CrunchBang Linux

teegoat

Member

From: Paris

Registered: 2010-08-07

Posts: 28

Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

Hi,
Since I'm waiting to get a proper internet connection in my place I'm using free wifi at the moment but it's playing some funny tricks on me.
The reception is not great and it takes a long time to connect, but when it finally does it tends to die on me. Which is still acceptable taking into account the poor strength. What is funny tho is that I cannot reconnect again unless I reboot (not re-log) again. I'm using wicd and it can see my wifi, often with a good strength but still, no chance to re-connect. Any ideas?
Thanks.

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The Fool

omns

#! wanderer

From: ~/

Registered: 2008-11-25

Posts: 5,131

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

Any ideas?

network-manager

teegoat

Member

From: Paris

Registered: 2010-08-07

Posts: 28

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

I've swapped and I'm in the process of testing this option right now. I do have to say that up until now I was always inclined towards wicd rather than nm. Will see how it works over next 24h. Thanks for the suggestion though:)

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The Fool

teegoat

Member

From: Paris

Registered: 2010-08-07

Posts: 28

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

Nope, it's not the answer. Nw tends to lose connection more often than wicd and at the end of the day cannot reconnect either. Just next to me I have my girlfriend's laptop running windows xp using the same free wifi never losing the connection. What's that all about, what piece am I missing?

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The Fool

teegoat

Member

From: Paris

Registered: 2010-08-07

Posts: 28

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

I already had a problem with accessing gmail and yahoo over that free wifi and found out that the problem was with the mtu. Since I turned it down to 1450 it works but the problem with the connection itself continues...

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The Fool

Awebb

The Singularity

Registered: 2009-07-23

Posts: 2,812

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

You're too far away. Move closer or buy an antenna.

Any ideas?

network-manager

The first time I actually see anyone recommending network-manager because wicd doesn't work...

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I'm so meta, even this acronym

teegoat

Member

From: Paris

Registered: 2010-08-07

Posts: 28

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

Ok, I'm not a fan of NM but i do have to say it actually works better - I still end up losing connection from time to time but I can reconnect without rebooting.
omns, thanks for advice.
Awebb, can't move any closer to the source, it's a free wifi, I have no idea where the wireless router is. The chances are that my girlfriends equipment is better but I'm not sure what card she's got on board. I think it realtek in both cases. I stil have a feeling it's a software issue, nothing to do with hardware...

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The Fool

slapfish

#! Die Hard

From: Athens, Greece

Registered: 2009-10-22

Posts: 601

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

why don't you try a #! live cd on hers and see if it still works better than yours. That will give a clue if it's a software or hardware problem.

paxmark1

#! CrunchBanger

From: Winnipeg, MB Canada

Registered: 2009-07-08

Posts: 223

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

http://www.hawkingtech.com/
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/pro … ProdID=404         current retail version

I have an old usb Hawking Pwr/lnk with a screw on antenna.  Really pulls it in.  Hawking is linux friendly.  Check used computer parts stores. 

For finding the direction ... install wireless tools ...   sudo iwconfig wlan0 and check out the signal strength from various directions. 

desktop or notebook?

And there are antennas to be made from pringles can, http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448

and from the fancy belgian chocolate can in O'Reilly book abt 2006 on wireless hacks. 

Signal strength depends on r^{-2}  Any enhancement of strength yields impressive results.

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Jean Vanier wrote "Being Human" and "A Short History of Progress" by Ronald Wright.  Gotta love the Massey Lectures.

teegoat

Member

From: Paris

Registered: 2010-08-07

Posts: 28

Re: Can't re-login to my neighbourhood free wifi

Thanks for all the suggestions! Especially the ones concerning the antenna;) The fact is that although the connection strength wasn't better, the wireless actually worked better with NM than with wicd... I'm still to test #! on my girlfriends machine to be able to tell if it's hardware or software issue.

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The Fool