Wireless network snags

[Arkroyal]

We have a home wifi network which happily connected a Windows 7 and two XP machines.

Having bought Mrs Ark a new Sony machine with Windows 8 it ain't as easy to connect it.

The new machine can access the network, and share files with the Win 7 and XP machine ok.

But from the Win 7 computer, the Win 8 is seen as a network computer, but any attempt to access it asks for 'My Password'. I have no idea what password it wants, and can't get around it.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Ancient Observer]

I assume that someone who knows what they are talking about will be along shortly. However, as a guess, could it be the password in (Win 7) in control panel, network and sharing centre, choose home group and sharing options, view or print the homegroup password. ?? As none of the other pcs at home have ever needed this, (they are either pre-7, or we do not fully share stuff - eg visitors posh laptops), I've often wondered what it is for!!

[mixture]

I assume you tried the username/password you defined when you setup the Windows 8 machine ?

[Arkroyal]

Thanks guys. A.O. As one if the computers us rather old and running XP I had to network the old way not using Homegroup. I thonk you ate probably right. The Win8 machine seems to only understand Homegroup and mot my original network.

Solution may be to bin the old XP box and reset Homegroup without it.

[Arkroyal]

Sorry for spelling errors. This iPhone screen's a bit small for 60 year old eyes'

[Mike-Bracknell]

Originally Posted by Arkroyal

Thanks guys. A.O. As one if the computers us rather old and running XP I had to network the old way not using Homegroup. I thonk you ate probably right. The Win8 machine seems to only understand Homegroup and mot my original network.

Solution may be to bin the old XP box and reset Homegroup without it.

I'm sure there is an alternative solution, however you have probably come to the right conclusion and will bin the XP box, thereby removing a layer of complexity in your networking travails, and also guarding against obsolescence (enforced by MS or otherwise)

[Arkroyal]

Thanks everyone

The one-way network has been fine to transfer the vital stuff, and the old XP box, which is ten years od and struggling anyway will be switched off soon..... for ever!

[OFSO]

Here's an odd one. My Android tablet frequently says that my home wifi "is known to Android but signal is too weak/too far away to connect" even when it's a few feet from the router.

At the same time the tablet happily locks onto wifi from the local town 3 miles and 600 feet lower.

The cure for the tablet is turning wifi off and on again when my home wifi pops up nice and strong on the screen. Needless to say no problems connecting to free wifi everywhere else. And my HTC phone has no problems conecting to my home wifi: it's just the tablet.

Any clues ?

[Ancient Observer]

OFSO,
No solution, but my Samsung phone does the same, on a random basis.

I just do what the computer help desks have told me to do for all these years - turn it off and turn it back on.

At least the Samsung which is getting on a bit works. SWMBO's £500 13 month old piece of apple-crap doesn't.

[OFSO]

Now now, don't mock the afflicted. My tablet cost 107 pounds from Maplins.

If I had spent a fortune on a tablet I'd expect blazing speed, superb screen, wonderful sound and an ability to provide me with what I want even before I want it. And a huge screen and yet it should fit in my waistcoat pocket. And take me back 40 years in time and get me a date with Felicity Kendal.

But I didn't spend a fortune, and despite getting none of those things it meets my humble expectations and I'm very happy. Plus I can stick lots of peripherals in it and do lots of things that the fruit machine won't. Oh and it does fit in my blazer pocket.

[Mike-Bracknell]

Originally Posted by OFSO

Here's an odd one. My Android tablet frequently says that my home wifi "is known to Android but signal is too weak/too far away to connect" even when it's a few feet from the router.

At the same time the tablet happily locks onto wifi from the local town 3 miles and 600 feet lower.

The cure for the tablet is turning wifi off and on again when my home wifi pops up nice and strong on the screen. Needless to say no problems connecting to free wifi everywhere else. And my HTC phone has no problems conecting to my home wifi: it's just the tablet.

Any clues ?

Could be the wifi channel on the router. Wifi isn't exactly the same all the way around the globe - we have channels 1-13 available whereas the Yanks have 1-11 generally available due to the US Military claiming the bandwidth. (it's slightly more complicated than that but you get the gist), hence a perennial problem is American-made wifi systems generally barf when faced with a UK wifi on channel's 12 and 13 (and sometimes 11 as well).

Try changing (or mandating if it's set to "Auto") the channel and see what happens.

[OFSO]

Interesting thing: if I leave the house and return without having used the tablet on another wifi network, it immediately is up and running on my home network when I get back.

If I leave the house and use the tablet on another wifi network, when I return it says my home wifi "is known to Android but signal is too weak/too far away to connect"

I have gone thru the usual procedure of changing channels etc.

Of course resetting the router results in an instant connection. But that shouldn't be necessary (ha ha).

[Mike-Bracknell]

Originally Posted by OFSO

Interesting thing: if I leave the house and return without having used the tablet on another wifi network, it immediately is up and running on my home network when I get back.

If I leave the house and use the tablet on another wifi network, when I return it says my home wifi "is known to Android but signal is too weak/too far away to connect"

I have gone thru the usual procedure of changing channels etc.

Of course resetting the router results in an instant connection. But that shouldn't be necessary (ha ha).

That's a bug in your wifi implementation on either your Android or the router.