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Wireless Connection Trouble (edited)

Discussion in 'Networking (Hardware & Software)' started by jrobie79, 2006/10/23.

  1. 2006/10/23
    jrobie79

    jrobie79 Inactive Thread Starter

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    I have a home network setup, with two desktop computers and two laptops. My computer is wired to our D-Link router, and the other three run off wireless. All of them can connect except my roomates dell inspiron laptop. As I write this he can not get online. I went into the command prompt and did the ipconfig commands and he gets the error that he cant connect to the DHCP service
     
    jrobie79,
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  2. 2006/10/23
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    I assume you entered in all the security details of the router into the setup for his network adapter?

    Can XP "see" the router in its listing of access points?
     
    Bill Castner,
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  4. 2006/10/23
    jrobie79

    jrobie79 Inactive Thread Starter

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    well he was online a couple days ago and now hes not, also im not that literate with networking, so i dunno what you mean by security details into network adapter setup, i know that i put in our WEP code adn all that, and that when i click on his icon int he system tray it does find our home network
     
    jrobie79,
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  5. 2006/10/23
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    Does the Inspiron have a wireless on/off button, at the top underneath the display hinge?
     
    Bill Castner,
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  6. 2006/10/23
    jrobie79

    jrobie79 Inactive Thread Starter

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    no its not an integrated wireless card, he has a usb card by SMC i think
     
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  7. 2006/10/23
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    Check the WEP settings again on the problem computer. Remember that they are case sensitive.
     
    Bill Castner,
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  8. 2006/10/24
    jrobie79

    jrobie79 Inactive Thread Starter

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    he can connect its just that the icon in the system tray says, little or no connectivity. our WEP key is all numbers so i know that that is entered right, its pretty weird the wireless network software he uses say he has good signal strength and speed but it just keeps searching for an IP address or whatever its doing when the little gold ball goes back and forth on the system tray icon
     
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  9. 2006/10/24
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    What happens if you give him a static IP, and Gateway address?
     
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  10. 2006/10/24
    jrobie79

    jrobie79 Inactive Thread Starter

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    how would i do that?
    i appreciate all your help so far and for sticking this out :)
     
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  11. 2006/10/24
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    Go to a working computer and do an ipconfig /all
    Write down the results. You want to know the Gateway, and the DNS servers information. And the IP address first three octets; e.g. 192.168.0
    Manually Configuring a Network Card for TCP/IP in Windows XP

    NOTE: This section assumes that the client computer is running Windows XP and is using the D-Link default settings for a router. The same objectives no matter which operating system is running on the client, but the actual steps may differ.

    Click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.

    Right-click the network connection that you want to change, and then click Properties.

    On the General tab, double-click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in the "This connection uses the following items" list, and then click Properties.

    On the General tab, click Use the following IP address. Configure the entries as follows:
    IP Address: The IP address you chose for this client (for example, 192.168.0.165).

    Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

    Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
    note: your router is almost always your gateway

    Click Use the following DNS server addresses, and then enter the DNS server addresses(es) from your working computer above in step #1.
     
    Bill Castner,
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  12. 2006/10/24
    Scott Smith

    Scott Smith Inactive Alumni

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    Ushally when a wireless connection will not give you an IP one of the following reasons is the problem.

    *Incorrect WEP key
    *Mac filtering is turned on
    *Wrong wireless network
     
    Scott Smith,
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  13. 2006/10/24
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    The problem may just be "the wireless connection software he uses ". It has been my experience to let Windows manage the wireless connection. Have hime NOT use the software that came with his wifi adapter but use Windows built in software.
     
    TonyT,
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  14. 2006/10/24
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    "little or no connectivity" indicates a failure to obtain a DHCP configuration from the DHCP server.

    It can be due to driver or hardware issues, but the poster indicated all was working until a few days ago, and since the adapter shows signal strength measures and the presence of Access Points nearby, my guess is that hardware and software is not an issue.

    I like Scott Smith's suggestion earlier:

    *Incorrect WEP key
    *Mac filtering is turned on
    *Wrong wireless network

    I think it important now to test a static IP with the other connection details entered manually. A suggestion as to other possible workarounds can be found here: http://www.pchell.com/support/limitedconnectivity.shtml

    I for one would update the Wireless Client with the new version released last week: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;917021&sd=rss&spid=6794
     
    Bill Castner,
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  15. 2006/10/24
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    I misunderstood hime when he said "he can connect ". There seems to be a lack of info, more details are good.

    He can also just enter the ip of the router for the dns server and that will do because the router will then handle the dns queries via it's own dns table. I setup my systems this way w/ no issues. However, this may not work if he cannot even connect to the lan to begin with.
     
    TonyT,
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  16. 2006/10/24
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    The router acts as a DNS proxy. It does not serve DNS addreses from a table.
     
    Bill Castner,
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  17. 2006/10/24
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    I know. What I meant by table is the flatfile/db table it has of the isp dns servers. Some routers use flatfiles, some have a "mini sql' db.
     
    TonyT,
    #16

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