Joining a wireless network
Discussion
I'm trying to join a wireless network that's up and running (finally). However, the wlan card on my notebook doesn't find a network (its a Ralink 11g miniPCI unit). I think I've entered all the right gumph, and my settings are the same as other users' settings, but still nothing. My notebook says the card's working properly but i'm not so sure. Any sugestions would be much appreciated.
Are you sure it is the card not finding the network or is it that the network is rejecting your laptop ? ie if you have installed a wireless router (which is sooooo easy and great for broadband sharing around the house) have you entered the MAC address of your laptop ? Access to the network may not be granted without it.
There should be utility that came with the wlan card that will search for and display any available networks. Run this. Does it find any networks, irrespective whether it can connect to them at this time ?
If not, then you may have an incompatability issue (for instance, an 11g card which is forced to 11g trying to connect to an 11b network) or there may be a fault with the card.
I am constantly dubious when Windoze reports devices are working fine - yeah right, just 'cos Bill Gates says it OK don't necessarily mean it is.
There should be utility that came with the wlan card that will search for and display any available networks. Run this. Does it find any networks, irrespective whether it can connect to them at this time ?
If not, then you may have an incompatability issue (for instance, an 11g card which is forced to 11g trying to connect to an 11b network) or there may be a fault with the card.
I am constantly dubious when Windoze reports devices are working fine - yeah right, just 'cos Bill Gates says it OK don't necessarily mean it is.
Don't know that adapter, but it is possible that the adapter is not showing the network because it has failed to join it. If so this would be a security issue rather than anything more fundamental.
I assume the WAP uses encryption of some sort, and it might also do MAC filtering. If you can disable all this temporarily and set up your wireless adapter with no encryption, then you should be able to join. If not, I think you probably have a more fundamental problem.
Assuming it is just a security issue, it should simply be a matter of setting your wireless card encryption to match WAP's encryption, and (if the WAP is doing MAC filtering) adding your card to the WAP's MAC list.
I assume the WAP uses encryption of some sort, and it might also do MAC filtering. If you can disable all this temporarily and set up your wireless adapter with no encryption, then you should be able to join. If not, I think you probably have a more fundamental problem.
Assuming it is just a security issue, it should simply be a matter of setting your wireless card encryption to match WAP's encryption, and (if the WAP is doing MAC filtering) adding your card to the WAP's MAC list.
As I posted in the other wireless thread running at the moment, check that your laptop can tune to the same channel as the wireless access point (WAP). If the WAP is on channel 11, 12 or 13 then some laptop cards will not be able to connect to it because they can only go up as far as channel 10.
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