sundance-communications.com/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Samsung Telephones & Systems Issues with SMT-R2000

Alright, so here's the skinny:

I just acquired a client who has 3 SMT-2000 AP's throughout the building on channels 1, 6, and 11 running B/G(A is off) with WPA/TKIP. There are about 6 W5100's that connect to it as well as all the laptops in the building. I didn't install any of it, so it's new to me.

The problem is that laptops and phones are randomly being momentarily kicked off of the network. It is happening in places where signal strength is fine. It also appears to have gotten worse since implementing WPA instead of WEP(although I cannot see why that would make a difference).

I read on another post that the handoffs between AP's is done through the A radio, is that right? Maybe it's trying to hand off but cuts the connection because the A radio isn't on? This doesn't completely make sense, since it's happening in places where it's close enough to the AP not to need a handoff, but who knows.


I have tried for the past hour to contact Samsung for support docs, manuals, firmware upgrades, whatever, but NO ONE on there support lines has any idea what I'm talking about. I even had someone say they think my monitor is bad.


So, if anyone can give me some advice, I will be eternally grateful(the faster, the better. I've got a clinic of doctors pissed off!). Even if you can point me in the right direction for some support, that would be great.


Thanks!

As far as the A radio... yes, it needs to be turned on.

What tech support were you calling? If you are not a distributor, you cannot get tech support directly from Samsung Telecommunications. My guess is you were talking to someone in the retail consumer electronics division.

Well, at least I have confirmation on the A radio. It was off, so I'll change that.

As far as tech support, I was just calling the main support lines. I found out pretty quickly that they wouldn't be able to help, but kept trying anyway because I didn't have any other number.

I'm not a distributor. The company that installed the equipment and managed the network at this client is no longer there, so all of this fell onto my lap.

I'll change the A radio and see if it helps. Let me know if you have any more advice. I appreciate the response.

I think the A radio issue is false as I have several sites with A disabled.

What AP and Handset versions are you running?

There have been many changes to these over the last year, and they can have a significnat effect of performance.

In Australia we have 2.11.2 for the AP and 1.7.1 for the handset.

I have not had a chance to take the Wireless class in person, but what I have been told is you need the A radio to be turned on. The handoff should work without the radio because the SSID is what the device looks for as it moving from radio to radio, but I don’t know what will happen with the radio off because it’s turned on everywhere I have them.

In the North American market the current firmware for the SMT-R2000 is V.2.10.00 and for the SMT-W5100E the firmware is V.1.07.01.

Well, I turned the A radio back on and will see how it performs.

Firmware is another thing I was looking for but couldn't find.
I don't know what version the phones are, but the problem at this point is more with the APs so that's what I'm concerned about.

One AP is at 2.09.00 and the other two are at 2.05.00.

Is there anywhere that I can get the updated firmware? I really think updating them will have some sort of effect.

A certified dealer/installer is going to have to do that for you. Sorry for that but the reasons are pretty clear. To samsung if an non-certified person does this work and screws it up. It makes the product look bad along with no longer working.

Unfortunately, the AP's issues and lack of direct support is making Samsung look bad with no help from me messing it up.


I understand, but it's still pretty ridiculous. I may not be certified on Samsung's equipment specifically, but I'm certified to do what I do - which is a wide range of IT work, including wireless systems.
I can get firmware updates from every other vendor with no problems; it just seems like an excuse to pay a dealer to point the AP to a new firmware image and hit "Upload".

It's not that you have a lack of direct support, but you just said you don't want to pay for support. Sorry, but I don't know of many phone manufactures that will allow the end-user to install firmware updates to their system.

Why are you not working with your dealer on this problem?

You're right, but I don't think I should have to pay for getting updates for faulty equipment.

The dealer is no longer around and I responsible for it all now. It's not really the phones that are the problem, it's the AP.
And since I can't put more AP's in for the computers because of interference, all the laptops in the building have to use the same wireless.


Oh well, it's already been decided now to switch back to Cisco AP's, so I guess I won't have to deal with it anymore anyway.


Goodbye Samsung!