Wireless Networking (P2P) Problems... 1

[Draetor24]

Ok, I have a residential client using a desktop PC with Windows XP Pro called (MAINPC).

He has a laptop computer with Windows XP Pro called (JOHNPORTABLE). Both PC's in the (JOHNM) workgroup.

He is using a Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router. I installed the latest firmware and configured his connection for PPPOE DSL. Besides that, and changing his password, I left the rest as factory defaults.

Both machines can access the internet. Desktop as 192.168.1.100, and laptop as 192.168.1.101.

The desktop can ping the laptop successfully, but the laptop can not ping the desktop. I've searched on both machines for the other PC's name, and get nothing. Network neighbourhood is flakey. On the desktop I show only the desktop's PC in the workgroup. On the laptop, when I check for local workgroups I get an error saying I don't have administrative rights.

In the wireless network connection on both machines, I am only getting the defaulted "linksys" SSID for broadcasted wireless networks. I changed the advance option to "Connect to all available networks (access point preferred)" and sometimes I get the "johnm" icon with a red scratch through it in the "Preferred Networks" window.

Any steps to take? Am I doing anything wrong? My goal here is to share files between PC's and access Internet via everything wireless.

 

[bcastner]

Two things:

1. There likely are some wireless issues. Remove WEP and WPA from the equation at the moment.

. Apply on the client the wireless rollup package, this is not generally "pushed" in Windows Update:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=826942?scid=kb;en-us;814112

. do not disable broadcast for SSID on the WRT54G; if you have made MAC reservations, remove them for now. Disable WEP and WAP entries. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q811427

Change the SSID to something unique: use ALL Captial letters for the SSID, lets say: JOHNLAN. Set this for both router and client.


. Define a "preferred site" under the XP Client: See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;313242

Allow it to connect to unsecured sites. What you want is only one preferred site in that lower box of wireless connection settings, and unchecked as to security, and checked that you can connect to unsecured sites.

 

[Draetor24]

Ok, I did not apply that wireless patch to anything. That is one thing I can try. Should I apply to both machines?

Following along with the MS Knowledge Base article on wireless network troubleshooting, I come to the step where it tells me to begin TCP/IP troubleshooting, because the wireless network is configured properly.

I can change the SSID on the router as well from "linksys" to "JOHNLAN". I have all security disabled at this point.

The last points you made about wanting one preferred network with no security and checked to connect even without security is what I have been doing. I've tried for about an hour, which the client gets billed on, so I decided to stop and look into it. I hope the patch in the first link you posted will correct this problem.