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

[SergeyKostrov]

[ 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 

[Bernard]

>>>Only one active Bluetooth adapter is supported at a time.>>> Probably this is due to conflicting MAC adrresses.

[SergeyKostrov]

>>Did you buy new BT radio receivers? No. Not yet. >>Those error messages are generated when your new Bluetooth radios are connected? Yes, I was using the old BT adapters.

[SergeyKostrov]

>>>>Only one active Bluetooth adapter is supported at a time. >> >>Probably this is due to conflicting MAC adrresses. Yes. A good thing is that Windows 7 Pro provides more diagnostic messages in Event Viewer.

[Bernard]

>>>Yes. A good thing is that Windows 7 Pro provides more diagnostic messages in Event Viewer.>>> Such a behaviour was expected from properly designed error handling routine. Is there any option to reprogram MAC address register on such a receiver, if there is you could simply increment by one the Device ID field. Can you post an exact model of your receiver?

[Bernard]

I'm posting a very interesting info regarding programming details of BluetoothAdapter class of Android device.By looking at class methods there is no method to set a Mac address. here is link : http://developer.android.com/reference/android/bluetooth/BluetoothAdapter.html And here is link which provides an information about the Bluetooth dongle MAC address changing.Sadly it involves using a Linux hacking distro "BackTrack 4" http://blog.petrilopia.net/hacking/change-your-bluetooth-device-mac-address/ Bear in mind that there is a some probability that your next Bluetooth dongles could have been programmed with the same MAC address. Please read this article :http://fourwalledcubicle.com/blog/2010/04/cheap-bluetooth-dongles-and-you/ and this one :http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100814125543AAUj8Is

[SergeyKostrov]

>>...Is there any option to reprogram MAC address register on such a receiver,... No. I don't think that I will do this because two new adapters is the best solution. >>Can you post an exact model of your receiver? I would call it as 'No Name' and they are very-very generic.

[Bernard]

>>>No. I don't think that I will do this because two new adapters is the best solution.>>> Do not buy generic "no name" dongles because of high probability of the same MAC addresses issue, please read my post above.

[SergeyKostrov]

>>...Do not buy generic "no name" dongles because of high probability of the same MAC addresses issue... I see. Thanks, Iliya.

[SergeyKostrov]

Hi Iliya, Here is some update... I'm confident there is a problem with Android OS on Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 when it has to be connected to a Peer-to-Peer Wi-FI network created between several computers ( more than 2 ) with Windows OSs ( Windows 7 and Windows XP ). During last two days I verified different networking scenarios and I think an update for the tablet has to be done. It is already scheduled at the end of the next week. So, in case of Windows OSs everything is working (!) and more than 2 computers could be connected. It took me less that 1 minute to connect a new notebook with Windows 7 Professional OS to the existing Peer-to-Peer secure network. Best regards, Sergey

[Tao_W_Intel]

Hi, Sergey and Iliya, Thanks for the great digging on finding the solutions to this Wi-Fi connection problem with an Android device per Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 (7") could not connect to: Security-enabled Computer-to-Computer network ( over Wi-Fi ). Can you write a summary to share with other developers here on what you have discovered? Also, have you post this issue on Google Android developers site and Samsung site? There may be similar discussions on this already?

[Bernard]

>>>So, in case of Windows OSs everything is working (!) and more than 2 computers could be connected. It took me less that 1 minute to connect a new notebook with Windows 7 Professional OS to the existing Peer-to-Peer secure network.>>> I'm glad that you verified by simple elimination that Win-to-Win wi-fi connection is working. Regarding Android to Win OS wi-fi connection more complex problem elimination will be needed.As I suggested you earlier connection setup should be monitored with the help with network sniffers(NetMon on Win platform).This is needed in order to eliminate responsibility from Android wi-fi driver stack.My bet is that the culprit could be find in the upper driver layer(not related to wi-fi stack) or application which is managing wi-fi connections. This reference should be interested for you :http://developer.android.com/reference/android/net/wifi/p2p/package-summary.html

[SergeyKostrov]

Hi Tao, >>Can you write a summary to share with other developers here on what you have discovered? >> >>Also, have you post this issue on Google Android developers site and Samsung site? There may be similar discussions on >>this already? I'll try to do it. I also plan to create my own test-case based on Microsoft's NDIS ( Network Driver Interface Specification ) API to get a list of available Wi-Fi networks. Best regards, Sergey

[Bernard]

>>>I also plan to create my own test-case based on Microsoft's NDIS ( Network Driver Interface Specification ) API to get a list of available Wi-Fi networks>>> Please look at this :http://www.ndis.com/ndis-ndis6/nativewifi/RxDot11WithOidTrace.txt

[Tao_W_Intel]

On top of this forum, you will see below: Ask questions and get help developing Android* applications on Intel® architecture. Find out more at http://www.intel.com/software/android.

[SergeyKostrov]

>>... Find out more at http://www.intel.com/software/android Thanks, Tao. I'm beginning to suspect that WEP is not fully supported and some constraints are created by Samsung in its port of Android 4.0.4 on Galaxy Tab 2 tablets.

[SergeyKostrov]

Tao, I wonder if Intel software engineers could try to reproduce the same on some device with Android 4.0.4 OS on Intel® architecture? That would be very useful for our investigation. During almost last two months you're reading our posts and I don't see any feedback(s) from Intel software engineers. Aren't you interested to understand what is wrong and help? So far I don't see any help, unfortunately. Please don't think that this is the problem with Microsoft, Google and Samsung. I see that Microsoft did a very good job regarding implementation of Wi-Fi connectivity and I don't see a problem on their side. Of course, I could be wrong and it has to be proven. Best regards, Sergey

[SergeyKostrov]

Hi everybody, I will provide some technical details ( I think by tomorrow ) on settings for Advance Properties of our Wi-Fi adapter. Please review and any feedback is appreciated. Best regards, Sergey

[Bernard]

>>>I will provide some technical details >>> Did you try to write NDIS filter driver?

[SergeyKostrov]

>>...Did you try to write NDIS filter driver? This is not a driver and this is a Win32 application that gets a list of available Wi-Fi networks.

[Bernard]

>>>This is not a driver and this is a Win32 application that gets a list of available Wi-Fi networks.>>> Is this GUI app? Will you be able to dig into wi-fi protocol innerworking.I mean to intercept and parse various protocol's bitfields. You can discover available networks with the help of NetMon.

[SergeyKostrov]

>>Is this GUI app? No. It simply displays message boxes based on a Win32 API function MessageBox(...) when enumerating available Wi-Fi networks.