Connecting a Laptop to a Wireless Network

[Tosh McCaber]

I’m trying to allow a couple of Czechoslovakian friends to access the internet whilst they are staying with me. Unfortunately, none of their laptops is “seeing” my Belkin modem/ router, to which my own computer is hard –wired, even when they are only a few feet away. Yet their computers are flagging up several other wireless networks that must be in the vicinity of my house. I know that the router is/ was working wirelessly, since another laptop was able to connect a few weeks ago.

My friends' computers are, respectively, a Dell and an HP.

Anybody any thoughts on how I can check out as to what is going wrong??

[Avtrician]

It sounds as though you wireless router has had its SSID hidden, and that access is password protected. That is if the wireless function is active.

If your wireless is active, then in the wireless connection utility of the laptops, you will need to specify the network name (SSID :- Name of router), and the password. If you dont know these settings, then you may need to reset the properties of your router to factory default, and start again.

[bnt]

Can't you just log in to the router to check its settings? If SSID broadcast is turned off, you can turn it on temporarily to let people connect, then turn it off again. I don't know that specific model of router, how it looks.

[Tosh McCaber]

Thanks for that. My question is- shouldn't the laptops be able to see my network, even before they are able to have a password, etc, to connect? I first tried this a week ago, before I made myself password protected. They couldn't see a connection even then.

[Saab Dastard]

Tosh McCaber,

Requiring a password (WEP or WPA) is entirely separate from the router broadcasting the SSID.

If the SSID is not being broadcast, it will not appear in "available wifi networks". Period.

You have to manually add it.

You THEN need to supply the WEP / WPA password.

Even then you may not be done - the WAP may be set up to restrict the MAC addresses that are allowed to connect.

And finally, if the WAP / Switch is not set up as a DHCP server, you will need to manually configure the IP settings.

One last thought - are you sure that your modem/router is actually a WIFI access point?

SD

[AHA2218]

I had the same problem with my laptop (vista) and my belkin modem.
My pda and wii found the router but not vista.
Ring the Belkin 24 hour phone number and they should help you out in less than five minutes.

[L Peacock]

Go to 192.168.2.1
Click submit (assuming you have the default blank router password)
Select channel & SSID
Click Enable for ESSID broadcast

[Tosh McCaber]

Thanks guys- I've checked out L Peacock's suggestion- ESSID is enabled.

SAAB- "the WAP may be set up to restrict the MAC addresses that are allowed to connect.", and, "if the WAP / Switch is not set up as a DHCP server, you will need to manually configure the IP settings."- Can you clarify, please?

Thanks,

Tosh

[L Peacock]

Hmm..

Try changing the name of your SSID and try changing the channel number.

[Saab Dastard]

WAPs (Wireless Access Points) can be set up to prevent connections from a network card whose MAC address is not pre-approved. You set up the list in the WAP.

DHCP is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - basically it auto-configures the IP address, netmask, default gateway and DNS servers for each client that connects to the DHCP server - in this case the WAP / Switch (technically it is the switch part that is acting as the DHCP server).

Both the client and the server have to be configured for DHCP - the former to request it, the latter to provide it. Otherwise the IP config has to be set manually.

Another possibility for the failure to see your wifi network could be that it is set to 802.11b only, while the clients are 802.11g only (or vice-versa).

SD

[Basil]

Just to re-state what may have already been included in posts:
PROVIDED that the MAC numbers of the laptops are added to the authorised access list in the router it is NOT necessary to broadcast the SSID.

Well not in my Netgear anyway

[Tosh McCaber]

Thanks for your advice, all. At the end of the day, it was basic and simple- I pulled the power supply to the router, which refreshed the wireless connection, and, bingo, we had a connection. I should have thought of that before!!

[Basil]

Yup, reboot fixes lots of things -
ABS, cruise control, digi boxes, simulators, 744s