3. Wi-Fi Woes

HP's proprietary iPAQ wireless program offers a relatively straight-forward, albeit quirky Wi-Fi user interface, which is accessible either through the Program menu or with a button on the bottom right-hand corner of the device. Once accessed, the main menu has a Wi-Fi Status selection to activate the 802.11b access module and options to view the Wi-Fi networks in range or to configure VPN and proxy settings.

Selecting wireless networks in range took some getting used to. The device automatically detects and displays wireless networks in the View Wi-Fi Networks folder. However, to select a wireless connection, you must press down on the selection with your stylus until another menu pops up that allows you to either connect or remove the access point connection. My first reaction was to select the network by just tapping it once with the stylus, but doing this instead takes you to a different menu in which you can enter a WEP encryption key or establish an ad hoc connection. Figuring out how and why to either hold the stylus down or to tap the selection required that I consult the Help documentation.

The access point connection must be selected not by tapping the icon lightly but by holding down the stylus against the screen.

When you are moving around the device automatically tries to connect to all access points within range until a connection is established. If a connection is not made, the iPAQ wireless antenna goes down the list of access points to attempt another link. Strangely, access points remain on the list even after the device is out of range of range and no longer detects a signal.

Configuring my satellite office access point so that I could establish an 802.11b connection was initially challenging. I wrongly assumed that an 802.11g Netgear Prosafe router and access point could establish a Wi-Fi link with my iPAQ 802.11b access card, as in theory the two standards are compatible. While the iPAQ detected a signal, establishing a connection after entering the WEP code was impossible. I then turned off WEP encryption, giving a teenager next door with a Wi-Fi enabled PC and access point carte blanche to peruse shared files on my offices server. And, I still couldn't establish a link.

I then set the Netgear access point to link to 802.11b and 802.11g devices and managed to establish a connection with the iPAQ after keying in the Web encryption code. After doing so, I soon realized that I had to key in a new WEP code for the other PCs in the network after I changed the router's settings. However, the iPAQ's 802.11 connection rarely dropped off during several weeks of consistent use and proved reliable after the setup headaches.