Very weak wifi signal strength - any real fix for this?

[mykrobinson]

I just bought by Iconia Tab on 08/16/2011 and am enjoying it so far. Right out of the box, it asked to update the software, which installed 3.1, so I have no base level to compare performance to, I never used it with 3.0 on it...

Anyway, I seem to be having an issue with very weak wifi reception. I have seen others reporting other wifi issues, but mine, if I were to take a guess, I'd say an antennae is disconnected or something.. In my office, at the end of the hall, my laptop works great. My cell phone works great. My tablet says it cant find anything..

I have the same experience at my home. From my bedroom, my laptop, desktop, and cell phones can pick up my wireless network just fine, but the tablet may or may not see it, and when it does, claims very low signal strength.

Is there a definite fix for this issue? Can someone confirm whether it is a hardware or software related issue?

If it matters, I am rooted using the Iconia Recovery Installer but running the stock OS.

Thanks,
-myk

 

[Spider]

Hello myk, welcome to the forum. Unfortunately, weak wifi reception seems to be part of owning a tablet. I have yet to see anyone talking about their great reception.

 

[alphawave7]

While not 'great', mine seems normal. My router is a Broadcom chipset, slightly boosted with DD-WRT firmware.

 

[Spider]

@aw7 If you also have a laptop, how does the signal reception compare with the tablet?

 

[alphawave7]

@aw7 If you also have a laptop, how does the signal reception compare with the tablet?

That's the thing..all report about the same db's reception..even my new A100..(btw. where is our A100 forum!?! )

 

[StoneKy]

I have a fair signal on my tab up to 75ft. But a strong signal on my laptop @ the same distance. 2Wire gateway G

 

[Spider]

I have a fair signal on my tab up to 75ft. But a strong signal on my laptop @ the same distance. 2Wire gateway G

That's my situation exactly. My tablet is fine anywhere in the house, but that's about it. My laptop connects from inside my neighbor's house a half block away.

 

[StoneKy]

If I could get a 2wire gateway N then I would. However what I have does such a great job streaming wireleslly to my Boxee Box & Roku, I might not!

 

[Spider]

Don't fix it if it's not broken.

 

[StoneKy]

lol, agreed

 

[alphawave7]

Strange. My Sensation, A500, A100 and lappie all get between 40-50 dBm (fairly strong) sitting here in the living room, the router in the bedroom, concrete wall separating us.

 

[Mashpotaters]

I also bought my tablet on 8/16. I got mine from Newegg with the $100 gift card. I think the wi-fi on the tablet is spotty. From my experience the signal strength isn't as stable as on my laptop that's in the same room. With my laptop and my tablet in the same room my laptop will always be at 5 bars, but my tablet will dance between 3-5 bars I'll be able to test the signal strength better when I use it with my schools wi-fi on Tuesday. My assumption would be that the wireless adapter in tablets aren't as robust as the ones in laptops because of size restraints.

 

[Spider]

My assumption would be that the wireless adapter in tablets aren't as robust as the ones in laptops because of size restraints.

Probably due to the size of the antenna.

 

[mykrobinson]

Probably due to the size of the antenna.

Hard to imagine that, considering the size of my Motorola Droid (old school), it can pick up wifi in places where my tablet shows no available signal at all. Makes me wonder if there is any antenna at all. For example, if I open up a laptop and disconnect the wires that run around the LCD panel, I will get similar performance to these tablets.

I haven't taken mine apart, but I wonder if there is very little antenna wire, if any at all. Seems like if they ran antenna wire around the out edges of the screen inside the casing, it would improve performance significantly. Purely speculation based on how laptop wireless adapters work.