Wireless network connection problems

[Dally]

Hi guys,

a school I've worked in had a Netgear wireless system installed. The system has a starnge fault, in that if a device gets a connection, it struggles to get a connection again when its forced to restart, or mor worryingly when a user logs off, and another user tries to log on within 5 minutes. When the school contacted the supplier / installer, they were told in uncertain terms that this is a Characteristic of the system, and gave this explanation:

"Briefly, it only happens if the netbooks are switched off and then on again within five minutes. The netgear access points keep a connection warm for five minutes after a netbook stops talking. If, inside that five minutes, the netbook switches on again, it requests a connection. The access point says "You've already got one", and the Netbook replies "Close that one. I want a new one". In the couple of seconds this dialogue takes, the netbook is connected to the WAP - a temporary, false connection before the real one is made"

I'm no wireless networking guru, but to me this seems like a very poor system setup. Does anyone accept that this is normal, or that it should happen at all?

just to clarify this problem only exists with this particular setup. we took the netgear system down and temporarily installed a Cisco point for testing, we did NOT see a repeat of this.

Any advice / feedback would be greatl appreciated!

[DaveP]

Can't comment on how Netgear is supposed to work but our Trapeze wireless network does not work that way.

A laptop that has recently been shutdown can easily reconnect to the network.

[nephilim]

that is nothing short of shocking....but you are not the only person with a rubbish netgear install.

Netgear kit tends to do as he said, but what he neglected to tell you, is that it stores it in the AP and sends it out to all other APs that it can reach, so you will have that problem across your site.

As the kit is failing to meet the standards you require, ask for them to take it out and get Ruckus, Aruba, Meru or something along those lines. My personal recommendation is Ruckus, but different sites have different kit so ask around.

[Dally]

Yeah I was afraid that this would be the response I would get. I'm waiting on a resonse from Netgear themselves now to see if they deem it as an acceptable characteristic, I guess we'll see what they have to say.

Cheers

[nephilim]

netgear think its fine, believe me, you will have a VERY hard time trying to convince them otherwise.

[Dally]

Luckily for me I got direct contact with one of their UK sales directors - spoke to him at BETT, so he's chasing it up with tech support on my behalf. Means i dont have to speak to them directly :-)

[Dos_Box]

I'm sorry to say that you get what you pay for when it comes to wireless. If you want something that is fast, easily managed, reliable and has capacity then you'll have to pay, and if you are new to his then chances are you will not have heard of the companies you really want to be considering. So, in no particular order:

Ruckus
Meru
Xirrus
Extricom
Trapeze

A good rule of thumb is that if they make a router for your home internet connection then discount them for high end managed wireless.