Wireless Woes

[Captain Over]

Two Toshiba Satellite laptops, running XP Home, and both trying to connect via Linksys "G" PC Cards to an SMC "G" Wireless Router. The 5200 connects no problem, and could connect to a Linksys "G" Router also. The 2410, however, connects max a few moments then loses association with the routers, regardless of the brand.

Drivers on all equipment and firmware up to date.

Suggestions?

[BEagle]

Does the fault transfer if you swap over the wireless cards?

[ORAC]

Every time this problem has cropped up, it's tended to be related to the encryption. Take it out and see if the problem goes away in the clear. We can work on solving it from there.
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I found the following which might help:

"The quick installation guide implies Windows XP will detect the card and set it up automatically. It did no such thing for me; it wanted me to provide the driver manually. I highly recommend getting the latest driver from the Linksys website rather than using the one on the CD.

I don't recommend using the Windows network wizard, or whatever the thing is called. It added a Network Bridge device with an odd IP address. I could not communicate with my router until I deleted this device. This was not intuitive at all, but again this is a Windows problem.

On to the next problem: when I used WEP encryption (either 64 or 128-bit), the wireless connection would drop out at precisely three minutes. Everything worked fine with encryption turned off.

I then decided to try WPA encryption, which is supposedly more secure than WEP anyway. There is a Windows XP update to add this capability to the operating system, which you'll need to install. Unfortunately I found that this didn't immediately solve my problem: WPA was not available as a selection in the wirless network setup. I then updated the driver for the WMP54G and I was able to use WPA with no problem! Again, a word of advice: do NOT use the driver on the included CD! Get the latest driver off the Linksys website. I would imagine this was the source of my WEP problems as well, but I never went back to try it. I'm happy with WPA.

Also make sure your router's firmware is up to date. Some manufacturers have only recently added WPA capability."

[amanoffewwords]

- As Orac's message says have you tried downloading any driver updates that may be available (I have problems of that sort with D-Link equipment)?

- have you disabled "use Windows to configure my wireless connection" if you are using linksys properietery software (or vice-versa if you're not)

hth
amofw

[Captain Over]

Just back from a block, hense the delayed replies. Thanks for the help so far.

B Eagle: The fault remains the same on the 2410. The PC Cards are fine.

ORAC: Latest drivers from Linksys installed on both laptops (NOT from the CD). As I said, this only occurs on the 2410 laptop, not the 5200. Also, encription is not enabled. Even if it was, the 5200 works like a charm (I am wireless with it as we speak!).

amanoffewwords: 1) Yes. 2) Yes and No, same results.

Finally, the 2410 connects via the ethernet no problem at all. The issue is with the wireless. It's become a no-go item for some reason.

Anything else to try? The wired connection works great, implying the unit talks to the router and modem and the net fine. The issue seems to be a PC Card Controller inside the 2410, or some compatability issue with the 2410 and the Linksys PC Card which is odd, as the 5200 works great.

Consider the above paragraph before this suggestion...would upgrading the 2410 to Win XP Pro help?? (BOTH machines are using Win XP Home right now).

Thanks,
C.O.

[Memetic]

I have just bought a Tosh. and am about 90% certain they have a FAQ about this sort of problem on the uk support site, spotted it while I was checking before installing a Dell mini-pci wirless card in the laptop (One bit of Tosh. said it would void my warranty to do it myself, the sales team said it was a self install...it's now in and working!)

Ok here you go:

1st a Toshiba WiFi trouble shooting guide: http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_dtlView.jsp?soid=509572

Might be worth a quick read but looks like you have tried most of it HOWEVER...

For Windows XP, check this link for a registry patch: http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi-bin/ToshibaCSG/faq.jsp?FID=TIU0000001c35

The Toshiba UK site is down at the time of this edit...
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edited to add links.
edited re Toshiba site status.

[amanoffewwords]

Just come back from seeing the customer where I installed the very same D-Link kit mentioned above - "suddenly stopped working cust said.".

What do you know, "someone" switched on the windows firewall on top of Norton Internet Security bring the whole shabbang to a halt. A lot of finger pointing, no one came forward so we balamed it on BT - everybody happy.

The symptoms were as you described Captain Over - on/off constantly on the wireless PC - in addition no web service on the hard-wired PC - router seemed to be happily churning away it's network messages and probably wondering "where is everybody?"!!

amowf

[Captain Over]

OK after many more more attempts, and lots of research on the net, still no full connection.

Just to review: my Toshiba Satellite 5200 connects NO problem wireless (or wired). The Toshiba Satellite 2410 connects no problem WIRED, but will not connect wirelessly. I borrowed a friends 2400 and it connected using the exact same PC Card.

The 2410 Network page showed a red "X" on the wireless network connection icon on the Network Connections page until I tried the "Ad Hoc" mode. It now shows a connection, even in "Infrastructure Mode".

Whenever I click on the taskbar's Notification Area (the bottom right, near the clock) on the "Wireless Area Connection" it shows "Wireless Connection Unavailable" and when I click on that icon it brings up the "Available Wireless Networks" page, which shows the box "Allow me to connect to the selected wireless network, even though it is not secure" is unchecked, then when I check it and select "Connect" the connection occurs, but with no true connection to the internet. I try to browse and get the dreaded "HTTP 400" error. Checking TOOLS | CONNECTIONS shows everything exact and correctly as the two other laptops had, but I cannot get a connection! TCP/IP is AUTO, and everything else I go through shows fine.

Until I selected the network card to "Ad Hoc" and back again to "Infrastructure" it kept going in circles, showing as connected, then immediately would pop back up as not connected, then connected again, and with the box "Allow me to connect" as UNCHECKED again, which drove me batty.

So now it shows as connected, yet it will not truly connect to the Internet. When I run "CMD | IPCONFIG / ALL" I get an IP address, and my DHCP is shown as enabled, same for Autoconfiguration. The Default Gateway is the local Router's IP, and the Subnet Mask also is showing the local IP.

I have gone systematically through the registry, and nothing looks amiss there.

When I select "Repair" on the Network Connection page, I get "The following steps failed: Renewing the IP address...contact your network admin or ISP", but it shows the hardware as Enabled, at least.

The System shows no cautions or errors on the hardware, and all the drivers, patches, etc, are up to date.

What now (besides tossing this thing!!)? It works great when connected wired, and the other two work great either wired or wireless...

[Memetic]

I had a similar problem when I switched locations, the PC had stuck itself on the default windows allocated IP address, not the one delivered by DHCP.

I am on a win98 machine now so can't look this up but I fixed it by opening a command line window and forcing all IP addresses to be released and renewed.

Can't remember the command but I got it from doing:

IPCONFIG / help

:D

Good luck.

If all else fails try Knoppix! 3.3 seems to work nicely at autoconfiguring wireless nets with PCMCIA cards. At least you would prove it a all works as a system and restore your faith!

[RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike]

Memetic

I am on a win98 machine now so can't look this up but I fixed it by opening a command line window and forcing all IP addresses to be released and renewed.


The commands that you're looking for are ipconfig/relaese and ipconfig/renew.

Works for XP, too.

HTH,

RFTM

[Memetic]

Having checked I actually used:

ipconfig /release *Con*

To release all the IP addresses.

then:

ipconfig /renew

With just the wireless card connected.

[Captain Over]

As I said, the machines connect fine when wired up. It is just the 2410 that cannot connect WIRELESS.

Still stuck
C.O.