Wireless Internet Problems

[MARIN3]

I am trying to set up a wireless internet for my laptop. My laptop is a Dell Precision M70 and my router is a Linksys WRT54GS. The wired internet is working for both my laptop and my desktop, but I cannot get my laptop to see or recognize the wireless signal. I just finished setting up the new router and I do not really know how to proceed in order to use the wireless. I tried using the Wireless Network Setup Wizard in Windows, but when i get to the step "How do you want to set up your network?" my router doesnt have a usb port and when I choose to do it manually it says "Depending on the wireless software running on this computer, the Wireless Network Setup Wizard might not work. For details, see article 871122 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base on Microsoft.com" Thanks for the help.

Basically - i set up my network in the linksys router, but i cannot see or detect it with my computer i do no understand why.

[gunrunnerjohn]

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.

[MARIN3]

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\w.taylor>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : USMANBUX97324
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : usma.ds.army.edu
ds.army.edu
usma.edu

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : usma.ds.army.edu
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Cont
roller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-3F-DB-87-3A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 74.134.1.148
74.134.1.149
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, May 30, 2007 5:06:50 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, May 31, 2007 5:06:50 PM

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Netw
ork)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-10-C6-91-9A-EF

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Networ
k Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-F0-82-0B-F5

C:\Documents and Settings\w.taylor>



Under Wireless Network Connection is says the media is disconected, but when i go into Device Manager and i click on properties for the Intel wireless card it says it is on and enabled.

[wadesmart]

Ok. First, plug back into the router. Type in 192.168.1.1, or whatever IP you used to set up before. Put in your password. Now, the second tab from the left is the Wireless Tab. Go there. Where it says ESSID: Motorola, change that to something else. Something that you'll know. That is the broadcast signal that your computer will look for to connect to.

Now, if you are using Windows Zero Config, double click the wireless icon in the bottom right hand corner of your screen and see if you see your network. You might click Refresh networks in the upper left hand corner. If you can see it, move onto security. If you cant, we need to trouble shoot that first.

If you cant - can you see any other networks?
If you can see other networks, try rebooting your router and refreshing your wireless screen to see if it shows up now.
If it still isnt showing up, - well - we'll deal with that later.

Next setup your security. If your computer is a newer one then I would use WPA instead of WEP. If you have a wireless print server then you have to use WEP, unless it supports it - which linksys doesnt - yet. Put in a shared key in the WPA key area. You can use numbers and characters. Make sure to write that down because you are going to input that into your laptop in second.

On your laptop, assuming that you can see your routers essid, on the lower left hand side of the wireless screen, there is a button called Changed Advanced Settings. Click that and then on the screen that pops up click Wireless Networks. Middle of the next screen is Preferred Networks. Double click on your network.

Now you have a new screen. The first choice is Network Authentication. Choose WPA. Next put in your Network Key.

Thats it. Your done.

If you get stuck somewhere - write back.

[MARIN3]

I have the SSID set to what i want it to be - when i double click on the wireless icon at the bottom of the screen i get the Wireless Network Connection window and in there the SSID of my wireless network does not show up. I tried clicking the refresh network list, but it still did not show up. I am not sure if my computer can see other wireless networks or not because i have not tested that yet.

[wadesmart]

Ok. Log into your router and make sure on the wireless tab that the radio is set to either b or g. Then refresh again to see if you see your network.
Also, make sure also on that wireless tab that it says to broadcast your essid.

[MARIN3]

I logged into the router and i have it set to only g and i have the SSID Broadcast setting set to enabled - i reset it to g just to make sure and then i refreshed the network and i still cannot see it.

As i currently understand it, i do not need to set up the wireless network at all in windows if i set it up in the Linksys router correct? When i set it up in the router, which i did, windows should automaticallly see it in the wireless network connection window right? Thanks.

[kissfan]

This may sound really stupid, but check to see if Windoze Firewall is enabled. If it is turn it off. (for now). Also if you have ZoneAlarm or similar firewall software running, disable that. Try your network again.

I have seen this quite a number of times.

[MARIN3]

I have ZoneAlarm but when i disabled it i still could not see the wireless network.

[thaigecko]

Marin3,

Many laptops have a button, switch, or function key combination which can enable/disable its internal wireless card. Check to see if you have one and ensure it's enabled.

Have you sucessfully connected your laptop to any wireless network previously?

T

[MARIN3]

My laptop has a function key that enables/disables the wireless, and yes i have it on and i still cannot detect the wireless network. I used to be able to connect my laptop to wireless networks, but then someone reimaged my HD. I havent tried connecting to wireless anywhere else yet. Before my laptop was reimaged, i had some type of software that i used to connect to wireless networks and now i no longer have it so i have been trying to use the windows provided interface. Is there some other type of free or cheap software that i could use to connect to wireless, or even just some type of open source program to test and see if my laptop can see it using that program? Thanks.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I suspect you're missing the wireless card's drivers, and possibly the chipset drivers for that machine. In Device Manager under Network Controllers, what do you see?

[Panama Red]

The Windows interface should work. The dedicated software would be something provided by the laptop maker and is only another option. Check in the Services (run>services.msc) and make sure the Wireless Zero Configuration is Started and set to Automatic.

[MARIN3]

Panama,
Wireless Zero Configuration is Started and is set to Automatic.

Gunrunnerjohn,
In Device Manager under Network Controllers i see 2 bluetooth devices, a Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Controller, and the Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network Connection.

Is it possible that my wireless card is incompatable with my Linksys router and that is why i cannot see the network?

[gunrunnerjohn]

I doubt it, but Intel cards are infamous for issues with old drivers. Make sure you have the current drivers for the card.