My Vtab Caught the Cannot Connect "Virus"

[Stringrazor]

All of a sudden, my Vtab won't connect to anything. It just declares "wrong password" and endlessly scans and disconnects. I'm at the latest version of the OS & patches and haven't had a connection problem even when traveling. I bought a refurbished router to use as an access point to get better reception for the tablet by the pool. I installed the new router last night, turned off DHCP, no uplink connection. Everything worked fine, laptops and tablet could connect to anything. I shutdown the vtab for teh night. Today, it won't connect to anything. I turned off the wireless radio in the new router thinking it might be interference but the vtab still won't even connect to the old router's wireless which it had been connecting fine to for 2 months! WTF?????

I still have 30 days to take this pos back to CostCo. I had decided to keep it but now, even if it reconnects, I'm thinking it's junk. I have never seen a device act like this!

 

[Frederuco]

Did you try rebooting your router? It may be confuzzled in the handshake process. Unplug it for 30 seconds and then plug it back in to see if that helps.

 

[J515OP]

Since you weren't having problems before, got a new router and then started having problems I don't know how the tablet suddenly became junk The problem is almost certain to be the router and its settings. Not only should you try rebooting the router, make sure it has the latest firmware and then go back and double check all of the router settings. Although it may look right there is at least one (maybe more) thing to change on the router that is the cause of the problem.

JP

 

[Stringrazor]

OK, sorry for venting. Figured it out. Clearing app cache on the vtab with ES Task Mgr solved the problem. Connects everywhere again.

 

[J515OP]

OK, sorry for venting. Figured it out. Clearing app cache on the vtab with ES Task Mgr solved the problem. Connects everywhere again.

Glad to hear! The wifi problems are probably the trickiest Android problems of all because there are so many things that go wrong, crowded channel, not working with g & n at the same time, hidden vs. broadcast SSID, outdated router firmware, WEP vs. WPA. It can be really frustrating

It certainly is nice when you get things going again

JP

 

[Stringrazor]

Yes, router config can be confusing but it's far from my first time at this particular rodeo. I knew almost immediately that it wasn't a router/WAP problem but something isolated to the vtab/Android OS. After having it "forget" the saved settings, opening up the new router's wireless (no security), and a number of attempts at whatever else I could think of, it seemed clear that the vtab was not reading the new network configs as I created them for the different WAPs in the house. In my IT experience that almost always indicates a cache problem however most caches I've ever dealt with are rebuilt after a reboot but I guess with Android (or just Vizio's implementation?) the system cache survives restarts. When I launched ES Task Mgr it showed a substantial cache which it brought to zero on command. Immediately, I could connect to every network in the house without problems.


BTW, the Wi-Fi Analytics Tool free from AMPED WIRELESS (or something similar) is a must-have for debugging wireless connection issues.

 

[J515OP]

Yes, router config can be confusing but it's far from my first time at this particular rodeo. I knew almost immediately that it wasn't a router/WAP problem but something isolated to the vtab/Android OS. After having it "forget" the saved settings, opening up the new router's wireless (no security), and a number of attempts at whatever else I could think of, it seemed clear that the vtab was not reading the new network configs as I created them for the different WAPs in the house. In my IT experience that almost always indicates a cache problem however most caches I've ever dealt with are rebuilt after a reboot but I guess with Android (or just Vizio's implementation?) the system cache survives restarts. When I launched ES Task Mgr it showed a substantial cache which it brought to zero on command. Immediately, I could connect to every network in the house without problems.


BTW, the Wi-Fi Analytics Tool free from AMPED WIRELESS (or something similar) is a must-have for debugging wireless connection issues.

Ha ha, this should have been the first post. I guess that was the frustration. The cache issue is actually the way Android is built. Most devices have a reset which cleans the cache and a factory reset which cleans cache + apps and data to address issues that may occur in Android and usually one or the other gets the job done.

Thanks for the tip on the app it is very similar to "Wifi Analyzer" but it is good to have options.

 

[Stringrazor]

The cache issue is actually the way Android is built. Most devices have a reset which cleans the cache and a factory reset which cleans cache + apps and data to address issues that may occur in Android and usually one or the other gets the job done.

What do you mean by "reset" vs. "factory reset"? "factory reset" I understand (but haven't used as that's a last-resort procedure). If Reset = shutdown/restart cycle then are you saying the vtab should but doesn't clear cache on a power cycle?

 

[J515OP]

Yes, factory reset should be the last resort (or at least after a reset). The "standard" reset can be accomplished in different ways on different tablets. Some have a button combination similar to the factory reset, some are chosen off of a reset menu that may include both options and some devices have a pin hole where you can stick a paper clip to "reset" the device. This is also a benefit of rooting because you can install ClockWork Mod Recovery which also allows these options from the recovery menu.

I am not sure how to accomplish the standard reset on the Vtab1008 since I haven't tried it and the how to's listed are for factory reset. I am also not sure if the process is the same or has changed with the various updates that have been issued. If anybody knows and wants to share please feel free

 

[Stringrazor]

The connection problem returned last night and this time there was no cache to clear. It doesn't take much for the vtab wireless to go off the rails. I'm lucky if I can disconnect from one WAP and connect to another ONCE without the scanning/connecting/disconnecting /"wrong password" cycle reappearing. I have yet to find a completely reliable solution but one action sequence usually resolves it: 1) turn off wireless 2) crash the vtab (maybe this is reset?) by holding the power button down until it powers off (i.e. DO NOT respond to the power off prompt, just continue to hold the button). On restart, I am usually able to connect to any WAP at least once after turning wireless back on. I don't know if other droid tabs have this issue or if it's just the vtab but whoever is at fault, this is exceedingly poor design or implementation.

I will likely return the vtab and grab a 7" Galaxy at CostCo. They still had both available when I walked through at lunch time yesterday.

 

[HydroCarbon]

It is Costco,not CostCo......... OK, end of rant!

 

[BryanH]

My VTAB1008 has also acquired this same problem, although I can relate mine back to the last over the air update. It hasn't worked properly since then. I bought a new router, made sure the router software was current, and tried many different router configurations. The tablet sees my internet, but cycles nonstop through "scanning" then "connecting" then "scanning" without ever connecting. If I sit within 2 feet of my router, it will finally connect but will not maintain a good connection. It will usually connect at 56Mbps and quickly drop to 1 or 5 Mbps. If i go anywhere beyond the 2 feet range of my router, I will also get the message that i entered an incorrect password - even when I have my router set to Open/no security without passwords! Vizio reports they are unable to assist since my warranty is out of date. Any suggestions???