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Wi-Fi connection and Bluetooth file transfer problems ( Android-to-WindowsXP )

SergeyKostrov
Valued Contributor II
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[ Updated on December 17th, 2012 ]

I have a Wi-Fi connection problem with an Android device. So, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 (7") could not connect to:
[cpp]
Security-Enabled Computer-to-Computer network ( over Wi-Fi )
Network Authentication: Open
Data Encryption: WEP
[/cpp]
Note: The device doesn't see that type of network!

However, it could connect to:
[cpp]
   Security-enabled wireless network
   Security-enabled wireless network (WPA)
   Security-enabled wireless network (WPA2)
   Unsecured wireless network
[/cpp]
Note: Verified in many places like cafees, airports, University of Calgary campus, etc.

Any ideas, tips or suggestions? Thank you in advance.

[ Summary as of December 17th, 2012 ]

A test with a MacBook ( Mac OS X v10.7.5 ) notebook was finally done and it successfully detected and connected to our Security-Enabled Computer-to-Computer network ( over Wi-Fi / Open / WEP ) created between several computers with Windows XP and Windows 7 OSs. The test was completed in less than 2 minutes without any issues and problems.

[ Summary as of December 4th, 2012 ]

- An update from Samsung for Android OS v4.0.4 ICS was recently installed on the tablet

- Wi-Fi Advanced Configuration Editor was installed on the tablet
  The application allows to see and edit advanced settings of a Wi-Fi network and it is
  downloaded from: market.android.com/details?id=org.marcus905.wifi.ace

- Linksys 'Compact Wireless-G USB Network' adapters are used on some desktop computers with Windows XP

- The following advanced settings of the 'Compact Wireless-G USB Network' adapter:

   NetworkType
   ShowHiddenSSID
   WEPKeyUse
   SmartScan
   IEEE80211H
   WirelessMode
   CountryRegion
   CountryRegionABand
   AutoChannelSelect
   Channel

   are considered as the most important and were modified many times during many tests

   Note 1: NetworkType is set to 802.11 Ad Hoc

   Note 2: Widest possible ranges for channels were selected:

   CountryRegion ( Country Region 11G ) - #5 Channel ( 1 - 14 )
   CountryRegionABand ( Country Region 11A ) - #7 Channel ( 36 - 165 )

- Microsoft Network Monitor v3.4 was used on some desktop computers with Windows XP

- A Wi-Fi Signal Strength is always 'Excellent'

- A workaround based on a Bluetooth connection was considered, it works and tested. However, a transmittion speed and a distance between tablets and computers are two significant constraints:

  A transmittion speed limitation of the Bluetooth connection - it takes too long to transmit large data files

  A distance limitation of the Bluetooth connection - a tablet could be away ( many meters ) from a computer with Windows platform
  Notes:
  - That computer could be considered as a 'Bluetooth Server'
  - Some number of Bluetooth adapters are also needed 

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Bernard
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The Best option is to use wireshark and monitor exchanged packets between those two machinesIn.By reading description of your problem I suppose that this is somehow related to setting up an ad hoc connection and/or authentication problem. Maybe you should enable on your device this mode of connecton.
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SergeyKostrov
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>>...I suppose that this is somehow related to setting up an ad hoc connection and/or authentication problem... . That is possible. We checked / tried all Wi-Fi related settings on the Galaxy Tab and couldn't resolve the problem. Thanks for these tips, Iliya!
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Bernard
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Try to enable ad hoc connection on the receiving end.
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SergeyKostrov
Valued Contributor II
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>>...Try to enable ad hoc connection on the receiving end. . Do you mean on a Windows computer? We'll take a look at that in the afternoon. Thanks.
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SergeyKostrov
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>>>>...Try to enable ad hoc connection on the receiving end. >>. >>Do you mean on a Windows computer? We'll take a look at that... . We tried many different configurations and still couldn't resolve that problem. If a Wi-Fi network has a router everything is working. In case when two computers connect to each other directly over the Wi-Fi the tablet couldn't connect. Is that by design of that type of network?
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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Sorry Sergey for my late answer (a different time zone):). ...>>>>>Do you mean on a Windows computer? We'll take a look at that...>>> Yes I mean Windows computer. ...>>>Is that by design of that type of network?...>>> Exact implementation of ad hoc wi-fi communication set-up and tear-down as was done by Microsoft should be consulted.But in such a case when the user settings are not helpful You must try to use packet sniffers like Wireshark and/or Netmon to intercept and parse the wi-fi packets. Can you do it and upload the .cap file it would be very helpful to read the data contained in those files. I will also look through 802.11 standard and read the exact communication set-up stages. Later I will write you.
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SergeyKostrov
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>>...Security-enabled Computer-to-Computer network... . Here is a question: How many computers / tablets could be connected to a Security-enabled Computer-to-Computer network?
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SergeyKostrov
Valued Contributor II
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>>...done by Microsoft should be consulted... . We'll look into this. At the same time another solution is under consideration and we can try a Bluetooth connection(s). A range is not important in our case because all devices are in one room.
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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...>>>Here is a question: How many computers / tablets could be connected to a Security-enabled Computer-to-Computer network?>>> There are two modes of ad-hoc networking 1.Peer -to -Peer which involves two computers connnected directly. 2.Wi-Fi P2P group which involves a few devices and one group owner operates as an access point. Please read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Direct
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SergeyKostrov
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>>>>Here is a question: How many computers / tablets could be connected to a Security-enabled Computer-to-Computer network?>>> >>There are two modes of ad-hoc networking >>1.Peer -to -Peer which involves two computers connnected directly. . I think this is our case. We also tried a Wi-Fi Direct on the Galaxy Tab 2 without success.
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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@Sergey ...>>>I think this is our case. We also tried a Wi-Fi Direct on the Galaxy Tab 2 without success...>>> Can you download and install Netmon? I think that in order to better understand the reason behind the connection failure we have to get insight deeper into the connection setup process.
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SergeyKostrov
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>>...Can you download and install Netmon? We'll try it. This is the 3rd day of different technical problems ( Fri, Sat and Mon ). We have some progress with a Bluetooth connection but Bluetooth Transfer Wizard on a Desktop computer still can't transfer a file to the tablet.
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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...>>>We'll try it...>>> You also have to consult a 802.11 standard.You can download it from here http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/download/802.11-2012.pdf
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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..>>>We'll try it...>>> I have hope that your problem can be easily narrowed down to some trackable and manageable system failure.
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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@Sergey Have you been able to solve your wi-fi related problems?
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SergeyKostrov
Valued Contributor II
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Hi Iliya, >>Have you been able to solve your wi-fi related problems? No and another attempt is scheduled for the next week. Unfortunately, all these networking issues are taking my development time. So, I'll provide as much as possible technical details. Best regards, Sergey
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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Did you try to use Netmon/Wireshark to interpret 802.11 protocol connection set-up?You need to do this in order to eliminate dependency on lowest level protocols.
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SergeyKostrov
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>>...Did you try to use Netmon/Wireshark to interpret 802.11 protocol connection set-up? No and will look into this next week. Thanks, Iliya.
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Bernard
Valued Contributor I
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...>>>No and will look into this next week. Thanks, Iliya.>>> I will offer you a "helping hand":)
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SergeyKostrov
Valued Contributor II
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Hi Iliya, I searched the web with a key word 'NetMon' and I found two NetMon utilities: 1. .....http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh451296(v=vs.85).aspx .....Microsoft Network Monitor 3.4 .....http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=4865 and 2. .....http://sourceforge.net/projects/guennsen-netmon/ Should I download from the link '1' or '2'? If No, could you give me a right link?
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