WiFi avoid ad-hoc?

[pruss]

We've got a problem in the dorm where I reside as Faculty in Residence: somebody's computer is running an ad-hoc network with the same SSID as our main campus network, and in my living room the signal strength from that network is higher than from the genuine one. The Intel WiFi software I use on my PC has no trouble connecting to the correct access point. But both my Powerbook and my TX want to connect to the ad-hoc network. I can get the Powerbook to see the weaker but genuine AP by running iStumbler. But I cannot at all get my TX to connect to the genuine AP. In the network scan all that shows up is the ad-hoc network.

I am guessing that neither Apple nor Palm thought that there would be an ad-hoc network with the same SSID as a genuine network, and so they connect to the highest signal transmitter with the correct SSID. This is bad, both security-wise and as it makes it impossible to connect to the Internet from the TX in many locations.

I have two solutions:
(1) Track down the student whose computer is misconfigured and does this. I tried and failed. Both I and information services narrowed it down with a directional antenna to a few rooms, but none of the students' computers there seem to be the culprit (I had students call me and turn off their computers and the signal always persisted). Anyway, the problem occurs at several locations on campus, I think.

(2) Get my TX and Powerbook to connect to an AP even when an ad-hoc has higher signal strength. I can kind of do it on my PB with iStumbler (but the machine keeps losing the connection). But on my TX I can't do it at all.

Any ideas for how to get either solution to work? (I.e., how to get my TX to stop connecting to this connection OR how to track down the misconfigured student computer.)

Best wishes,
Alex

[dmitrygr]

no. it is just that Palm has weaker antenna then other devices.
I JUST did the test. I can see both networks in NetChaser and in normal network selection dialog.

[pruss]

no. it is just that Palm has weaker antenna then other devices.
I JUST did the test. I can see both networks in NetChaser and in normal network selection dialog.

With the same SSID? Are you sure? I looked at PalmNetServices.h, and it's looking like the APIs don't let you specify whether you're connecting to an AP or an ad-hoc, unless you can do something with the channel field of struct NetServicesProfile.

We have APs all over the place, and a bunch ad-hocs with the same SSID (the students are told they're supposed to connect to 'HOYAS' and some seem to think that this means they need to CREATE a network named 'HOYAS'), but I never see both an AP and an ad-hoc with the same SSID. I guess I can go upstairs closer to the AP and the bad network.

My TX has a much better antenna than my Powerbook G4. Which isn't saying much.

[javispedro]

Did you try to manually create the network in the T|X and set in the Wifi Network Details you want to connect to a AP?

Here it shows both networks (Adhoc and Infrastructure) .

[userwaldo]

You should be able to manually override the adhoc connection as javispedro mentioned. I've seem the problem with the adhoc connection on my PC, but not on my TX. It is very annoying and usually causes a lot of interference reducing link speeds.

[pruss]

Did you try to manually create the network

Where do I go to do that?

Alex

[bh77a]

Steps to manually create the network on TX:

1. Open Prefs app
2. Tap "Wifi" in "Communications" setting
3. Tap "Setup..."
4. After scanning occurs, tap "Edit..."
5. Tap "add..."
6. Tap "Details..." to specify settings

Hope this helps.