No wireless connectivity between MED400X - Network

[Vulturian]

Hi all,

Just bought the MED400X and the Mede8er MED10WF WiFi 802.11N Dongle
as well as trying to configure my new modem/router Belkin N+ Wireless Modem Router Network Kit (Belkin F5Z0104NT )
in order to build up a network and connect my desktop PC - laptop (VAIO VPCF11M1E) - MED400X..

Well, my knowledge is basic as regards PC use and I am a noob in network set up!!  

I have started by configuring the modem/router and i believe i did that correctly as i have internet connection (wireless/cable) with my desktop pc...
On the other hand, i can not connect my laptop wiressly to the internet (only with a cable/Ethernet attached to the router) and this is driving me crazy...
Nevertheless, main problem is to wiressly stream from PC to MED400X...

I have read all guides in that forum and tips and tricks for network connectivity and more or less  i have managed to have wireless connection on / ISP of my router to be shown in the screen but signal's strength sometimes is full and in the next couple of secs is shown as empty!!!

Thenafter, tried through Media Library to connect to the network but no matter whether i have put new user ‘s account name and password (understand that this is the new user i have created in my pc and thenafter shared the folders i want to) as well as IP (understand that this is the router’s IP), MED400 tried to connect in the network but finally got the msg : Failed to log in…

Questions that I have:

(a)   How should I re-check my settings, mean what should be the order  (i.e. router – network – MED400)??
(b)   Eventhough I read in this forum that …”On the next screen choose Wlan security setting used on your WLAN connection: Open (no security), WEP or WPA. Please check your router Wlan configuration if you don't know what to select or what your security key is. Using WPA2 mode is
preferred on your router configuration, because this will give the highest speed over wireless connection”.. I have noticed that Mede8er MED10WF WiFi 802.11N Dongle manual says …” The draft N standard prohibits using High Throughput with WEP or WPA2-PSK as the unicast sipher, and your data rate will drop to 54 Mbps (802.11g) which is normal. Please try other encryption methods (WPA-PSK) or choose to configure an unsecured profile"...

My router is N+ (802.11n) and upto 300Mbps but when I set up WPA-PSK it shows 54Mbps when on the other hand shows 270 Mbps on a WPA2-PSK setting..

Which one is the preferable after all and do you think that this has something to do with the signal’s strength I mentioned above (i.e. sometimes it is shown as full and in the nexr couple of seconds it is empty) which may lead to network inaccessibility?

Well, I have many things in my mind to ask but basis above what do you think is the main issue and I can not connect wiressly to my shared folders?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Media Player : MED400X - V.4
Audio Out : Optical (to AV DENON 3805)
                     L/R (to CRT Philips)
Video : HDMI (to Projector Hitachi PjTX200 / 720p)
             Video (to CRT Philips)
Modem/Router : Belkin N+ Wireless Modem Router Network Kit (Belkin F5Z0104NT )
Windows 7 (64bit) / Microsoft Security Essentials)
GPU : GTX295
CPU : Intel core 2 duo 3.2Ghz
Ram : 6Gbs
Laptop : Sony Vaio VPCF11M1E

[jer1956]

Different routers behave differently with the dongle when WPA2 is used. Some do  just drop to 54g as the dongle manual says. Some won't connect at all, others drop in and out. In the end you have to set up your router to try WPA (not WPA+WPA2)  and see what happens. I aslo find you need to uses AES for password encryption, not AES+TKIP.

There are other issues which can affect network reliability but you shouldn't move on to testing those as a problem until you have a reliable wireless connection.

[Vulturian]

Thank you, i will try WPA (i think it has two options, personal + enterprise option) but i  am not sure whether at WPA has the alternatives between TKIP and AES (i think only TKIP) but i will ckeck and let you know...

P.S. So you mean that WPA2-PSK is not stable in connection with the dongle and thats why signal's strength goes up and down all the time...hmmm i will try WPA to see whether connection is stable then! 

[jer1956]

We always mean Personal. Enterprise requires an encryption key server to work.  

As I posted, there isn't a universal response from routers to using WPA2 with the Med.  The effect can vary between routers. Forum users get to see this from the problem posts. Sanji may have only come across the 54G effect from their own tests.

[Vulturian]

I would like to let you know that after endless tries/testings, logically my problem does not come from Mede8er which can not wiressly connect, as laptop’s wifi card connection with the router is not possible as well, which seems that there is some sort of incompatibility between laptop’s wifi card and Belkin’s router…When I plugged in Belkin’s Wifi USB adapter on laptop, I wiressly connected within seconds!!!

Thenafter, I tried to plug Belkin’s Wifi USB adaptor on the Mede8er but unfortunately these are not compatible as well (and verifies Mede8er’s comment that it is better to use Mede8er’s wifi adapter/dongle as with the Belkin one could not even find any SSIDs…
On the other hand, with Mede8er’s wifi dongle, I can find my SSID and establish (theoretically) a wireless connection but signal’s strength is always “empty” when connected while when I trace for my SSID on the available networks, it always full (excellent signal)…

Finally, I used a network cable (15meters/Cat.6/straight) and connected Belkin’s router with Mede8er media player and in seconds I was connected with no further problem !
Do you think that it is indeed an incompatibility issue of Belkin’s modem/router?
I am thinking to return back this specific modem/router and say to them that I face incompatibility issues with other network devices to wiressly connect with them…
I use Windows 7 / 64bit and Microsoft essentials security and I really don’t know whether said problem  arises from above but the only thing which is 100% real is that with my previous modem (Bautec) which was originally provided by my IPS Wifi connection between desktop and laptop was perfect!
FYI, i even tried to get wifi connected with no security at all (i.e. WAP,WEP. WAP2) but this did not make any difference...

[jer1956]

Do you think that it is indeed an incompatibility issue of Belkin’s modem/router?

We know the Med has Networking issue which don't affect "every" user. You can only conclude that it's a configuration issue with that users equipment. That was why we started the Tip thread of example networks. There are just two many variations in equipment when it comes to networking to have a prescriptive "this will work" configuration.

So if you can, try another wifi router.

P.S. It would be nice if everything worked together. You look at most USB Wifi dongles and in small print it will say "Works best with our own range of wifi routers".  The problem is an "industry" problem, rather just a Med problem. This was compounded by the delays in ratifying wirelss-N, resulting in Draft N kit which didn't work together.

[Vulturian]

Just read some posts in the forum re issues/problem having to do with V.4 FW and Mede8er's WiFI dongle and that previous FWs allowed Wifi connection for some users but now with the new F.W. their having major issues to connect with WiFi.

Is there any chance that i face the same problem?

P.S. As i recently bought the MED400X, i directly installed the new V.4 FW so i dont have a reference having to do with previous F.W versions... and whether i could hypothetically connect with the router....I tried with no WIfi network security (no WEP, no WAP, no WAP2...but the problem was always there...)

[Maasbommel]

Just read some posts in the forum re issues/problem having to do with V.4 FW and Mede8er's WiFI dongle and that previous FWs allowed Wifi connection for some users but now with the new F.W. their having major issues to connect with WiFi.

Is there any chance that i face the same problem?

P.S. As i recently bought the MED400X, i directly installed the new V.4 FW so i dont have a reference having to do with previous F.W versions... and whether i could hypothetically connect with the router....I tried with no WIfi network security (no WEP, no WAP, no WAP2...but the problem was always there...)

Just read some posts in the forum re issues/problem having to do with V.4 FW and Mede8er's WiFI dongle and that previous FWs allowed Wifi connection for some users but now with the new F.W. their having major issues to connect with WiFi.

Is there any chance that i face the same problem?

P.S. As i recently bought the MED400X, i directly installed the new V.4 FW so i dont have a reference having to do with previous F.W versions... and whether i could hypothetically connect with the router....I tried with no WIfi network security (no WEP, no WAP, no WAP2...but the problem was always there...)

If you want to have some reference, you could decide to give a downgrade a try to see if it makes a difference.

[Vulturian]

I would like to let you know that after endless tries/testings, logically my problem does not come from Mede8er which can not wiressly connect, as laptop’s wifi card connection with the router is not possible as well, which seems that there is some sort of incompatibility between laptop’s wifi card and Belkin’s router…When I plugged in Belkin’s Wifi USB adapter on laptop, I wiressly connected within seconds!!!

Thenafter, I tried to plug Belkin’s Wifi USB adaptor on the Mede8er but unfortunately these are not compatible as well (and verifies Mede8er’s comment that it is better to use Mede8er’s wifi adapter/dongle as with the Belkin one could not even find any SSIDs…
On the other hand, with Mede8er’s wifi dongle, I can find my SSID and establish (theoretically) a wireless connection but signal’s strength is always “empty” when connected while when I trace for my SSID on the available networks, it always full (excellent signal)…

Finally, I used a network cable (15meters/Cat.6/straight) and connected Belkin’s router with Mede8er media player and in seconds I was connected with no further problem !
Do you think that it is indeed an incompatibility issue of Belkin’s modem/router?
I am thinking to return back this specific modem/router and say to them that I face incompatibility issues with other network devices to wiressly connect with them…
I use Windows 7 / 64bit and Microsoft essentials security and I really don’t know whether said problem  arises from above but the only thing which is 100% real is that with my previous modem (Bautec) which was originally provided by my IPS Wifi connection between desktop and laptop was perfect!
FYI, i even tried to get wifi connected with no security at all (i.e. WAP,WEP. WAP2) but this did not make any difference...

Decided to apply only n mode in the router / 40Mhz as i have read some comments on network solutions here in the forum and it seems that more or less this is similar to my case as my laptop / g can not either connect with the Belikn router, it can only get connection when plug in the Belkinn Wifi USB adapter...I will try and let you know, thinking that the setup for wireless network connection should totally be manually set up!!!

[Vulturian]

 

Well, i am very happy with the alterations made on Belkin's router settings and finally i have a wireless connection as well with the MED400x!!!

Router's settings changed:

- Selected only 802.11n mode (not 802.11b/802.11g/802.11n as i have originally set)
- Selected 20/40Hz (as there was no plain 40Hz choice)
- Changed channel from default (which was ch.1) to channel 6
- Changed security settings from WAP to WAP2 and AES encryptiom key

In this respect, available networks' SSIDs were minimized (while when i had all modes enabled i was able to see around 15 networks in the neibourhood) and i established a wireless connection with an excellent signal strength...!

In the Medee8er's menu, when i stream a file from the network, when i press "info" on the control i see the bar with signal's strength which is more than 2/3 full, sometimes almost full but how can i check what is the actual Mbps streaming transmission from the desktop to the media player?

As i had already shared the folders to reach them from a wired connection (i.e. to everyone full access) i did not have to create an addtional user with password protection (or open guest account) in the desktop and i had directly full access to all files i could already share with the wired connection...

These are the first impressions that i have, did not have the chance to work around a lot as it was too late last night, i will play around later on today and will let you know!
 

[jer1956]

In the Medee8er's menu, when i stream a file from the network, when i press "info" on the control i see the bar with signal's strength which is more than 2/3 full, sometimes almost full but how can i check what is the actual Mbps streaming transmission from the desktop to the media player?

Start Task Manager and select the Network Tab.

[Vulturian]

Thank you! 

[Vulturian]

Tried your advice, i think that the "Start Manager/Select Network" tab technique shows the stable 100Mbps ethernet/wired connection and when using the network i see that fluctuates between 0% and max 25-28% (when i streamed a "heavy" mkv file...)
How can i conclude from above as regards the wireless network streaming behaviour?

I also tried the ping method (cmd/ping IP) but this did not make any sense to me .... 

[jer1956]

The ultimate test is to try and stream a ripped bluray with all audio tracks using Play Folder. The Med uses software drivers run on the support processor to handle I/O. But the support processor is also used to unwrap complex packages, such as MKV.  So you can't have 100% of any "time interval" being used to handle I/O during streaming.  I find you need to have 50% or less. So the Utilization Figure is just as important as the Throughput Rate.

Unfortunately becuase a PC uses Hardware for it's Wired Lan connection  it's utilization figure ins't a good match for whats' happenning at the med end. A wireless connection is more dynamic and  the loading reflects what rate/utilization has been handshaken between source and sink.

[Maasbommel]

Hi Vulturian,

Please also verify the bootloader version on your 400X (setup info menu)
Be sure that it has latest 26 version for proper comparing with others.
If not on 26, you can upgrade using the procedure as described in the V4 release notes.

regards,
Maasbommel