External Wi-Fi Adapter Sporadic at Best

[rjbinney]

I purchased a USB Wi-Fi antenna because I'm working far away from the nearest router.

It's a Sinmax Model "SI-5000UGL". The antenna came with a disc that loads Realtek's "RTL 8187 Wireless LAN Utility" with Windows startup.

When I plug the antenna into the USB port, the power light flashes on and off five times and the computer makes the "USB connection" sound.

Sometimes I connect - that is, the blue light stays steady, the little red "X" on the system tray icon goes away, and I can select a network by using the utility. Sometimes all that happens is the light flashing and USB connection sound described above.

I'm running 32-bit Windows 7 on a Dell Latitude.

It happens on any of the four USB ports. It has happened in five different locations around the US, trying to connect to different networks. Sometimes I can connect to a network, other times I cannot connect to the very same network.

When I first used this antenna in August, it worked fine. I did not first start having problems until about two months ago. It seems to happen at random, regardless of how long the machine has been powered on, logged on to Windows, or in any one "location".

I have tried two different USB connector cords.

I have Googled to my heart's content.

I can't find the initial driver (RealTek) disc to reinstall.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[navyfalcon]

Google "home made wifi antenna"
some are pretty good. You may want to try one or two.
Using a satelite antenna dish (small) gets some very good results
Use "Network Stumbler" to check the results (free software)
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hope this helps
falcon 

[Geek-9pm]

navyfalcon, that is a good idea. It works for many.

He did not say what kind of signal he is getting. A good USB adapter shroud work even on two bars.  Three bars preferred.

He might try another USB adapter. Then quality varies a lot. He said 32 bit Windows 7, so it should not be a driver problem. Unless the device was made two or three years ago.

The OP did not say what brand it was. At current prices, it pays to get a brand name that comes with a good warranty.  Wireless devices do sometimes fail after a few weeks of use. Rare, but it happens.That is why warranties are important.

[truenorth]

From recent experience and with a "Wi-Fire  antennae which i purchased specifically for it's touted ability to extend Wi-Fi reception range by "up to" 1200 feet i can make the following comment. Something that was not stated in the product manual is the fact that the ability of the external antennas ability to "receive" signal is tremendously affected by it's position re the structure from within which the desired signal (transmitter)  is attempting to be accessed. For instance brick and mortar, metal clad cause a very weak signal. Glass on the other hand presents no obstacle. I found this out from experience and also from research on these antennae on-line. If the structure had an available window i could aim the antennae at as opposed to a brick wall my signal strength was vastly improved. This was with an internal Wi-Fi and an external add on antennae on a laptop. So you can look at what i am talking about here is the link to the company web site.
http://www.hfield.com/?gclid=CPqMtavxpaYCFQNrKgodbD7QoQ
truenorth

[navyfalcon]

Try using network stumbler to check the signal strength
It will also check the signal to noise level S/N
 info about net stumbler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetStumbler
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download site
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/netstumbler.html
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Try making a wifi antenna, they help with weak signals.
Search Google for "homemade wifi antenna". A fantastic one was made out of an old satellite antenna.

Reference
http://www.ehow.com/how_7244072_homemade-wi_fi-dish-antenna.html
http://www.binarywolf.com/249/wifi_antennas.htm
http://binarywolf.com/249/
http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/15/how-to-build-a-wifi-biquad-dish-antenna/
-
hope this helps
falcon

[rjbinney]

I know this is going to make me sound like a complete jerk, but it drives me out of my gourd when people ask for help with something specific and are given alternatives to a different problem.

Q: My car has a flat tire; can someone help me change it?
A: Check Amtrak.com; I prefer the train, anyway.

The question is "how do I attempt to diagnose what's wrong with what I've got", not "how do i replace and hope that works".


The issue is, when I plug in an antenna that I already own, it powers up to the computer sporadically. It has nothing to do with the strength of the actual accompanying networks - if I use the internal laptop antenna, I can see some of the stronger networks, albeit lightly. It's just sometimes when I plug in my antenna, it behaves as it should, and at other times, it acts as if it's not plugged in at all.

I may have not been clear in my original description of the problem - it's not that the computer is asking the antenna for networks and it's not finding them, it's that the computer isn't recognizing it has an antenna plugged in.

• It doesn't matter where I am physically in the world; sometimes it powers up in Salt Lake City, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it powers up in Philadelphia, sometimes it doesn't. It could be only in one location, like my office, but it's not. It's in all locations.
• It doesn't matter which of four USB ports I use on my machine. It could be limited to just one USB port, but it's not.
• It doesn't matter which of two different cables I use. It could be one or the other, but it's both. (And both work to connect other devices).
• This has started in the last few weeks. It could have started the day I first used the antenna, but it didn't.
• It happens only occasionally, and I can't detect a pattern. It could be all the time, or only in the evening, but it doesn't appear to be.
• I can't tell you if it happens more frequently if the computer has been "up" longer or shorter, or if it's more likely when I come out of standby vs. powering up, or anything like that. I just haven't seen any patterns.[/i] 
  

More analagous to if you plug your iPod in and it shows on the iPod "Do not disconnect", then powered off, but it never appears in iTunes or as a device in Windows... You wouldn't suggest someone get out their boombox (I hope)!


One thing I did try was going into my Device Manager, right-clicking on all  of my USB roots and hubs and removed them, then rebooted.

I purchased a USB Wi-Fi antenna...

It's a Sinmax Model "SI-5000UGL".

Like I said, I don't mean to be a richard, I just need on-topic help diagnosing an issue, not options to replace something, when I don't even know what's broken.

Thanks!

[truenorth]

Very good comeback rjbinney. I had falsely understood your issue as one of intermittent failure to "find" a wi-fi signal as opposed to what i now see appears to be a failure of the computer to recognize the presence of the antennae. If your antennae is similar to mine it came with some software that needed to be installed to enable it's use. If you haven't already done so have you tried uninstalling that software and reinstalling it? Pretty basic i know but sometimes the analogy of "it was unplugged" can be the cause--if you get my drift--so i don't want to eliminate the obvious automatically. I do note your statement "I can't find the initial driver (RealTek) disc to reinstall." Have you tried the company web site for the driver? Have you tried to use this antennae on any other computer to determine it's performance? One factor you may wish to consider is that given the relative short time you have owned the device and that it DID work properly initially is to return it for a replacement  under warranty (before it expires). Given that your preferred use is with your mobile laptop (understandably) perhaps try using it with your home desktop to see if it remains consistently recognized through various shutdown cycles. I have just done a fairly extensive search on your behalf to try and locate your drivers on-line (without success). I then tried to find out more about your product and locate the company. They seem to resist contact. Only reference to their location is Singapore with NO known address or web site available. I hope you still have the product box and manual so that you may have better luck than i did. Wish i could be of more assistance,truenorth

[Geek-9pm]

It's just sometimes when I plug in my antenna, it behaves as it should, and at other times, it acts as if it's not plugged in at all.
I may have not been clear in my original description of the problem -

Clear statement. Device is not reliable.
Here are the steps field technicians use.
1. Try the device in another PC
2. Try another device in the same PC

There are a number if things that make the device unreliable. But the field technician only wants s to fix the problem. Which is not the same as solving the problem. Did you want to fix the problem, or do you want a diagnostic of what went wrong? Exhaustive diagnostics have to be done in laboratories with thousands of dollars of equipment. And even then it can be hard to make a solid analysis in one day.

[rjbinney]

Yes, truenorth, you have stumbled upon why I threw my hands up.

I would have ordinarily tried the swap(s), but without the disc handy (I think it's in a drawer in a construction trailer in an office 2450 miles away), I can't get try it in another machine.

I don't know what an analogous "other device" to try would be; hard drives (spinning and sticks) both work OK. Open for suggestions.

[Geek-9pm]

Sorry, I meant a device in the same class.
Example:
USB wireless device
Which is what I supreme you meant when you said 'antenna'.
If you Google
USB wireless antenna
You can find other possibilities. Devices with a visible antenna sticking out of the body of the USB adapter.
You can get a new one for under $30 either on-line on in a local electronics store in most major cities. And they are for sale in or near major airports, but at a higher price.

From personal experience, USB devices, especially wireless adapters, have a propensity to fail early.

[truenorth]

rjbinney, This will probably turn out to me my last kick at this "can" as i am about run out of ideas. Given my unsuccessful attempt to locate "your" product company i am going to suggest something probably way off the wall.
   As i told you earlier i too have an external wifi antennae (certainly not the same brand). Not knowing how specific the software is to each company's hardware (yours and mine). My company offers accessibility to their software from their web site (as well as providing the disc--which i have). So if you want to try you can access their software at http://www.hfield.com/customer-service/
It is applicable for XP/Vista/ win 7 plus a couple of Mac OS's. It is prominently stated to install the software BEFORE plugging in the antennae to the USB port. This will probably NOT work but at the moment you have a device you cannot rely on so i don't anticipate any damage being caused by trying it. Would be far better if you can contact your own company of manufacturer. best of luck,truenorth

[ST3]

Greetings!

I just purchased a Sinmax SI-5000ugl    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350403913070
$17.89 free shipping from Iowa...

I have already 2 Gsky GS-27USB which work fine and each has the 2008 RealTek 6.1313.613.2008 or 5.1313.613.2008 driver - CD.

The Sinmax 5000 works fine on the 2 XP PC's with the previous Gsky RealTek drivers.

The Sinmax 5000 does not work on my Vista PC using the previous installed driver nor with the Mini CD driver that came with the Sinmax 5000.... no matter what.  (after various attempts with installation, etc.)

Also, I thought I was buying another unit with more power  1000MW      however,  I have not found that this Sinmax 5000 has any more power than the Gsky's I have already.

Swapping the antennas made no difference as well...In fact, the Sinmax seems to be slightly weaker.

I have emailed the seller a couple of time and still waiting to hear whether they might have sent the wrong unit as the Sinmax does not look like the picture here at the web site. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350403913070

I did find some drivers that might work for you on Windows 7 -- take a look?

http://listing.driveragent.com/win7/usb/0789/010c?q=5.1313.613.2008

Regards, 

[wayned]

I also just purchased the Sinmax 5000UGL this week and on first installing the software on my XP system it worked fine but on reboot I wasn't able to use the Sinmax unit my laptop simply wouldn't recognize it.  Network connections showed the Realtek unit but "no connection".  My solution was to uninstall the Realtek software, reboot and attach the Sinmax 5000.  Windows did it's thing and found the unit and installed the software.  On installing I allowed Windows to find the driver and on providing me with the options I picked the Realtek windows update driver and all is fine now.  I haven't bothered to install the disc software as windows is managing the connection extremely well....my connection while very far from the router is excellent vs low at best w/o the 5000.

[soybean]

You should start a new topic rather than tack your question onto an existing discussion.