Wireless networking...

[NiceCupOfTea]

Is it just me that has so much trouble with wireless networking!?

I couldn't get it working for ages, then managed to sort it by not hiding the SSID.

It worked fine for ages (with WEP and MAC addressing). Then my wife got a new laptop (Dell) with built in wireless - only way I could get it to work was by disabling MAC addressing - even after double and triple checking the MAC address .

Now my laptop is having severe problems - finds the network, connects, serves up a couple of web pages, then disappears and can't be seen (meanwhile I can see about 5 or 6 other wireless networks around the area). After about 20 minutes it's back for about 3 minutes, then gone again. I'm only about 15 feet from the router, through one stud wall

Away at my parents, their WLAN works with SSID hidden, MAC addressing, WEP encryption - my laptop used to work with that OK (as long as they made the SSID visible) but had problems last time. My wife's laptop had the same problems as mine recently (connecting briefly and then not finding the network for ages), but no problems with my dad's laptop...

Now back at home I have got sick of it, upgraded the firmware, reset everything, and still problems!! Wife's laptop won't connect unless WEP switched off!!!

FFS how crap is wireless LAN!? How hard can it be? One WEP code and ine MAC address, yet it STILL doesn't work!!!

Does anybody else have these problems!?

And why do other people hide their SSID and still have a working network!?

[ThePassenger]

Welcome to the wonderful world of standards. Or lack thereof. True you have WiFi certified equipment but will it play well with stuff from a different manufacturer? Yes, no, maybe. Pick an answer it'll be the right one.

My old Belkin thing won't do MAC filtering. It has an option for it, you can enter a MAC in to the web form. And then it locks everything out requiring a factory reset before it'll allow you in again, checking the manual we're using the correct syntax and padding.

Also bear in mind that home wifi equipment can be prone to failing at seemingly random times.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hum

Problems with wife's lappy at the mo - works fine without WEP, can't connect with it on. A week ago it was happy with WEP but no go on MAC addressing...

For reference:

Router = Vigor 2600We (pretty good rep as I understand it)
Wife's Laptop = Dell Dimension something or other
My Laptop = Compaq Armada E500 with a Linksys WPC11 network card.

Dad's Router = Vigor 2600w plus Belkin wireless card
Dad's Laptops = Sony Vaio / Compaq
His works fine.

I don't know...

[Leithen]

Have you tried changing the Channel? Might be some new interference that has coincided with the introduction of your wife's laptop...

[bogie]

try upgrading the wireless card driver for the Dell...its surprising how many 'new' laptops ship with 3-5 yr old Windows drivers for the built in cards...and these dont play nicely with some routers etc...

[NiceCupOfTea]

Tried changing the channel, will try another (about 6 WLANs round here - odd that it's mine that seems to keep disappearing though...). Will look out some new drivers for the Dell...

[aldi]

Wouldn't bother hiding the SSID IMO, netstumbler will still pick it up regardless so its more of an inconvinience to legitimate use than anything else. Deffo update the wireless drivers, it can be a big help. If your using the wireless cards utillity to set the wireless link up rather than the built in windows stuff, make sure you disable the 'wireless zero configuration' service. (start/run/services.msc/OK) It shouldn't make a difference, but it does... And try different encryption schemes, if 128 bit WEP seems flakey, try WPA with a passkey and vice versa untill you find a combo that seems stable for all the users. Vigor's have got quite a good rep, I know one chap that had to reboot his the other day... after three years!

Firmware for the Vigor, can help with compatability:
www.draytek.co.uk/support/index.html

Dell Drivers - enter service tag or model #:
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/

Dunno what the model # of your inspiron is, but if the wireless card is an intel one try the drivers from support.intel.com rather than the dell ones.

HTH
Neil

[greenlandy]

Also have a look at what other wireless equipment you are useing in your house. It sounds silly but wireless mice/keyboards/door chimes and other crap can interfer with your equipment.



Yes we all suffer with this type of shite