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Can software eventually fix wifi issues w/ tablets?

S

sdgmcdon

Member
I have been trying like all get out to get off of iOS, just cant stand apple any longer...but my 1st gen ipad has yet to hit ebay after ive tried close to a dozen android tablets ... they ALL have the same problem with wifi, crappy range and regular drops. Im wondering if there is any chance software updates like ics may be able to remedy these issues or if i should stop trying and wait another year or so for android tab's that dont have these isues?

Ive tied all of the following at home:


  • TF 101
    TF 201 (tried THREE- really wanted to keep this one)
    Galaxy 8.9
    Galaxy 10.1
    Kindle Fire (have a few friends with them)
    Motorola Zoom
    Motorola Xyboard 8.2 (first one i received had issues with google account, so tried two of these)
    Motorola Xyboard 10.1
    Theres another im not remembering the name of

All of these had issues with wifi...im in a 2000 sqft home, 2 levels with only 3 nearby neighbors with wifi as well...ive tried 4 routers, dlink, netgear, motorola and linksys...in every situation where the android tablets would have issues connecting, dropping off really low intermittent signals etc, my laptop and my ipad were both solid as a rock on wifi showing good signal strength. Im currently writing this on my xyboard 8.2 one foot away from my razr using hotspot and its showing 50% signal (and im in my home on the 2nd level, router is just below me in another room and it, like all the others, wont connect to it hence using the hotspot because i have to).

Ive tried every router using wifi analyzers to ensure i wasnt in the same channel as someone else, tried 2.4ghz on all channels and 5ghz on all channels, nothing seems to make a difference. Wifi analyzers show little interference other than the expected neighbor(s) wifi which again, ive tried staying off their channels.

Im about to give up and give it another year or two even though i HATE my ipad...
Comments? Suggestions? (oh, i have tried ap's as well)

Why do android tabs suck so bad on wifi? One more thing, wifi analyzers on these tablets would often show a
decent signal strength 70dbm or so when the tablet i was scanning from couldnt connect, which is one of the reasons im thinking *maybe* a later software "breakthrough" might fix these issues.
 
sdgmcdon said:
I have been trying like all get out to get off of iOS, just cant stand apple any longer...but my 1st gen ipad has yet to hit ebay after ive tried close to a dozen android tablets ... they ALL have the same problem with wifi, crappy range and regular drops. Im wondering if there is any chance software updates like ics may be able to remedy these issues or if i should stop trying and wait another year or so for android tab's that dont have these isues?

Ive tied all of the following at home:


  • TF 101
    TF 201 (tried THREE- really wanted to keep this one)
    Galaxy 8.9
    Galaxy 10.1
    Kindle Fire (have a few friends with them)
    Motorola Zoom
    Motorola Xyboard 8.2 (first one i received had issues with google account, so tried two of these)
    Motorola Xyboard 10.1
    Theres another im not remembering the name of
Click to expand...

You seem to have gone through a lot of devices. Are you friends with a manager from Best Buy or something, let you take them home and return, no questions asked?

I've only ever had one Android phone, wifi seems to be OK on it, about the same as my PC. Neither works too well in the next room away from the router, because the wall is reinforced concrete.
 
Nope, i just wont keep a device that doesnt work well and so far im thinking i need to wait on an android tablet as again my ipad works flawlessly on wifi not just everywhere IN my house but even outside around on the property, cant seem to get it to even work IN my house on android though, sucks cause im SICK of iOS...had android phones for years nut i have no use for wifi on my phone so not an isue there.
 
Now I know why there are so many "open box" Android tablets for sale at my local Best Buy and Future Shop!
 
Must be you guy, or its a set up post to boast apple.

either way after all that, its 100% a user problem, not hardware.
 
^ Im only using my LG Optimus V to share WiFi with my tablet. I have to get 80+ feet away from it, going outside, and we have metal siding which is suppose to mess with it, to get down to 2 bars WiFi strength. Any closer is 4 full bars.

either its you or you need to bring in a specialist who can scan and see if anything local or something in your house is destroying the signal as its not hardware after all that.
 
350X said:
Must be you guy, or its a set up post to boast apple.

either way after all that, its 100% a user problem, not hardware.
Click to expand...

Actually I WISH it were...

You tell me, I have a thinkpad T410 and a 1st gen iPad which I'm trying to ditch for an Android tablet...BOTH will stay connected, at good speeds to boot, everywhere in my house and even walking the property line of my lot (around 5-6,000 sqft) - NIETHER drop the connection unless I completely leave the property with them.

On the other hand, I've had all of the previously mentioned Android tablets and ALL OF THEM drop connection in the same places, chair next to fireplace, deck, upstairs master bath and occassionally upstairs master bedroom - I've used wifi analyzers and found as soon as I get to around 60dbm that's when they start dropping off, 55 or less dbm and they seem fine.

Tell me; HOW ON EARTH is that a "user problem"?
 
350X said:
^ Im only using my LG Optimus V to share WiFi with my tablet. I have to get 80+ feet away from it, going outside, and we have metal siding which is suppose to mess with it, to get down to 2 bars WiFi strength. Any closer is 4 full bars.

either its you or you need to bring in a specialist who can scan and see if anything local or something in your house is destroying the signal as its not hardware after all that.
Click to expand...

Then why do my thinkpad T410 and 1st gen iPad work flawlessly in and around the outside of the house - they NEVER drop...?

Heck, I've got a buddy that like me has been a life long geek, systems admin etc; pretty savvy with this stuff and he's given up on his Fire for surfing unless he's close to the router. Just uses it to read books now and goes close to the router to download them.

I'm not an Apple hack trying to boast Apple as someone here mentioned, I HATE APPLE THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO DITCH THE LAST APPLE TECH I HAVE, THE iPAD! But if I can't get a damn signal upstairs then I'm STUCK.

This sucks.
 
funpig said:
Now I know why there are so many "open box" Android tablets for sale at my local Best Buy and Future Shop!
Click to expand...

I and a buddy of mine in Seattle have been through the ringer on these things; at this point I'm DESPERATE to get off of i[P]OS but I can't find a single Android tablet that can keep a stable connection IN my house - THAT is why you're seeing the open boxes.

Why would ANYONE keep a $500 piece of tech that doesn't work for them? That's stupid.

Android Tablets IMHO have absolutely DESTROYED the iPad in every way except the most important way (for a tablet) and that's connectivity. I SOOOO wish it weren't true and that's why I've been trying all these damn tablets, hoping ONE might have got it right.

...So far, big O'l fat nuthin'

I'm now to the point of trying to boost the signal throughout the house to 55dbm or lower so I can actually use an Android tablet in my house.

Swear to god I'm in hell right now - this sucks.
 
^ why does my cheap $114 shipped China knock off work flawless, yet name brand ones won't work for you???
[Frank at FLsuperstore is good but not magic]

has to be you guy, an its not an insult.

Fixed computer for a living, 90% user problems is what you get not hardware. Though they all blame the hardware and after a while it easier to just agree and let them pay for items they don't need rather then insult them.


its you or something in your house, call a specalist as youve spent 3times more then it would cost to have someone double check everything.
 
Back to topic, does anyone know if future software patches / OS updates can resolve this problem? I ask because if wifi analyzers are still seeing the network when the connection drops, seems it *could* be software?
 
350X said:
^ why does my cheap $114 shipped China knock off work flawless, yet name brand ones won't work for you???
[Frank at FLsuperstore is good but not magic]

has to be you guy, an its not an insult.

Fixed computer for a living, 90% user problems is what you get not hardware. Though they all blame the hardware and after a while it easier to just agree and let them pay for items they don't need rather then insult them.


its you or something in your house, call a specalist as youve spent 3times more then it would cost to have someone double check everything.
Click to expand...

I was a bench tech for about 5 years, then regional trainer / tech / management for 2 years then systems admin running all desktop support and server clusters for 6 years...I think I know a bit about technology...thanks.
 
name brand tablet come with those, china knock offs don't, why I bought my tablet from Frank and FL superstore.com

he does all the software patches n updates to the tablet to make WiFi work right and give full Android market access.

But you have problems with a Kindle Fire, its beyond those updates already.

Go talk to Frank, Tell him Matt sent ya.
 
Heck, I'll tell ya what...You all want to point to ME as the problem...fine, anyone in Portland? Come on over - My $100 against yours; lets go.
 
350X said:
name brand tablet come with those, china knock offs don't, why I bought my tablet from Frank and FL superstore.com

he does all the software patches n updates to the tablet to make WiFi work right and give full Android market access.

But you have problems with a Kindle Fire, its beyond those updates already.

Go talk to Frank, Tell him Matt sent ya.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm 3,000 miles away and I'm not about to spend a few hundred on something that "might" work from a shop in Florida; again though, thanks for the suggestions.

I do however like that you stated "to make WiFi work right" - sort of supports my issue.
 
I don't live any closer then you to him and about to buy a 2nd tablet as he does them right.

your question was valid, but not with big name brand tablets.

china knock offs need updated.
 
Wifi works fine on my TF201, also worked on my TF101, works flawlessly on my Galaxy S II also, working out my garden and in front of the my house.

They don't randomly disconnect either.
 
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