www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Evening all.
I've recently been given an HP laptop running WINDOWS XP VERSION 5.1
SERVICE PACK 3, but it
will not connect wirelessly to my ISP.
If i plug it into the router it works fine and it was working wirelessly
(i saw it) at my mates house.
It sees my ISP connection and connects for a couple of seconds but then dissconnects.
This continues all the time the laptop is switched on.
Spent best part of an hour on the phone with my ISP going through seemingly
everything witthout success,their conclusion being that "something in the machine itself
is blocking the connection"
It was suggested that i disable the Wireless Zero Configuration in the
System Configuration Utility but that didn't work either.
Any suggestions
Cheers

Does the laptop come with software for managing wireless connections? I've used a Lenovo laptop before, which when you connected to a wireless network using the built-in Windows wireless networking software, disconnected after a few seconds. The laptop had Lenovo software on it for managing wireless networks. When I used that to connect to the wireless network it worked fine.

I'd normally say zero config was better than the crappy utilities that come with wireless cards.

What is the model of wireless card (in device manager).
what is the security type on your router (WEP, WPA-psk, WPA-AES, WPA2-AES)
have you DEFFO got the key correct that you are entering (this is the behaviour you get when it's wrong on some clients).

If the key is correct, I'd be guessing the security is causing problem. Normally people plump for WPA2 or WPA-AES, which older clients can struggle with. WPA-TKIP is better in this case (it's software encryption, as opposed to hardware accelorated).

Could be wrong...happened once before.

BG

Thanks for the reply BG
The router security type is WPA2
The wireless card is INTEL(R)PRO/WIRELESS 2200BG
The key is definately correct.
If it is the security type that is causing the problem,can it be
changed without affecting the computers already connected wirelessly ?
Cheers

2200BG is a well supported card.

First stop would be intels site for the latest drivers......if that doesn't work, changing the security type on the router will more than likely mean you have to enter the passcode on all clients again.

Regards,

BG

Thanks again BG
Entering the passcode on the other computers(i assume it
would only have to be done once) ? wouldn't be a hassle.
How do i go about changing the security type on the router ?
Cheers

What router is it?

Assuming its got its default username and password......this is a rough guide, you may need to ad-lib.

- click Start > Run
- In the command box, enter CMD and click OK
- a command prompt will open.

- Type the following: IPCONFIG /ALL and press enter
- This will display all of the network/wireless addesses for your PC....look for the Intel 2200B/G wireless adaptor and find the DEFAULT GATEWAY. My example is a wired LAN.
- Mine is: 192.168.1.1 << this is the router address (on 99% of most home routers, at least) Make a note of this.
- Open a internet explorer window and enter that number with http:// at the start.
- Like my example below (replace with your address) and press enter
- this will load the router page, you need to log in.

Password will be at the bottom on the router, int he instruction manual or usually:

admin / password
admin / admin
admin / blank
blank / blank

If you can't find it, let us know your router.

Once in here, you are looking for the wireless settings, then security.
change the type to WPA - TKIP, enter teh password.
Save and restart router.
connect with clients.

Bobs your hairy grandma.

Sorry....gotta go out, beer time!!

good luck.

BG

Thanks again BG.i'll give it a go
Enjoy the beer(s)

Ooff.....wish I'd not gone out.

Did you sort it?

BG

Alas no. Thanks for all the assistance though.
Getting very near to "Hammer-Time" and investing
in a new laptop. !