February 11, 2002 – After about an hour of frustrating battle with a USB Orinoco 802.11b adapter, I won – and I think I found a flaky issue with Orinoco’s firmware upgrade. It appears if the access point is running the Summer 2002 firmware, client adapters with the old firmware (6.x, in this case) will show a connection to the AP in the client manager but are not in fact connected. I am almost sure this has to do with the WEPplus feature Orinoco put in the new firmware. I could turn off ALL security on the AP and connect with the client adapter (long enough to download the new firmware) after which I flashed the adapter. Then, I re-enabled the security and…no problems.

This is the third USB adapter I have had hell with (two were Orinoco). The first Orinoco was a bad USB cable (the one it shipped with!). The other was an Actiontek I picked up at Frys. I did see a huge drop in 802.11b adapters this week. Some electronic stores were putting D-Links out for $69 after rebate. I recommended these to a client who is putting 802.11b in his home to expand the network I installed for him. I also saw some USB adapters online for less – not a name brand but decent for SOHO installs.

I use Orinoco for a reason, well, a few reasons. One: support. New software at least every quarter and they seem to be supporting the security issues as they arise. Two: Netstumbler. Three: it is easy to find a connector for them so I can use high gain 2.4 GHz antennas. Four: I found them for pretty much the same price as the D-Links and SMCs of the world. If I had to choose someone else’s, I think I’d go with Proxim (who is merging with Western Multiplex, but I digress).

I was contemplating some changes in my professional career but some things occurred this weekend to make me reconsider. I spoke to a friend who will be in New York soon. She seems interested in pursuing a relationship a bit more than friendship so it gives me a reason to visit New York. ;) This was an item I was considering a few months back but so many things were up in the air at the time.

One thing has been bothering me. I seem to have developed, for lack of a better work, a crush on a co-worker. Nothing that will ever become anything but it makes for some bothersome feelings. It is no one who I work with directly so distance can be maintained. Yeah, I know…why would I want to maintain distance in that situation? Well, this is why. It is something that will never be. If I puke up all the details, she might read that and figure out I am talking about her…so :-p