i need a wireless wiz....

[stuckagain1]

We just purchased a Netgear wireless/router/firewall and set it up as a DHCP server, and created a wireless network with a 128 bit WEP encryption key.

All of our wired network systems are set to obtain an IP address/DNS servers automatically and work fine.

We have a laptop with a Netgear wireless card, that obtains an IP address/DNS servers automatically and also works fine.

We are trying to get both a PC and a mac with wireless cards to be able to share our Internet connection. The PC and mac are connected to the LAN via the wireless network, but cannot get out to the Internet. It doesn't matter if I assign an IP address or allow it to get one automatically.

I've talked to Netgear and couldn't understand a word the tech was saying and in frustration, I ended the call.....can anyone explain what could be stopping a wireless system that is connected to the wireless network, from getting out to the Internet?? Is it DNS related? I also tried entering the DNS servers from our ISP instead of having them be obtained automatically--no help.

I need more help to troubleshoot this!! Thanks!

 

[bcastner]

As a guess without more details as to model numbers, etc:

. Getting WEP right is likely an issue. Start by disabling WEP on the router and the clients until you sort the basic connectivity issues;

. Again, I do not know the router model, but disable any Turbo or quadruple or double rate enhancements. You want plain 802.11b (and 802.11g if it supports it). You need to disable any non-standard features on the router.

. Make sure you have not disabled SSID broadcast

. Make sure the clients are not configured for 802.11x forms of authentication.

 

[stuckagain1]

Thanks for your reply--

It's model FWAG114--SSID broadcast is not disabled, Turbo is disabled--

Where can I check on the clients that they are not configured for 802.11x forms of authentication?

I'll try the WEP suggestion, but if WEP was the problem, why would one of the laptops work? (The particular laptop that works gets logged into our Windows NT server and is part of our network.)

Also, if there is a connection to the wireless network as shown in the task bar, can that still mean that WEP is a problem? I assumed WEP would not be the problem if it showed connected to the wireless network with good signal strength. I am obviously new to this wireless stuff......

Thanks!

 

[bcastner]

WEP is a problem because:

. it is easy to mis-type the user key. I is case sensitive,

. Not all adapter support the same number of WEP bits; a 64 bit key and another adapter expecting 128 bit keys are not the same thing,

You can show signal strenth and a solid connection to a router, but because of WEP key mismatches never authenticate and connect. For example, the war driving folks regularly show Access Point signal strengths, but cannot authenticate and connect.

For checking 802.1x authentication, look (for Wireless Zero Clients under XP, under the Authentication tab of the Wireless Zero sheet, and for all adapters: Configure, adapter properties sheet, Advanced Tab. This latter setting is driver specific and may not be there.

 

[stuckagain1]

Thanks very much for your reply....I will try disabling WEP.....