Help with Ericsson WAP

[Ragnar]

Hi,

I've just received my order of an mBook, a Cisco Aironet 340-serie PC Card and a n Ericsson WAP (A11) from Sita, but I'm having some problems getting it working. Has anyone else used the A11? I have a few questions...

Firstly, I'm a US citizen and not terribly competent with electronics - is a specific type of female-male power cable necessary to connect from the transformer to mains, or will any do? (I used a spare cable from an old monitor - the LEDs seem to be operating noramlly)

Second, I cannot connect to the point via terminal program/null modem cable, using the settings in the included "manual" (the 1-page folded leaflet). I'm using the right COM port, and I can achieve a connection, but a blinking cursor is the best I can summon from there. What could I be doing wrong? Also, could anyone post the (relevant) default settings the point uses?

I've tried DHCP (the other PCs on the lan get on okay using it), but the best I can get trying Opera is an endless nameserver search. Using what I believe to be the correct manual settings, I can't get anything but "network error" (or the occasional "communications blocking") messages.

Thanks for any help, I'm most willing to provide further information; if I haven't been specific enough, please ask.

[diem]

Originally posted by Ragnar
Firstly, I'm a US citizen and not terribly competent with electronics - is a specific type of female-male power cable necessary to connect from the transformer to mains, or will any do?
As long as the power supply is rated to take the US standard 110 volts as input (rather than the UK standard of 240 volts), then any power cable will do. If you've already plugged it in, and the lights come on on the A11, then I'd guess its okay. I would ensure the power supply can take 110 volts input before plugging it in though if I were you.
Second, I cannot connect to the point via terminal program/null modem cable, using the settings in the included "manual" (the 1-page folded leaflet). I'm using the right COM port, and I can achieve a connection, but a blinking cursor is the best I can summon from there. What could I be doing wrong? Also, could anyone post the (relevant) default settings the point uses?
Does the AP have an HTTP management interface at all? You could try browsing to its default IP address (if the manual lists one)? Regarding serial config, you could try using a non-null modem cable?
I've tried DHCP (the other PCs on the lan get on okay using it), but the best I can get trying Opera is an endless nameserver search. Using what I believe to be the correct manual settings, I can't get anything but "network error" (or the occasional "communications blocking") messages.
Is the AP supplying DHCP or do you have another piece of kit on the network doing this?

I would suggest temporarily giving the mBook a manual ethernet config - choose an IP address that is not in the range that the DHCP server is using, but in the same subnet (e.g. if the DHCP server is supplying 192.168.0.10 - 192.168.0.200 then use 192.168.0.201).

I would also advise getting hold of FlFinger (from www.freepoc.de) and using this to do a ping rather than using Opera to test connectivity, and downloading netstatRF from Psion Teklogix partner program to see what radio the Cisco card is detecting (check the thread in this forum about this program to see where to download it).

[Ragnar]

Hi,

Does the AP have an HTTP management interface at all? You could try browsing to its default IP address (if the manual lists one)?

I don't think so, but I really can't tell. The leaflet mentions only the serial interface.

Regarding serial config, you could try using a non-null modem cable?

Well, it only has a male connector, what else could I use? It's listed in the leaflet as a prerequisite for installation, as well.

Is the AP supplying DHCP or do you have another piece of kit on the network doing this?

A wired router handles it, but as I can't connect to the management interface and the leaflet includes nothing about the default configuration, I have no clue what the AP is doing.

I would suggest temporarily giving the mBook a manual ethernet config - choose an IP address that is not in the range that the DHCP server is using, but in the same subnet (e.g. if the DHCP server is supplying 192.168.0.10 - 192.168.0.200 then use 192.168.0.201).

I would also advise getting hold of FlFinger (from www.freepoc.de) and using this to do a ping rather than using Opera to test connectivity, and downloading netstatRF from Psion Teklogix partner program to see what radio the Cisco card is detecting (check the thread in this forum about this program to see where to download it).

Okay, I've installed netstatRF and FlFinger and tried a handful of manual configurations, to no avail - I can't connect to the network. Netstat shows no activity whatsoever ("Radio not active"), though the status and activity lights on the pcmcia card activate whenever a connection attempt is made under any configuration.

[diem]

Hmmm, it all points to the AP configuration (as I'm sure you're thinking too). I'm afraid I can't help with this, but if it specifies a null-modem cable, and it won't respond to a terminal session via this, it does sound like there may be a problem with it. Did you manage to confirm that the power supply can take 110 volts input? Perhaps it is a UK spec supply?

[Ragnar]

Hi diem,

I gave the power cables and transformer to the engineer at my office today, and he gave the setup a thumbs-up, so I remain baffled. I've mailed Ericsson and Sita, but in the meantime I've picked up a "normal" AP from the shop. I still hope to get the Ericsson one sorted somehow, though... it'd make an expensive paperweight. I see Sita are out of stock of those, so I guess I can't caution anyone against ordering another.

Thanks for the help effort.