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Wireless good on some computers not primary?

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rxsid

Programmer
Jul 9, 2002
57
US
Hi all,

My wireless setup is:
O/S: Windows XP Pro (on all computers, 3 desktops and 1 laptop)
Router: Dlink DI-634M Firmware=2.01 , 2006/01/10
Print Server: Dlink DP-G321 Firmware=2.00 (2005-06-27)
Wireless Adapter (on computer with problems): DWL-G520M Driver=v1.0.0.28
Wireless Adapter (on two different computers near opposite end of house from router, that are good): DWL - G120.
Wireless Adapter (on laptop, not sure...it's at work right now but it works as well).
I've got a situation where I upgraded my home wireless router from a DI-624 to the DI-634M because I wanted to give my kids computers faster, more reliable speeds (their computers are at the other end of the house from the router & the main computer).
Since installing the new router & wireless card, my main desktop is having serious issues. I can get a signal and use the internet fine. But when I leave the computer on overnight and try again in the morning (say...at least 6 hours later), I loose the signal and I'm not even able to 'refresh' the available network to show up again. So, I reboot and then it works fine again for a day. The other two desktops, and my work laptop all connect no problems and do not require a reboot the next to to reaquire the network.
Also, the other two desktops & the laptop can print no problem to my two USB connected printers (Canon MP730 & Epson R200) on the wireless network. However, again, my primary main desktop (which is only about 6 clear line of site feet away from the router) can not print. I also get an error trying to print getting the 'document failed to print' error.

So...basically I know that the router and the print server are configured properly because two other desktops and the laptop have no issues with printing or getting an internet connection in my wireless setup. That leave me to believe that the issue lies with my wireless adapter on my main desktop. However, I'm at a loss to determine why it doesn't work after being idle overnight (or say 6+ hours), but then works just fine after a reboot (although I'm still not able to print at all on this desktop...even after a reboot).
Could it be related to the driver(s) and/or firmware? Supposedly, I've got the latest versions.
What about my MAC address? Could that be an issue somehow with the new router? However, that wouldn't explain the other computers that worked previously, and still work with the new router.

Any ideas?

Thanks.
 
Turn off power saving mode on the wireless device in the main desktop PC. Is that PC also being allowed to go into standby or even hibernate overnight? Try turning those off as well.

ROGER - G0AOZ.
 
any other issues on the problem machine?

have you checked the event log for clues? (run eventvwr.msc)
 
Thanks for the reply's!
Turns out, after much investigation that it was zone alarms' firewall that was causing the issue. The reason I hadn't thought of that before, was that I had turned off zone alarm, even to the point of disabeling the service so that on start up, it wouldn't (so I thought). Not sure why it was preventing some traffic (and only some of the time) even while being shut down...but after I completely uninstalled it did my wireless connection AND wireless printing start to function again 100% of the time.

Thanks again.
 
Yes I've seen Zone alarm cause all sorts of problems with network connectivity - especially when its been disabled! or partly uninstalled (ie, uninstall didn't complete properly).

glad to hear you're sorted
 
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