[DrEJV]

RTFM!  Let me count the ways

1) enable auto-rotation in phone app.

2) add phone shortcut to a desktop

3) click task manager - click phone icon.

4) select contact.

5) select contact shortcut from desktop

6) concentrate very hard to enable telepathic dialing.

 O.K. I made up the last one

[cpitchford]

I think I've spotted a potential problem.. In fact I think it is actually quite serious and could leave the N900 out of its regional compliance.. certainly in Europe!!

Looking at the dmesg log on my device with the sim inserted:

[    2.441284] cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: US
[   69.280364] cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: EU

2 seconds after the kernel starts, the device has put the wireless controller into US regional mode.. the channels defined are US..

67 seconds later (after I've entered my pin number (I think) the device switches the regional settings for the wifi into EU mode.. this changes the available frequencies/channels the device uses to comply with European legislation... All good..

Now, I repeated the test WITHOUT my SIM card inserted

[    2.440948] cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: US

[   48.652160] cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: US

Again, 2 seconds after boot, the wifi is put into US mode.. 

But now, 46 seconds later (assuming that the fact the GSM kit doesn't start because the sim is missing is why this happens sooner) the device RE-APPLIES the US settings..

This means the wireless controller is now using all Wifi channels which are allowed in the US..

I think there are two possibilities here.. The phone may get the region from the SIM card, or it gets the region from the network (it knows it is a european network) which is only possible if the sim is inserted..

Now, going back to your dmesg output (the first line is short)

0211: Regulatory domain changed to country: US

[   49.227874] cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: US

 

I can see that your device does the same thing as mine, it uses the US settings..

Can you repeat the dmesg test with your SIM inserted..

I believe your device will also do as mine did and first apply US settings (at 2.4 seconds) then after you've entered your pin number it will apply the EU settings..

Here is a comparison of the frequencies available when configured as US and EU

(start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain,      US  EU
(2402000 KHz - 2472000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2000 mBm) *    
(2402000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2000 mBm)     *
(5170000 KHz - 5190000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2300 mBm) *   *
(5190000 KHz - 5210000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2300 mBm) *   *
(5210000 KHz - 5230000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2300 mBm) *   *
(5230000 KHz - 5330000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2000 mBm)     *
(5230000 KHz - 5330000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2300 mBm) *    
(5490000 KHz - 5710000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 3000 mBm)     *
(5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 3000 mBm) *    

So.. when in US mode, these channels are no longer available:

(2402000 KHz - 2482000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2000 mBm)
(5230000 KHz - 5330000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 2000 mBm)
(5490000 KHz - 5710000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (600 mBi, 3000 mBm)
 

I wonder, in this case, if your WIFI setup is using a channel that is only valid in the EU.. and hence when your device is in US mode it can't reach your router..

This probably needs to be raised as a fairly serious bug!!

If you can repeat the dmesg test with a sim in your phone we can try to confirm this..

Long and short.. I believe the reason your wifi doesn't work when no sim is inserted is because the device is never switched into european mode and therefore can't reach your router which is using a european only channel

Message Edited by cpitchford on 06-Jan-2010 09:25 PM

[cpitchford]

Ah great.. american regulations **** over the rest of the planet again

https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5699

All devices must default to US settings to meet FCC regulations.. Really.. the European firmware or perhaps the UK firmware must comply with FCC regulations?!

That is almost insulting.. considering the US is a relatively small market.. This should be configurable..

I'm going to look at a patch that breaks FCC compliance by forcing a default to be something other than US.. otherwise european users will fail to connect to their wifi systems..

What's more this relies on locational information.. The device might switch to US mode if you have your sim in but you are out of coverage... WHICH IS WHEN YOU MOST NEED WIFI!!!!

gaaah! damn fcc

[DrEJV]

Well I guess having 1 hardware platform means that .... well I won't say it.

But does that mean that the "fix" is to make sure to use US wifi channels

[cpitchford]

1 hardware platform and yet 4 firmware versions..

what's more.. when I take my laptop to the US, it doesn't default to US settings, it remains EU.. 

If the US have their own firmware, the default should be US..

what's more, there is actually a "real-strict" region which is safe internationally.. it should use that if it is going to be proper since the US one actually puts it out of spec in Europe (and very much so in Germany)

imho it is a real bad call to default to US when there is a US specific firmware and there is an international safe setting alternative.. 

I don't care if my UK N900 is not FCC approved!! and with the wifi spectrum crammed full, I'd appreciate not losing some channels!!

I'm having a look through some source now.. it should be trivial to fix this

[cpitchford]

Ok, so this is set in wl1251-cal.. I think this is closed source.. great!!!

So, no fix or alterations possible.. irritating..

However, I just edited mine and changed the reference US to EU.. so now it is fixed EU.. which is fine since I'm only going to be using it in the UK (for the moment) and I'm responsible enough to change it back if I went to the US (actually was planning a holiday there.. nevermind )

Anyway, I'll try and wrap this into a package but in the mean time, I can provide a EU centric binary

vout, let me know if you want a copy.. 

[vout · Accepted solution]

You were right. My WLAN was set to channel 12 which is outside the US range. I changed it to channel 4 and now it works.

Well done and thanks! 

[moshika37]

hi im just wondering how you changed the channels!!

[cpitchford]

How he changed the channels on is wifi router? That depends on the model of the router? Bit of a strange question!?

Are you having the same problem?

Log into your router/access point's web configuration, there'll be an option to change it in there (it's possibly set to auto.. so you'll have to override it with a channel number you want to use)

[russellfeeed2]

I'd just like to confirm that this was the issue for me....

My WiFi router was set to channel 13 (I'm in the UK). #

With a SIM in I had no problem.

With the SIM removed I could see other WiFi routers in the area but not my own on Channel 13.

I changed my Router to use Channel 6 and everything worked again.

So, problem solved.... or at least worked around!

Russell

[alreadyfree]

Very useful - thx