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March 23, 2006
[ WIRELESS CAMERAS ]
dpexpert is suffering from a bad case of frustration and extreme irritation. The cause of this condition is the latest gimmick in digital cameras – the wireless camera.
So far we have tried the Kodak EasyShare One, the Nikon P1 and the Canon Ixus Wireless. Not one of these cameras will connect to our domestic wireless network.
In the case of Nikon and Canon we have spent hours on the phone in consultation with company technicians and in both cases they declared themselves baffled and bemused and totally incapable of offering any helpful advice.
Our wireless network is a simple Netgear setup that links two desktop computers. There is nothing fancy or mysterious about it, but none of the three cameras will even admit that this network exists.
We have fittered away days of our life creating every possible permutation of connection parameter and the cameras keep telling us "connection failed".
In the case of the Nikon P1 we didn't even get as far as "connection failed". The wireless setup utility must be run with the camera attached to the computer via USB. Windows recognised the camera, correctly designated it in My Computer and assigned it the proprietary icon but the Nikon wireless setup utility insisted that there was no camera attached. This is obviously not a network problem but a Nikon software problem.
Because we have had problems with three cameras we are inclined to think that the issue is with our particular network setup, except in the case of the Nikon. In which case we strongly advise people with Netgear networks to make sure, before buying one of these cameras, that they can take it back if it doesn't work.
If anyone has managed to get a camera to connect to a Netgear network please let us know in the Comments section.
[UPDATE: This message comes from another camera tester for a respected photography magazine: "I had similar problems with those ***** wireless cameras (haven’t tried the Canon one yet, only the Kodak and Nikons). I really can’t see why they bother as it’s so simple to download files via USB or card reader." Well ... Amen to that! ]
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Posted by terry at March 23, 2006 11:36 AM
Comments
When you say you have a simple Netgear network connecting two PC's what exactly do you mean?
Do you have one access point and two wireless enabled PC's or simply two PC's that connect to each other via Ad Hoc networking?
What security settings do you have on your newtork and have you tried disabling them all including any software firewalls running on the PC's?
Posted by: Richard at March 28, 2006 07:22 PM
Richard:
My setup is one Netgear wireless router, connected to internet broadband and to the main PC by cable. There is one remote PC connected wireless. The connection is "infrastructure" which is the default connection type for all wireless cameras.
I have disabled the firewall and any other setting that could possibly prevent connection. I have tried every suggestion made by the technical advisers at Nikon and Canon, to no avail.
I am not for a moment suggesting that the wireless cameras don't work -- just that they don't work with my setup. With all three cameras the promise is that by entering the network name and the WEP security code connection will be made. It doesn't work for me.
Do you have a wireless camera? I would be interested in hearing from satisfied customers about how easy it is to set up the connection. Information about network gear and connection routine would be really helpful for readers I think.
Terry L
Posted by: Terry at March 29, 2006 07:57 AM
Have you tried disabling WEP (temporarily) to see if you can connect the camera?
The other suggestion would be to enter the WEP code in the camera in HEX (if possible) rather than plain text.
I have seen situations where the HEX code will work but the plain text one does not with some peripheral devices. I know it should not be this hard but if a solution could be found it would be beneficial to all future users and the Manufacturer.
No I do not have a wireless camera and I can foresee no circumstance where I would actaully want one given the reported difficulties with them and the traction engine like slow speed of data transfer when you can actually get them connected. To me this is one of those Industry ideas that actually (currently) has no use, no benefit and no public demand.
Posted by: Richard at April 1, 2006 08:09 PM
I agree that I don't see the point of these wireless cameras... but I'd be interested if anyone has heard anything more about these 'wireless' SD cards that have been (or are about to be?) released in the US ...
http://eye.fi/
Thanks,
Harvey Green
DigiVista Digital Photo Frames
http://www.digivista.com.au/
Posted by: Harvey Green at March 1, 2007 02:54 AM