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Wireless Network Card probs on laptop

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rzirpolo

Programmer
Apr 8, 2002
163
GB
Operating System: Windows XP SP1
Modem: SpeedTouch 570

Problem: The wireless PC card I have purchased for my laptop will not register with my router (Speedtouch 570). I have removed all software, drivers and hardware and have re-installed. I have even formatted my hard disk but still cannot get it to work.

If I plug in a Cat5 network cable from the laptop directly to the Speedtouch 570 Router it works fine so that proves there is nothing wrong with the Router or internet access.

Running the ipconfig command brings back the following results:

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.133.133
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : lan
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.138

I have input the WEP key a number of times and still no luck. The Wireless card shows an excellent signal but for some reason it won't register with the router. I have restarted the Router but still to no avail.

The reason I have posted here is to see if anybody else has come across anything similar. Support for the manufacturers SPEEDTOUCH have proved utterly useless and it's a premium rate number.

 
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.133.133
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

There lies your problem!! The wireless card is not recieving an IP address from the router. If you're using DHCP then I'd try disabling any encryption, then see if it picks up an IP address.

If your not using DHCP give the Wireless network in Network places an IP address within the range used by the router. Enter the router's IP address as the gateway and you should be fine!
 
I know that's my problem but I really don't know how to resolve it as I've tried everything to my knowledge. When you say disable encryption, like what ? Do you mean the WEP key ? Please explain.

I have tried entering an accepted IP address e.g. 10.0.0.3 and the gateway of 10.0.0.138 but still no luck. When I run ipconfig it states the entered IP address but I still cannot ping the router which is 10.0.0.138.

Any further info would be much appreciated.

 
I mean disable encryption on your Wireless AP/Router. This will elimante this as a possible factor.

Also while your at it disable your wired LAN connection within Network places, that can sometimes cause problems!
 
Ok now I follow... there is no encryption setup. The only username and password specified is for my Tiscali broadband access.

I will disable the LAN connection and see what happens. I also have a connection for 1394 Net Adapter, shall I disable this as well ?

 
Disabling the LAN connection didn't do anything ? I'm at the same point as before.

 
Hard code an IP Address.
Some cards don't pick up DHCP very well.

-Ron

cout << "If you don't know where you want to go, we'll make sure you get taken";
 
I have input the WEP key a number of times and still no luck. " - This would indicate to me you have entered or are entering, as part of your setup, an encryption key. If you don't have encryption setup on your Router, then entering this key will have an effect.
 
Unfortunatley I am now at work and cannot test your theory. I see your point, but the support at Speedtouch told me before that I have to input this WEP Key. This is standard encryption, I can't see where I can disable this ?

Also manually inputting an IP address didn't work as I was still unable to ping the router.

 
This is what I was trying to get at earlier. There absolutely must be an option in your router to disable WEP encryption, maybe your ISP enables it on the router by default, I dunno?
 
ok ive looked at all the post...got u a couple of sugestions
1. see if the card is settled into the O/S..
2. Use the software provided with the card to detect the wireless not XP???
3 download Netstumbler and just see if the wireless router is transmitting..and you have the correct ssid..
4 reset the router..wireless routers 99% do not come with WEP set up u have to manually set..so dont play about with that yet.. mask the ip address and ensure dhcp is running on router.. card set to auto detect. do not use the gateway settings as some times it also causes probs unless u are useing a server. the idea of fixing ip 10.0.0.3 is a good idea.. but just see u have not got a faulty wirless transmition it does happen.


Heads

experience in the field counts a lot not exams!!
 
Thanks for everybody's post as they did help. I was planning on doing a format so I did this on Sunday.

Initially I had the same problems but on the Router there is a 'Registration' button and this didn't seem to make any difference at first.

So I disabled the Local Area Connection and tried again and 'Hey Presto!' it worked and gave me the IP address of 10.10.0.1.

All resolved now, thanks again.

 
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