Cannot connect to network at all ...please help !

[swayzak]

hi again

Further to my other thread http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,18412342

I can no longer connect to wireless network.

I took some info off the PC quickly this morning -

Windows Network Connection Details lists:

Physical address - filled
IP Address - filled
Subnet Mask - filled
Default Gateway - empty
DNS Server - empty
WINS Server - empty

Linksys wireless PCI card:

"Connected to access point but internet cannot be found"

Sometimes this changes to "No access point" or "Connected to Ad-hoc network" (both symbols change to a network card, rather than card & router for the latter)

Also, although it says connected to access point, I cannot get into to the router setup page wirelessly from IE7.

The Linksys app site survey (this morning) listed:

my network 11 51%
BT Homehub.. 11 49%
BT Voyager.. 6 39%

Sometimes this list has 4 or 5 networks listed.

Network Stumbler has my network as usually green (but occasionaly yellow) with SNR varying from 16 - 25.

Also, my HP 6890 printer will no longer accept the wireless settings created on USB stick via Windows Wireless Network Setup Wizard - the wireless light on the front just remains blinking. It should reset to always on when networked correctly.

Can anyone help me get my network back !?


thanks


swayzak

[gunrunnerjohn]

Physical address - filled
IP Address - filled
Subnet Mask - filled
Default Gateway - empty
DNS Server - empty
WINS Server - empty Well, clearly, with no default gateway or DNS server, you are not going to get far. How about the make/model of the modem, router, and the version and patch level of Windows in use?


Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

Type the following command:

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here.

[swayzak]

thanks

modem = ntl 250, router = Linksys WRTGS54v6 (stock firmware, latest..1.52 I think), Win XP SP2

I think I have (qualified) success. Here's what happened:

1. As advised, I went through each of my partitions (there are 4 XP installations on the wireless PC) and moved wireless network config control over to Windows. Disabled the Linksys service from starting up.

2. Logged into router via cabled PC and changed channel to 1, and also the WPA key. Also wrote down all the Status settings for Router, Local Network and Wireless in case I need them.

NB I noticed that on channel 11, the new "bully" network had a stronger signal than me ! This is the main reason I decided to switch to 1.

3. Went back to wireless PC and booted into each partition - 3 of them connected OK (after a bit of a search "acquiring the network address"). The 4th hung at this step, but 3/4 wasn't bad, considering the situation.


However, when I booted back into the 1st partition again, lo and behold, it got stuck at "acquiring network address" again (this really has been the main symptom all along...getting stuck at this stage).

So I disconnected & reconnected again and it managed to connect.

2 further observations:

1. Often the signal strength seems all over the place (5 bars on several wireless network searches . patently rubbish as the signal is 2 bars). This is also reflected, I think, by NetworkStumbler which shows a rather erratic signal (it used to be completely flat & steady).

2. Signal speed seems well down (at least according to Windows) - barely "b" ratings e.g 1 to 11 Mbps. This used to run at 11 - 40ish.

However, MySpeed shows healthy download speeds of 5-600 kbps, and XP SP2 (my test for a good download) runs at about 330 kbps.

One further point - hanging the Hawkins omni aerial out of the garage window (which is where the router is based) improves the signal massively .... upto good / v good !! Guess it doesn't like going through a double-glazed windows ...

How do you find the details for the successful connection on the wireless PC e.g. numbers for IPs, MACs, DNS, subnet etc ? Wouldn't it be useful to make a note of these in case I need to enter them manually (and how would one do that ?) ?

I'm pretty sure when I reboot the PC tomorrow, it'll hang at "acquiring network address" again ... :?

Oh, and I got the printer back online. I think the Wireless Network Setup Wizard was still writing an old WPA key for some reason (even though I had reset it in Windows). So I created it using the Network Setup Wizard, which allowed me to enter the key manually before tranfer to USB stick - this worked fine

[gunrunnerjohn]

The "cure" for "bully" networks, become a bully yourself! :D

Hawking Tech has a number of products that will help you increase your wireless range. The root page is Hawking Hi-Gain™ WiFi Range Extending Products (http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/index.php?CatID=32).

Some of the more interesting products are this Hawking [HSB2] Hi-Gain WiFi Signal Booster (http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=72&ProdID=187), which can be used on either end of a wireless connection to boost the signal power.

Another way to increase your signal strength is by the use of hi-gain antennas. You can choose from omni-directional or directional models, here are a couple of examples.

Hawking [HAI7SIP] Hi-Gain 7dBi Omni-Directional Antenna (http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=58&ProdID=214)

Hawking [HAI15SC] Hi-Gain 15dBi Corner Antenna (http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=58&ProdID=152)