Wireless won't connect, please help!

[Tyre Smoke]

Hi all, I have a Netgear DG834G router and a laptop with a WG111 dongle in it. The laptop can see the wireless network (signal strength excellent) but won't connect. I tried everything to the point of disabling encryption and placing the laptop 18 inches from the router. Still nothing.

Any suggestions?

[ThePassenger]

If you're using the Netgear software use WinXP to manage the card... or vice versa.

Try a different USB port if possible.

Reinstall drivers, see if that helps.

Reset router to manu default and try it 'blank'.

[Tyre Smoke]

Thanks for that. Reinstalled the dongle driver and all appears okay now.

[Tyre Smoke]

Spoke too soon! Connection is showing as excellent and connected, but cannot connect to the server on either Firefox or IE.

[ThePassenger]

Tyre Smoke said:

Spoke too soon! Connection is showing as excellent and connected, but cannot connect to the server on either Firefox or IE.

Ok.

Start > Run.
Type 'cmd'
and press Ok.

Type ipconfig /all

Look for your IP address.

If it starts 169 then you're not pulling an IP address. Check the connection properties in Windows that IP and DNS servers are set to 'automatic', if they are then log in to the router and make sure DHCP is turned on.
If it starts 192 then again log in to the router and make sure it's established the outbound connection.

[Tyre Smoke]

Weird!

Works fine now using Netgear rather than XP to run the dongle

Sarah, thanks for your help. My weekend was nearly in tatters!

[ThePassenger]

Tyre Smoke said:

Weird!

Works fine now using Netgear rather than XP to run the dongle

Sarah, thanks for your help. My weekend was nearly in tatters!

Not uncommon for one widget to gets it's knikkeres in a knot and the other to work

Have fun this weekend... must get the cold ones chilling myself

[Tyre Smoke]

And now it doesn't work again!

Feck it! a trip to PC World tomorrow!

[Tyre Smoke]

Is the USB adaptor supposed to get hot?

Methinks it's crackered.

[TheMarko]

They can get warm, yes. As for it not working 'again', do you have any form of power saving in operation on your PC? I have a NetGear Wireless USB adapter get upset with power saving this week, actually.

[Tyre Smoke]

No, I turned the power saving features off, the firewall off, everything off basically. It worked perfectly for about 40 minutes then refused to play. They do say a candle burns brightest just before it goes out! It was hot rather than warm to be fair. for the sake of £20 quid or so, I'll try another usb adaptor.