Wireless not woring, but OK with n/w cable ....

[luca brazzi]

Following on from earlier posts about moving the main PC upstairs and getting internet on it through a wireless network card, connecting to the Buffalo wireless router downstairs.....I'm having an issue.

Tried both the Belkin54g and a Buffalo Desktop PCI adaptors in the PC. Followed all the instructions, installed the software before inserting the card etc.

Both time the card was recognised, installed, and got an excellent connection to the network, called "Steves network", connecting at 54Mbps. Try using the internet and its not available. Neither can I see the router, using the web browser, even though there's an excellent connection to it.

When I try to use the hardwired connection from the back of the PC into the router, that's knackered as well. No amount of config changes seem to make a difference, either in getting the wireless connection to be able to access the internet, or get the old connection working again.

The only way to do it is do a system restore, and everything is fine again. Strange or what.

By the way, I can still use the laptop wirelessly, including accessing the net, and the router through a web browser. So for me, this means some kind of config or conflict issue on the PC, just don't know where to start.

OS is XP Pro with SP1.

Any thoughts much appreciated. Off to return the card, and try a 3rd one, this time one that plugs into the USB socket to see if that makes a difference, although I doubt it.

Thanks
LB

[Podie]

Your firewall could be causing the router grief... you need to let all the PC's allow communications to each other. IIRC Norton has a wizard for this...

[Jay-Aim]

there was a patch post sp1 to cover wireless

update to sp2 for latest wireless software

[luca brazzi]

Thanks guys.

Had the firewall set to allow all.

Nervous of SP2 as I heard it disables lots of stuff, and I've gots loads of stuff on the machine.

Do you know if there is a 100% rollback facility to revert to SP1 if there are problems, using system restore?

Let me know about the rollback and I'll hold off returning the wireless network card.

By the way, this is what my connections look like at the moment.

What's all this bridge nonsense about.



This is what it looks like without the wireless pci card installed, and it all works OK.

Thanks,
LB

[john_p]

Luca (Steve?), go to a cmd prompt
type
ipconfig /all

what does it say?

if it gives your IP address as 169.something then (as you mentioned in the other thread) might need to check your DHCP is enabled

Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services -> check that "DHCP Client" is "Started"

SP2 does have better wireless support and it's probably worth upgrading to it. It does back up all the changed files so assume you can rollback safely, but check the web for the definite answer.

The 1394 bridge/adapter is Firewire, you can ignore it or disable it if you want. I think there is an implementation of IP over Firewire, probably for Mac lovers. I assume that the bridge just allows a Firewire network to communicate with an Ethernet network. Leave the 1394 adaptor enabled tho, in case you use Firewire for anything.

>> Edited by john_p on Monday 3rd January 14:34

[luca brazzi]

Checked DHCP > was started
Here's the result of ipconfig /all (without the wireless card attached)


C:Documents and SettingsSteve>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : SteveBigPC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Easynet 2Mbps:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR FA311 Fast Ethernet Adapter
#2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-09-5B-22-86-74
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 212.135.1.36
195.40.1.36

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 CT Network Connect
ion
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0D-61-69-B0-AC

Ethernet adapter Network Bridge:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : MAC Bridge Miniport
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 12-B9-06-AF-1C-F8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :


Will try sp2.....is there a way I can download it, and install it at a later date, rather than just run the installer program which does it all at once?

Thanks again,
Steve

[john_p]

OK you're not using DHCP, I assume you've hardcoded the IP addresses in? 192.168.1.2

Are you 100% sure the laptop and router are using the same block (192.168.1.x) as normally they come configured as 192.168.0.x

Try using DHCP (Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Right click Easynet 2mbps, Properties -> TCP/IP, Properties, obtain IP address automatically)

If you didn't hardcode the IPs, maybe XP did when it created the 1394 bridge. Disable the 1394 network bridge, then turn on DHCP, I'd bet it works then.

>> Edited by john_p on Monday 3rd January 15:39

[luca brazzi]

Just installed XP SP2.....testing a few things....then I'll try the card again.

Should it matter that I leave the cable connected to the router, when trying to go wireless?

Will try those setting you just mentioned too.

Thanks again, so far
LB

[luca brazzi]

Update:


Success...it seems. Thanks to PHers

Installed sp2 and the next couple of updates. Tested out my main software (I hope the rest works too).

Then installed the wireless card s/w, installed the card, rebooted....worked immediately.

So, now have the PC, the laptop, and the Squeezebox, all working together wirelessly. Thanks to you !

Power to the people. Thanks to all of you.

Regards
LB, until the next issue I come up against...