Touch Kobo Touch Wi-Fi connection issues

[Enygma]

So far, little luck in getting my Kobo Touch to connect to a known network.

Below is a sanitized version of my correspondence with Kobo Cutomer Care:

============ Begin e-mail exchange =====================

Kobo Customer Care:

Here are the results from implementing your suggestions:

MAC filtering: I don't use it. If I did and the Kobo was not registered, then I could not even log in in the first place.

Resetting the router: No effect on Kobo connection/disconnecting

Discussion groups in the D-Link DIR-601: Yes, there are some complaints from customers, but I have never had any wireless connectivity problems with any of my laptops (IBM, Toshiba, ASUS) or tablet (BlackBerry PlayBook).

Connecting to other routers: I have had the opportunity to hook in to various open access points and hotspots near my neighborhood with the following results:

Router Name / Type / 1st log in attempt result / Log in as known network result

datavalet / open / error / error
FishFearMe-guest / open / error / error
grokspots-williams / hotspot / logged in / logged in and disconnected in 5 seconds
HPC54164 / open / error / error
HPD110a.E4D326 / open / error / error
PeachPuppy-guest / hotspot / Connected but stuck on browser / error
perfectwaterloo-guest / hotspot / logged in / logged in and immediately disconnected
Starbucks WiFi / hotspot / logged in / logged in
Tim Hortons WiFi / hotspot / error / error
Waterloo Public WiFi / hotspot / logged in / logged in and immediately disconnected
Laurier WiFi / hotspot / Connected but stuck on browser / Connected but stuck on browser

As you can see, I have not had much luck. Unless I am willing to go exclusively to Starbucks for a connection, I cannot reconnect to many known networks (1 out of 11).

If you think a Kobo Touch exchange is in order, might I suggest we go through the local Chapters store in Waterloo, Ontario and save on courier/postage expenses. Chapters carries the Kobo Touch and is willing to exchange mine. They stated they just needed instructions from you quoting my incident number. An e-mail to me would be sufficient.

(Name deleted)
Waterloo, ON

2012-10-01
Répondre ▼
Kobo Customer Care
Ajouter aux contacts
À yvesmarchand@hotmail.com

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.



Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.

================================
Subject
(Kobo Touch) WI FI not working

Discussion Thread
Response Via Email (Technician name deleted) 10/01/2012 01:13 PM
Hi (Customer name deleted),

I understand your concerns. I wouldn't advise making a purchase like this (a new router) unless we knew 100% it would resolve the problem.

Is it possible that while configuring settings on the router you've activated MAC filtering? Setting these settings to a white list would forbid any device except those you've specifically allowed to connect from maintaining a connection. They would successfully connect and then immediately drop the connection.
More info: http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...fYzTMJUsLbbw7g

If you have not already done so, pressing the reset button (using a paperclip, etc) for 10 seconds while your router is turned on will reset it back to factory settings and this would disable all security settings including MAC filtering.

At that point if this does not resolve the problem I would like you to try to connect the Kobo to any other WiFi hotspot to see if this is indeed a router problem. You could try it at a family or friend's house, coffee shops etc. Or many smart phones contain the ability to create a mobile hotspot and this would work as well (very little data would be transferred just doing a quick test).

I have also done further research and found the following review. I think you may find the issues addressed by commenters interesting:
http://www.dlink.cc/d-link-reviews/d...r-reviews.html

If all of these steps do not work, I'd be happy to issue a replacement device as per our standard 1 year warranty to see if this is a device problem.

Sincerely,
The Kobo Team

[Enygma]

Originally Posted by mercy20

Is/has Kobo come up with a way to allow us to manually set up an ip address in order to connect to wifi? My other half refuses to turn dhcp on at home for our wifi and I can't seem to find any sort of configuration screen on my new kobo glo so that I can get it running on my wifi at home (one of the /major/ reasons I finally decided to upgrade from my gen 1 along with the ability to read at night with the built in lights).

Or am I just reboxing this up and returning it to point of purchase since it absolutely has to have dhcp in order to access wifi?

As far as I know, all Kobo readers are automatically assigned their IP from the router as long as the DHCP Server option is turned on. No Kobo can be set to a specific static IP from the Kobo screen panels. There is simply no network configuration function on Kobo readers. For a successful connection, the router's DHCP Server function has to be turned on. What reason does your wife give for not using DHCP? Sounds like she should turn on DHCP and have on the reserved list whatever static addresses other connected devices might have.

[mercy20]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I have a nasty NASTY feeling you are returning it

Could you maybe convince your better half to try this though

• Enable DHCP
• Configure it to have a range of a single IP address
• Configure the router to assign that one IP address to the MAC address of your eReader

He sat and tinkered with the Kobo and his machine (the mastermind of all that is internet connected in the house) and did do something with a MAC address, but I'm not sure exactly what he did. All I know is that my wifi now works and I can get books while wasting time in bed LOL. All is good and thanks for your reply.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by mercy20

He sat and tinkered with the Kobo and his machine (the mastermind of all that is internet connected in the house) and did do something with a MAC address, but I'm not sure exactly what he did. All I know is that my wifi now works and I can get books while wasting time in bed LOL. All is good and thanks for your reply.

Using MAC addresses to control access to your wireless network sounds like a good way to secure your wireless network but in the real world, it doesn't work worth a damn as it's all too easy to capture a few packets to find what MAC addresses are accepted and then assign a MAC address that will be accepted. Much like hidden SSIDs are babbled making them very little use in securing a network from any halfway competent script kiddie.

[taming]

It is sorta like having a sign proclaiming that you have a security system installed in your house. With so many WiFi networks available in so many places, why go after something even incrementally harder to get to because of Mac addresses, hidden SSIDs, etc.?

I don't know how many WiFI networks there really are within range of my suburban backyard, but I can see six. I don't now how many there are within range of my office, but I see 10. Some are easier to get to than others.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by taming

It is sorta like having a sign proclaiming that you have a security system installed in your house. With so many WiFi networks available in so many places, why go after something even incrementally harder to get to because of Mac addresses, hidden SSIDs, etc.?

I don't know how many WiFI networks there really are within range of my suburban backyard, but I can see six. I don't now how many there are within range of my office, but I see 10. Some are easier to get to than others.

The problem from my point of view is that people depend on MAC address filtering or hidden SSIDs instead of changing the default admin password on their router and setting up WPA2 with a decent password.

From my home, I can see about 32 wireless access points. 4 of them use MAC address filtering. If I go for the hidden SSIDs, there are 4 of them that use hidden SSIDs and no other security measures. Aiming the old Pringle can in the right direction, I could theoretically make use of those 8 sites instead of using my own connection.

[Sallyann]

Just a note to say thank you to this forum. I bought a Kobo Glo a couple of days ago and couldn't get it to go wireless. Even after trying to get help from both Kobo and Telecom. After reading here I used the reset factory button and then started again using the Wi Fi setup. Yeah it can now go online :-) Thank you

[danni]

Hi all, This is my first post after reading many many pages...

I've a kobo glo that I can't connect to my wi fi network. The issue is that the device is login error in my wifi network (wpa2 AES psk)

I try to do a reset factory and then I:
*Rebooted the device
*Clicked on Wireless Setup (on the page "Welcome on Kobo")
*Setted Up date and hour
*Stopped wifi search
*Inserted my wpa2 psk
*The device return on welcome page... wher I could choose between Wireless Setup and Computer Setup.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by danni

Hi all, This is my first post after reading many many pages...

I've a kobo glo that I can't connect to my wi fi network. The issue is that the device is login error in my wifi network (wpa2 AES psk)

I try to do a reset factory and then I:
*Rebooted the device
*Clicked on Wireless Setup (on the page "Welcome on Kobo")
*Setted Up date and hour
*Stopped wifi search
*Inserted my wpa2 psk
*The device return on welcome page... wher I could choose between Wireless Setup and Computer Setup.

Have you tried setting it up via the Desktop? And will it connect to the Wifi after setting up?

[Matth79]

One possible problem with wireless network keys, is that some characters are "unsafe", the treatment of spaces, and some punctuation may be problematic.

Entering a long, all printable ASCII key on the Kobo is also a real pain, going to num, shift and all that.

If you dodn't want to change the key on everything, (unless it turns out essential), then copy the old key to text file, and then temporarily change the key to something easier to enter - if that does work, then try a long alphanumeric, with upper/lowercase, but no spaces or punctuation/symbols.

[danni]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Have you tried setting it up via the Desktop? And will it connect to the Wifi after setting up?

Yes, but nothing

[danni]

Originally Posted by Matth79

One possible problem with wireless network keys, is that some characters are "unsafe", the treatment of spaces, and some punctuation may be problematic.

Entering a long, all printable ASCII key on the Kobo is also a real pain, going to num, shift and all that.

If you dodn't want to change the key on everything, (unless it turns out essential), then copy the old key to text file, and then temporarily change the key to something easier to enter - if that does work, then try a long alphanumeric, with upper/lowercase, but no spaces or punctuation/symbols.

I try to change the psk with a name, to open my wireless network and to change the ssid name but my kobo does not connect to my AP...

From the log of the AP I notice that kobo fore some moments is associated but it doesn't receive a valid IP address from DHCP.After some moment kobo freezes or goes in stand by.

My AP is cisco ap 1200.

Someone has an idea?
I appreciate very much tour help!

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by danni

I try to change the psk with a name, to open my wireless network and to change the ssid name but my kobo does not connect to my AP...

From the log of the AP I notice that kobo fore some moments is associated but it doesn't receive a valid IP address from DHCP.After some moment kobo freezes or goes in stand by.

My AP is cisco ap 1200.

Someone has an idea?
I appreciate very much tour help!

Sounds like you've tried a lot already. When you say you tried "opening" your network, does that mean you took the password off, and the Kobo would still not connect? If so, maybe the Kobo has a problem with the frequency your wireless network is on. You might try changing that.

If that still doesn't work, you might want to try a different wireless router... And maybe try someone else's network to see if it's a problem with your equipment at home or a real issue with the the Kobo.

Good luck!

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by danni

From the log of the AP I notice that kobo fore some moments is associated but it doesn't receive a valid IP address from DHCP.After some moment kobo freezes or goes in stand by.

My AP is cisco ap 1200.

Someone has an idea?

Do you have MAC address filtering turned on? Or run out of ip addresses?

[danni]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Sounds like you've tried a lot already. When you say you tried "opening" your network, does that mean you took the password off, and the Kobo would still not connect?

Yes, I configured my wifi network without authentication and cipher. I'll try to change frequency...

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

If that still doesn't work, you might want to try a different wireless router...
And maybe try someone else's network to see if it's a problem with your equipment at home or a real issue with the the Kobo.

With another wireless access point installed in another network it works but I don't understand which is the problem with kobo and cisco aironet 1200. All my other devices (notebooks, phones) have no problems with it.

Originally Posted by davidfor

Do you have MAC address filtering turned on? Or run out of ip addresses?

I don't have MAC address filtering. What do you mean for "run out of ip addresses"?

Thanks for your support!