I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 v.2 Wireless Access Point + Cable/DSL Router with a 4-port switch. Right now, the only available connection to the Internet is a dial-up, so the Internet connection isn't the big issue right now.
The network consists of four machines: two Gateway desktops, one with the WAP connected via an Intel PRO/100 NIC (call this one Gateway 1), and the other connected via a Linksys Wireless USB Adapter (Gateway 2). There are also two notebooks - a ThinkPad with a Linksys Wireless PC card and a Sony VAIO with an Orinoco internal wireless card. All are running Windows XP. When the machines are fired up, all report strong signals on the network, and all are "seeing" the "linksys" ssid (this network is in a residential neighborhood, and so far, there aren't any other wireless networks nearby).
I am trying to get the machines to work as a peer-to-peer network for now. I started out trying to get them to share the dial-up connection on the machine with the WAP installed, and ironically, that is about the only aspect of it that has ever worked. Yesterday, I fired up the Sony VAIO for the first time, and turned on the wireless LAN switch. As soon as I put in the WEP key for the network, the modem on Gateway 1 activated, dialed in to Earthlink and I was able to access the Internet via the wireless network. Unfortunately, this never worked after I rebooted the VAIO, and I have not been able to get the machines to see each others' shared folders. In fact, the networks of each machine see only themselves on the network, not the other computers.
I have spent many hours on the phone with Linksys, but they tell me that I have a network configuration problem that they don't address. One lead is that, when I try the "Repair this connection" option for the Wireless Network on Gateway 1 in Network Connections, I get a message that says that TCP/IP is not enabled for this connection. I have looked for where I might enable it, but I haven't been successful.
Network Connections on Gateway 1 shows the Wireless Network access point (actually, the Intel NIC that it's connected to), a Network Bridge, and an IEEE 1394 conenction which I am guessing is related to the IEEE 1394 port installed in the computer, but shouldn't be in use. The caption on the icon indicates that it is enabled and bridged.
I really need to get these machines to share their files. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to look next?
The network consists of four machines: two Gateway desktops, one with the WAP connected via an Intel PRO/100 NIC (call this one Gateway 1), and the other connected via a Linksys Wireless USB Adapter (Gateway 2). There are also two notebooks - a ThinkPad with a Linksys Wireless PC card and a Sony VAIO with an Orinoco internal wireless card. All are running Windows XP. When the machines are fired up, all report strong signals on the network, and all are "seeing" the "linksys" ssid (this network is in a residential neighborhood, and so far, there aren't any other wireless networks nearby).
I am trying to get the machines to work as a peer-to-peer network for now. I started out trying to get them to share the dial-up connection on the machine with the WAP installed, and ironically, that is about the only aspect of it that has ever worked. Yesterday, I fired up the Sony VAIO for the first time, and turned on the wireless LAN switch. As soon as I put in the WEP key for the network, the modem on Gateway 1 activated, dialed in to Earthlink and I was able to access the Internet via the wireless network. Unfortunately, this never worked after I rebooted the VAIO, and I have not been able to get the machines to see each others' shared folders. In fact, the networks of each machine see only themselves on the network, not the other computers.
I have spent many hours on the phone with Linksys, but they tell me that I have a network configuration problem that they don't address. One lead is that, when I try the "Repair this connection" option for the Wireless Network on Gateway 1 in Network Connections, I get a message that says that TCP/IP is not enabled for this connection. I have looked for where I might enable it, but I haven't been successful.
Network Connections on Gateway 1 shows the Wireless Network access point (actually, the Intel NIC that it's connected to), a Network Bridge, and an IEEE 1394 conenction which I am guessing is related to the IEEE 1394 port installed in the computer, but shouldn't be in use. The caption on the icon indicates that it is enabled and bridged.
I really need to get these machines to share their files. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to look next?