Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 80

Hello,

I havent seen this talked about and I can't find any info on it so here goes.

What is an acceptable signal strength for the Minstrel S at any given time? I got mine yesterday and in my deluxe it is in the -100 thru -140 range and keeps disconnecting if I barely move.

Thanks.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 94

make sure its optimized!

Before I got my optimized deluxe I thought a good connection meant 70-90, but with my optimized one I can connect at 90-110, and it will hold the connection at that strength. I think the upper limit is definately around 105-110, I don't think I've ever held a connection above that.

Minh

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 80

Ok now Im a bit confused.

Since these numbers are negative, I thought that the closer to -0 the better, but if thats not the case, why do I have so many problems staying connected if my RSSI is regulary -100 to -140?

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 94

you are right

if you can get a signal in the 60-70 then thats great! It seems to "hold" better at those levels, i.e. the connection is solid green, not intermittent drops. anything above 110 i'd be surprised you get a connection, so that explains that. I'd go around town and try to find a spot where the signal is really strong, if it still drops then it might be a problem with the visor or modem.

Do you have the optimized deluxe from handspring? that seems to make a big difference for us deluxe owners.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 80

I called handspring right before I made this post and got them to send me a optimized deluxe.

First they were like, you need to talk to tech support, so they transfer me there, and I talk to the tech support who asked if I wanted to upgrade to a platinum. If only I would have had the ~$50 on my credit card! But I said no, and he filled out an incident report and asked me to call customer service.

So I call them back and the lady at first said that the Minstrel S wont work on a deluxe and thats it. I told her I wanted to get an optimized deluxe. She asked me what carrier I used, I said yadayada and she says, "Oh that should work then". The Minstrel S is the Minstrel S no matter who you get it through, so that made me a little mad.

After a couple more mins after refusing to even take the "incident number" the tech support had given me she finally agreed to send me out another deluxe. She didn't say "optimized deluxe" though which makes me wonder if I'm going to get a refurbed regular one.

As far as signal strength, the lowest i've seen it get was -85 to -90 or so, then it jumps right back up to -120 or so.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 85

quote:

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Originally posted by Lacutis
Ok now Im a bit confused.

Since these numbers are negative, I thought that the closer to -0 the better, but if thats not the case, why do I have so many problems staying connected if my RSSI is regulary -100 to -140?

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__________________
...the patron saint of the easily amused...

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 94

What!

Wow,

I never got the offer to upgrade for $50, I guess I bought my modem too early!

Lacutis, like I said before the optimized one doesn't make the signal stronger but it doesn't jump around like that. My old one showed the same things your's is doing now. The optimized one works a lot better!

dhead,
if you hit the menu button there's a status option which will show you actual number for RSSI.

Minh

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 80

The desired signal strength (RSSI) is between -50 and -95 dBm.

quote:

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Originally posted by dredhead
Okay now I'M confused. All I see for my RSSI is a bar meter, with no numbers associated with it at all. If the RSSI meter is about halfway or better, I get a good data connection.

I'm looking on the Minstrel S startup screen. Where are all of you looking?

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__________________
I do NOT look wierd! I just look ... "different".

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Urbana, IL
Posts: 99

The connection on my Visor DLX is extreamly annoying in the fact that it almost never says connected. One second, when I'm in Minstrel and it tells me that the signal strength is full. Then, when I want to use AIM or whatever, and I switch apps, it suddenly loses a stable signal.

I'm going to send in my Visor for a optimization.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Redwood City, CA USA
Posts: 162

chrisfoster:

My modem was doing the exact same thing. It would connect fine, but would lose communication with my Vdx after a couple of minutes. I got an optimized Vdx, but the problem was still there. I called YadaYada, waited on hold for a while, but found out from a very helpful person that my primary and secondary DNS addresses were incorrect. My modem was polling the wrong addresses for the server, so would disconnect after a period of time.

I would definitely get the optimized Vdx (I traded my beat up Vdx for a like new optimized one), but you may want to verify your setup with YadaYada in the meantime.

Ron

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 80

Can you please tell us the DNS settings that they gave you?
I want to compare them to the ones in the modem they sent me.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 94

lacutis that won't help...

Lacutis,

I would think that the DNS settings would be local to you. For instance if you're on the east coast you'd have a DNS for a provider on the eastern side of the country. Although if there's only one DNS provider for the country, that would explain why it's so slow sometimes.

Minh

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Redwood City, CA USA
Posts: 162

Minh is right. Unless you're in the SF Bay Area, the info wouldn't do you any good. Call Handspring and get your optimized Visor first; they'll overnight it to you. Then call YadaYada if the problem still persists and check your DNS addresses. Good Luck!

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 604

I've been following this thread with interest, as I have the same annoying problem with the service dropping my connection - and I have a Prism, which supposedly does not have the interference issue. I'm going to call YadaYada and see if I can get a new DNS to fix the problem. Thanks.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 5

I also have a Prism and have the same problem! Let me know what you find out!

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 80

I ordered my Optimized visor almost a week ago, if it doesn't come tommorow I will call Handspring back.

As far as DNS servers, I live in texas and generally get equal benefit from anything on the east or west coast.

I mean if I really wanted to I could plug my ip adddress for my server in there, thats sitting about 5 feet away, but I figured I would ask.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 94

Lacutis,

I waited a month for my optimized visor! But that was back in november when the minstrel just came out. As far as using your own DNS server, I don't think that'll work. I imagine issues with authorization, also the minstrel might use those settings just to get online! But if you get it to work please share, as that would be an interesting setup.

Minh

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Urbana, IL
Posts: 99

Well, today I did two things towards solving my Minstrel problem

Ordered a optimised Visor (Yes, it is refurbished, but the person on the phone told me that I could absolutely return it for a new one if there were any defects)

Talked to Yada Yada : Got new DNS numbers, which didn't help much (AIM stoped working for a little bit)

Just call Yada Yada and they'll happly give them out, I don't want to here (Their not mine to give).

I don't think the DNS servers have anything to do with location (They never asked)

The guy at Yada Yada said that, w/ the new DNS numbers, a new Visor should solve all my problems.

[Edited by chrisfoster on 01-04-2001 at 10:01 PM]