Resolved Problem setting up Netgear300 router passphrase

My (elderly) mother recently purchased a new Netgear300 wireless router to be able to connect her office computer to the internet.

And now for the background of this situation:

Her previous router (a Linksys wireless router) clonked out. That router was never set up to be "secured" (they lived out in the country....nearest person was about 2 miles away). Now they have moved into town and while she had used that router for about 6 months (unsecured) she has purchased this new one.

Of course she had no idea how to set it up to be secure (using the SSID and passphrase). So she called me over to help. (She thinks I know something about computers!lol)

She has a computer in her living room that is connected to the modem and the wireless router, but needs her office computer to be hooked up to wireless. I spent quite a bit of time there trying to get it to connect, but without any luck! (Her office computer is a HP desktop computer running Windows XP and has an external wireless adaptor).

The adaptor would pick up many available wireless connections (all of which are secure) but I did choose the one that I know was hers.

So when trying to connect to her wireless router, it asked for the passphrase but when I typed it in a message popped up saying something about it could only be (x number) of characters, numbers, symbols or in hex code(?). I did not write the exact message down so hope you can understand what I am referring to.

(She also has an older Dell laptop also running Windows XP. I was able to type in the passphrase on that one and it connected up with no problem!)

I am totally clueless as to why her desktop won't let my type in the passphrase! (The SSID and passphrase were attached to the router and those are what I used).

I honestly know little to nothing about the different types of security--WEP, WAP, WAP2, etc., etc. could this be what's preventing me from typing in that passphrase? (I don't even remember right now what it showed on her computer).

Sorry for the extended long post, but hope it helps to be able to assist me getting her router set up!

 

Did you look on the bottom of the router for the password? That is where it is at till it is changed. That is the default one from the factory and will be that till it is changed. When it is changed and if you ever forget it, pushing the little button on the back of it will reset it back to factory default.

 

That's what I used

I did use that passphrase that was attached to the bottom of the router. I wouldn't know how to change it, so it has never been changed, so should still be that one.

I just thought it was odd that her laptop would accept the passphrase, but her desktop wouldn't!

Thanks though!

 

I'll try and get that info the next time I get a chance to visit my mother. The only knowledge I have about it at this time is that it's a Netgear300 router, but am totally clueless as to what the make/model of external wireless network adapter.

Would that still be the case even though it shows all the available networks in the area?? It does detect my mother's, I just can't enter the passphrase after choosing that connection.

 

Are you using the procedure advised in the Manual?
http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/WNR3500LV1/WNR3500L_SM_11JUN2010.pdf
It seems to be very explicit in the method to install and setup. Neil.

 

Thanks for that link, retiredlearner! I don't even remember seeing any type of "manual" that came with the router! I'll have to check with my mother to see if she has one? But at least now I do!

Haven't had a chance to read through it all yet, but am truly grateful for you taking the time to find it and share it.

 

Getting closer??

Stopped by my mother's the other day to once again try and work on getting her office computer hooked up to the wireless router.

Not exactly sure what steps/procedures I used, but I was finally able to enter the password (in the hex key code?)....not the one that was attached to the bottom of the router. This code was printed out when she tried to set up the wireless router. I didn't find this information until yesterday.

Now the connection says it's connected, but when trying to open any browser (she has both IE & FF) it says it's not connected. When I checked the connection it shows it's sending "packets" but not receiving them.

The connection also seems to disconnect and reconnect every few minutes. Am I getting closer to a proper connection or have I really messed this up?

Thanks to all trying to help!

 

Hi Vicki, When you look in the Sys tray (lower right) do you see the Wireless Icon (ascending vertical lines)?
Click on that > should open a Menu showing it's connected.
Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing > Is your Wireless Adapter shown? > click on Netgear 300 > WiFi Status Menu > click on Wireless Properties > Connection all correct? > click on Security > Security Type = WPA2-Personal > Encryption Type= AES > Network Security Key = (mine is 20 numbers)
If the correct Security Key is entered > OK/Close out.
How close/far away is the comp from the Netgear Wireless Router? Neil.

 

Hi "“ forgive for intruding but didn’t notice if anyone had suggested to temporally disable the computers software firewall and try again.

Same thing happened to me once when changed routers.
[connected to connection but no internet]

Turned out it was the software firewall (Norton 360) not recognizing the new router.
Reset the firewall and all was well.

 

You can make an exception in the Firewall to allow a program to operate. Neil.

 

Of course.
But I thought the OP still had a problem:

So was suggesting another "“ very quick "“ troubleshooting step to eliminate or confirm another possibility hadn’t seen mentioned.

 

Thanks for the clarification but I think we need to wait until Vicki has followed ALL the instructions in the Manual and possible Trouble shooting help in the Manual. Neil.

 

Gave up on the Netgear router

(Sorry it's taken me so long to come back to this issue, but I only visit my mother once a week and last week I didn't get to spend much time working on this issue.)

Thanks to everyone to tried helping me with getting this wireless router connection to work with my mother's computer. I don't know how many hours I spent with it, but never could get it to work like it should. It would never configure the IP address automatically and I'm not even sure I put in the correct one manually?

And while it would always say it was connected, web pages would never load (message saying could not connect to server-at whatever web page I would try).

While making one last attempt today, I finally gave up. I asked my mother if she still had her old router and why it was determined that it had quit working. She couldn't remember what the reason was (it was several months ago and my mother isn't young).

So I got her old router out and connected it to her modem that is attached to her desktop computer in the living room. Then went to her office computer and what the heck....it connected up almost immediately!! No configuring anything, it just detected the router, I chose connect and bingo, back in business!lol

While this router is not "secure" (i.e. no password having to be entered), I didn't have time to research to find out if it could be and what it would take to have that done. (It's a Linksys router but I don't remember the model).

So (at least for now), she's back on the internet with her office computer.

Thanks again everyone for your assistance.