Wireless woes :-(
 

Running a wireless network (no router, just using a wireless pci card in the main PC as an internet gateway (adhoc connection)). Been running fine for ages, any new laptop entering the house can log on straight away.

Had a new PC delivered today for one of the kids, with wifi card pre-installed. On booting, the new PC sees the network and connects to it no problem. From that point, zilch happens - the WLAN stats show some packets being sent, but none received. Essentially, the new PC is blindfolded, no shared files or printers visible (yes, it's enabled) and no internet connection. I've compared all the TCP/IP settings with a working laptop (all machines on XP SP2) and cannot see any differences. In desperation, uninstalled the wireless card from the new PC, fit a known working one and its software, and it's still just the same. Any suggestions would be appreciated (don't really fancy spending hours on the phone to a helpline who ultimatly might not have a clue either!).

If when you are using the new PC, click on View wireless networks,

If it shows you are connected to your host network but are not actually connected, click on disconnect, then go into change order of preffered networks and delete the host network.

Then go back in and view available networks, and it should show the available network you want to connect to,, then press connect and it should ask you for password for WPA, (you are encrypted aren't you????)

After you type in the password/key you should be able then to log on and off again anytime!

Also, ensure that the card (s) in both machines are set up to allow connection to either

1)"Any available network (access point preferred)" or
2) "computer to computer (ad-hoc)".

These settings are under the advanced option on the Network Settings tab of Wireless networks.

The default can be "access point", which requires a router.

Re-reading your post suggests that the Internet PC is OK, it is just the new machine that needs it configuration checked.

Laptops, that haven't been locked down :D, tend to allow connection to both ad-hoc and infrastructure networks.

Have you got a firewall on your wireless modem? Have a look there and make sure that you've enabled a suitably wide range of IP adresses (usually a chunk of the range 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.255).

Does the laptop have ZoneAlarm or similar installed? if so check in there that there's nothing blocking connection.

Is this simply for internet access or do you have a home network set up so that you can share files/folders/printers etc.? If the latter, the firewall/ZoneAlarm stuff is most likely.

ST

When I read things like this I just smile and say thank God I threw all that pc stuff away and got a Mac.
Actually 2 Macs now :p

Tried all the above no good. The main issue seems to be that it will not receive any packets, everything else is OK - spent another 3 hours on it tonight to no avail.

I'm pretty savvy on this sort of thing normally but just can't tie this one down.

timmcat

2 things that have tripped me up in the past is having the same workgroup on all computers and some wifi cards have wep keys running from 0 to 3 and some from 1-4, hope you resolve it.

rickity

timmcat,

Assuming that the problem is not wireless-related, but IP related:

How are you assigning IP addresses? all fixed? DHCP from the WAP?

Can you supply the IP configuration details (IPCONFIG /ALL) - IP address, subnet mask and default gateway for the new PC and your gateway PC?

On the new PC, what happens when you ping localhost? 127.0.0.1? Its own IP address? Its own name? Can you ping any other PC on the network? Can you ping any other name?

SD

Many thanks to you all for your time in replying. I gave up! Went out and bought a standalone modem/ wireless router and all is now fine!

Thanks again.