Release WiFi Driver / Firmware Betatest

[EvilDragon]

Update 15/02/2011: This is intended for users of Hotfix 4 only. Hotfix 5 already has these updates incorporated. Source


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Not only the WiFi module manufacturer is working on helping us to solve any issues, notaz also spent A LOT of time (kudos!) to work around some bugs the WiFi firmware has.


Therefore, here is a PND with a new driver / WiFi module firmware for the brave ones to test out.


What should be better:


Disconnects / complete stalls shouldn't happen anymore.


The driver will slow down a bit instead of stalling / disconnecting but will speed up shortly after again.


Some users who had completely unusable WiFi might see it magically working now (I know it worked for some).


What is NOT changed:


Speed. Usually, if the driver works fine, it should be between 400 and 600kB/sec, depending on some other things.


If you have way slower speeds, try to change the channel on your router - that seems to solve this issue in most of the cases.


Remember that this driver / firmware is BETA.


It might lock up the unit so a hard reset is needed!


However, the more reports we can get from back you, the better.


If you want to try it, please download this PND.


When you run it, you can either install the new driver or revert back to the old one. Please restart after installing the driver before you use it.

 

[Nation.A.List]

.....<SNIP>
What is NOT changed:


Speed. Usually, if the driver works fine, it should be between 400 and 600kB/sec, depending on some other things.


If you have way slower speeds, try to change the channel on your router - that seems to solve this issue in most of the cases.......... <SNIP>.

What speed is this module rated to? Is 400 to 600 kB/sec what is expected or is it possible/likely that it can be improved once the other issues are sorted?

 

[Vitel]

You may be interested in the source code, it's here:


http://git.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=pandora-wifi.git;a=shortlog;h=testing

 

[Edy]

Does WEP work with this driver?


It hasn't ever worked for me. I had to switch my WLAN to WPA instead, and I couldn't access any other WEP over there, even having the correct password...

 

[Prometheus]

WEP worked with the original driver, too. That said, if you've been having issues with it, trying the new one might not hurt.

 

[slaeshjag]

Does WEP work with this driver?


It hasn't ever worked for me. I had to switch my WLAN to WPA instead, and I couldn't access any other WEP over there, even having the correct password...

If possible, you shouldn't use WEP at all. Takes around three minutes to crack, depending on traffic usage (takes seconds if intruder has managed to get packet injection working.)

 

[Edy]

I've been unable to connect to any WEP yet, and I've tryed many times.


Problem is that I often need to connect to others WiFi (i.e. at friend's home), and here many routers come pre-configured with WEP (or at least Pandora detects it as WEP).

 

[doublebeta]

have any 'lockups' been observed? Do we kernel panic, or just 'lock up'? Just curious.


I'm using WEP personally, because I use Nintendo DS homebrew which doesn't particularly like WPA. I know it's insecure but in the bogan village I live in, i'll happily share my internets with anyone who has mustered up the intelligence to find the ON button on their computer.


And besides..."Locks only stop the innocent".

 

[BaDToaD]

I'll try this at home this evening.


Thanks ED and a big thanks to Notaz, one of the Pandora's unsung heroes!

 

[WizardStan]

And besides..."Locks only stop the innocent".

And the less determined, less intelligent, or more rushed non-innocents. To break the lock, the criminal needs to actually care enough, have the skills, and the time to do so. They stop everyone else.


As I've said before with regards to security, I don't have to outrun the lion, I just have to outrun you.


Why would someone take the 5 minutes to hack a WEP router when there's a completely open router right next door? That being said, my neighbour moved a few months back, taking his open wifi with him, and within a week I found 3 unauthorized users. So now my DS can't connect, unfortunately, but neither can anyone that I don't want.

 

[Mr_Loon]

... So now my DS can't connect, unfortunately, but neither can anyone that I don't want.

It can be a bit of a pain in the arse but you could go back to WEP security but also add MAC address filtering to your router if it allows such a thing.

 

[WizardStan]

It can be a bit of a pain in the arse but you could go back to WEP security but also add MAC address filtering to your router if it allows such a thing.

MAC spoofing is easier than WEP hacking


I do also employ MAC filtering, and have since the start. That's how I detected that I had unwelcome guests. "how odd. My laptop which is currently turned off in my notebag appears to be connected to my router downloading quite a few bytes. I believe I may have to rectify this situation. *password*"

 

[levi1123]

I shut off wifi on my router period when I don't use it =P Also, on and unrelated note, Adhoc connections on the Pandora don't seem to work for some reason, any clue why?

 

[EvilDragon]

Also, on and unrelated note, Adhoc connections on the Pandora don't seem to work for some reason, any clue why?

Yep, not included in the driver (yet?)

 

[levi1123]

Yep, not included in the driver (yet?)

Daaaawww.. No wifi tether then..? Why isnt it included though? ( Since I really don't understand a lot about how the connection works I may be biting off more than I can chew by asking that =P )

 

[j.pickens]

I had several problems with the beta.


First, when tapping the power switch to "low power" mode, the WiFi LED stays lit, I assume it doesn't shut down WiFi during power save.


Second, when doing "log off > shutdown", the Pandora freezes with either a blinking cursor of death, or the Pandora Logo shutdown screen frozen.


Have to remove the battery to reboot.


Third, having occasional lockups, with frozen cursor and no keyboard response. Again, battery removal to reboot.


I used the Beta PND version selector to switch back to HF4's version, and this behavior ceased.


I also saw no increase in speeds, and the same occasional disconnects I've been experiencing in the past.


I'll get bursts of up to 300+KB/sec when first downloading a file or a youtube video with minitube, then it bogs down to 40 t0 60 kBps.


Other linux and windows PC's on the same WiFi router are getting over 1.2MB/sec downloads routinely.


It is a Linksys WRT54G with WrT firmware tested on multiple channels.

 

[WizardStan]

Daaaawww.. No wifi tether then..? Why isnt it included though? ( Since I really don't understand a lot about how the connection works I may be biting off more than I can chew by asking that =P )

As I understand it, the wifi chip being used is one that was designed for a phone intending to connect only to wifi hotspots: ad hoc wasn't part of the design spec because it was not likely to be used therefore no included in the driver.

 

[doublebeta]

Eheh, the thing with the lion is so true - but I wouldn't need be too worried, there's like four open, FASTER hotspots (with the default belkin54g ssid) around me - unless they're honeypots (that would shut off after maybe 10 mins on connecting -- shit I doubt that, here - iz teh FBI watchin meh?) there are more than enough carcasses for the lion to fill up on . And again, everyone here is pretty braindead. Well, in computing anyway. I'd say there are some fairly intelligent people everywhere.


Maybe I'll open my network for a while, with the router logging connections - just out of curiousity - run it without the phone line connected, or redirect all traffic to my server(don't worry it doesn't do anything important yet)...or...www.meatspin.com <-- NSFW!!!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure you know that! But yeah - DON'T visit that.


"then it bogs down to 40 t0 60 kBps." <-- l33tspeek? heh jk . Seriously, what is so wrong about 40kBps? It's not great, it'd be nice to get better - I guess it'd suck for games, since the speed is mostly lost in packet loss (right?) but of course the dropouts are bad. Since there's that spike of performance - are you absolutely sure it's not your router or 'net connection?


EDIT: Might I add i've never tried those APs.

 

[MarioPandio]

Seriously, what is so wrong about 40kBps?


I'm not sure either but then I dont know my speeds.


Roughly speaking though its like the 'Tampopo' film.


Basically at a dropped to level of 40 (he even gets a start speed of 300+) you can forget gaming, youtube/minitube/internet radio or anything above basic waiting for pages to appear. If they do.


There is defo a router compatibility issue here, channels, encryption type etc it also seems individually pandora related.


Sadly some folk seem to have shite routers, bad channels, encryption choice etc despite ringing all the changes and some folk have acceptable speeds that allow for more than crawling the internet.


Some Panda know kung fu and others are still chewing bamboo and making noodle soup without the hidden ingredient.


This is not OP fault but something isn't right. The soup is good and if I knew better it could taste great, if I could only find the spoon!

 

[elwing]

Basically at a dropped to level of 40 (he even gets a start speed of 300+) you can forget gaming

that's not true at all, well for the majority of the games... it's generally all about delay and not bandwidth...