How do the Mini PCI systems work? Do they use the Laptop Screen as the Antenna?

ondafly

install netstumbler from netstumbler.com - it will show if your card is working - and also will show any APs in area, that it can detect.

BigEejit

Depending on the card you have it could have one or two aerials, I think most laptop manufacturers will try to save money and go for the cheaper one connector model. Agere make a 2 connector and a single connector model for example...

The aerial(s) vary(ies) by laptop and mini pci manufacturer AFAIK, some are short and some go right around the outside of the screen ... just go somewhere where you know for an absolute certainty that there is a good strong signal (the fella with the WAP mind if you stood in his porch/lawn??) ... ideally where someone else is currently receiving a good signal

Maybe this is a stupid question but did you open the mini-pci compartment and make sure the antenna(s) is(are) actually connected?

LFCFan

Originally posted by BigEejit
Depending on the card you have it could have one or two aerials, I think most laptop manufacturers will try to save money and go for the cheaper one connector model. Agere make a 2 connector and a single connector model for example...

The aerial(s) vary(ies) by laptop and mini pci manufacturer AFAIK, some are short and some go right around the outside of the screen ... just go somewhere where you know for an absolute certainty that there is a good strong signal (the fella with the WAP mind if you stood in his porch/lawn??) ... ideally where someone else is currently receiving a good signal

Maybe this is a stupid question but did you open the mini-pci compartment and make sure the antenna(s) is(are) actually connected?

Well I was able to connect to his AP using an Airnic Adapter on my PC so signal strength isn't an issue. Good idea about checking the mini-pci compartment but all access to the inside of the laptop is covered with Waranty Void Stickers so I can't open it without voiding the Warranty. Bastards!

BigEejit

Originally posted by LFCFan
Well I was able to connect to his AP using an Airnic Adapter on my PC so signal strength isn't an issue.

My emphasis on the "was" up there .... can you still do it?

Good idea about checking the mini-pci compartment but all access to the inside of the laptop is covered with Waranty Void Stickers so I can't open it without voiding the Warranty. Bastards!

Daft bastards .... you should have access to the mini-pci card without voiding the warranty ... thats the reason they made the fricking specification in the first place I thought... so that users could add new functionality to their laptop themselves ...

I'd say go and drink 2 or 3 cups of strong coffee, have an argument with the wife and then when you are really spitting angry go into the place you bought it and tear strips off them and dont let the fricking thing out of your sight and you want it fixed NOW


..... either that or just go in and ask nicely:D