FragTek
join:2005-01-22
|  Wireless Network Detected But Won't Connect?
I have a very strange problem that I can't seem to get around. My mother called me over to her house a few days ago when her computer wouldnt turn on and it ended up it had a melt down. I ordered parts to build a new one from the ground up and just got it running a few hours ago.
The computer is running XP Pro SP2 fully updated with a Linksys 54g PCI card. The router is a Linksys WRT54g (i think, something close to that). The router is working fine as my laptop finds the network and connects to it properly (on it right now) and never skips a beat.
My mothers new computer shows the network in the list with full signal strength. I have configured the connection properties identical to my laptops including the WEP key and such. When I go to connect to the network, it just sits and says "Waiting for network" for approximately 5 mins, then that dialog dissapears and never connects to the network, just goes back to the network selection screen.
Has anyone had this problem? If so how did you go about fixing it? This is very frustrating and have been playing with router options and computer options for hours now trying to get it to work properly with no luck.
Help please! Thanks in advance to all that reply. |
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Ali Ismail
join:2005-01-09
IRAQ
| Dear Friend,
As I understood from the above, that the system associate but no pinging, this done with me for the DLINK-2000AP+, anyway what fix the problem is the RTS and Fragmentation Threshold, these two numbers should be the same as the Access Point is.
Regards,
Ali Ismail
eng_ali1979 |
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STRYKR
join:2003-03-04
Las Vegas, NV
| reply to FragTek
Sometimes WEP gets wepped up. try to disable wep and connect and/or basically set everything back to default and try to connect.
Recycle router.
Check:
XP Firewall.
MAC filtering.
You can try to connect with Wireless Zero Configuation instead of Linksys software.
Check the routers log to see if it is actually connected.
some things to try and what I seen from my WRT54g.
Am I rambling....I need to go to sleep. |
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nigwel
join:2002-12-08
Schenectady, NY | reply to FragTek
Like the first one says.. Reset the security.. |
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FragTek
join:2005-01-22
| Thanks for all of the replies guys!
I got it working, but it was a very strange problem. It looks like the card or antenna was slightly damaged somehow when it was put in the new computer, I wiggled the antenna around in the back and it connected, if i wiggled it some more, it would drop it again. It's being super figity but it's working none the less 
Thanks again guys. |
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cory_spence
@comcast.net
| reply to FragTek
Having the same problem with one of our laptops at work. The machine can connect to other wireless networks - even a home wap across the creek from our office. Try to connect to our corporate WLAN, and it just won't connect. It sees the network, you hit connect, and it goes through the 'waiting for network' mess and then just times out. To give you a clearer picture of our WLAN...we've got multiple WAPS on a VLAN with no encryption required. However, people must authenticate to a gateway device via Active Directory/RADIUS, or we've entered their MAC addy's into a special permit table. We're not even able to get an address from DHCP over the wireless - it just won't associate. From the laptop side, we've upgraded to SP2, we've blown away all the automatically saved WLAN connections, we've gone to the Intel/Pro Wireless application instead of using Windows Zero Config. New drivers (twice), uninstalled,reinstalled.
I'm running out of things to try. HELP!!
Thanks everyone,
Cory |
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Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT
clubs: 
 ·Packet8
| reply to FragTek
Sounds like the problem I'm having with my friend's Linksys B pc card.. My router is a WRT54G, It sees the Router with 100% strenth but it fails to Connect to it, Which is very Annoying and this is a new install of Xp as well.
I gave up and just installed my other network card. I might dump that Linksys wireless card and get another brand.
--
It's NOT Ni-kon It's NE-KON!
"It is a mistake often made in this country to measure things by the amount of money they cost."
Albert Einstein |
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black knight
Premium
join:2004-06-22
Oxford, CT
clubs: | Subaru- Make sure that You put the WRT-54g in Mixed Mode, failing that try putting it in B mode Might help
BK |
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Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT
clubs:
·Packet8
| said by black knight  :Subaru- Make sure that You put the WRT-54g in Mixed Mode, failing that try putting it in B mode Might help BK Well thats my router at home it's on mixed mpde, but the router i'm having problems with is the Linksys BEFW11P1
it wont give a Ip address to any wireless system..
so I have to hook direct to the modem, the funny part is after some 3 or so years, this problem has just now started up.
--
It's NOT Ni-kon It's NE-KON!
"It is a mistake often made in this country to measure things by the amount of money they cost."
Albert Einstein |
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gVOIPm
join:2005-01-20
Mcdonough, GA
| I have the same problem, I get excellent signal strength connectivity but I can't get an IP from the DHCP server. I have tried to connect with and without WEP, and static IPs to now avail. I have no problem connecting to my Dlink 1000AP which is wired to the WRT54G so I know my wireless PC-Card works just fine.
I was beginning to think it was my dlink650 PC card but by the looks of this thread the problem happens even with Linksys cards.
I read here that someone got this to work by changing the RTS and threshold values. I tried that too, I actually found a "howto" in the linksys website but that didn't work either. |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
 ·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
| I've seen this too.
For WEP:
When it starts to "Acquiring Network Address," click the close button. Then right click on the network connection and select Repair.
It will disable, re-enable, reconnect, and then attempt to acquire an address again -- this time successfully.
For WPA-PSK and RADIUS:
Go into Device Manager and remove the network device, then have Device Manager scan for new hardware. Set up the re-installed network device as required.
This is, so far, an unacknowledged problem involving 802.1X (including WPA-PSK) and Windows XP SP2 or SP1 with the xxx845 Wi-Fi update.
--
Robb Topolski
http://www.funchords.com/
Hillsboro, Oregon USA |
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gVOIPm
join:2005-01-20
Mcdonough, GA
| For what is worth, i got my problem fixed by upgrading my drivers and making sure both router and adapter were on the same wireless channel and also that both had the same RTS and Fragmentation values. That did it for me, now i can connect and get an IP and get out to the internet without any problems.
My issue was somewhat different as I'm using the WRT54G router with a DLINK DWL-650 wireless adapter.
 |
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Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT
clubs:
1 edit | reply to FragTek
and my problem is going be fixed by getting rid of that junky Linksys printserv router.
it was so messed up I could not go into the internal page. |
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prestonlewis
Premium,MVM
join:2003-04-13
Sacramento, CA
·VoiceStick
| reply to FragTek
In this kind of problem, you should first turn off WEP in both AP and client and see if the connection works. If it does, then you know it's something related to WEP encryption. WEP uses "open key" or "shared key" that is not related to WPA's shared key. With WEP open key, any client can connect to the AP but unless the password is correct, it cannot use it. With WEP shared key, no client can connect to the AP without having the right password to begin with. Sometimes, your client using WEP open key might connect to someone else's network and then it won't work because the passwords don't match. You'll think you're connected to your network and wonder what the problem is. It's best to always use "shared key" when using WEP encryption. It usually isn't on the page where you set the channel, WEP, and password either. It is usually on another page in the setup and you'll have to look for it. And remember, it is not the same thing as WPA's shared key. Open key/shared key are 2 options for WEP. WPA's options include shared key but the other options are different. |
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Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT
clubs: | reply to FragTek
never ran WEP or any of that stuff. |
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HemiCuda70
join:2005-02-11
Soddy Daisy, TN
1 edit | reply to FragTek
This has been a major thorn in my side for awhile now also. I have wpc54ag, dwl-g650, and demarc 200mW cards that I use in various situations. At home I use a WAP54G oem f/w 2.07 and on the road a WRT54G w/ Sveasoft f/w. The most reliable so far has been the Demarc card. It doesn't support WPA (shame on them) but until I applied the latest round of M$ XP (SP1a) 'security updates' it never failed to connect to an open or WEP system. The linksys pc card has been spotty from day one. Sometimes it'll grab a DHCP address sometimes it won't. I can get the utility to show an AP association with either unit without problem. Last time I was on the phone with Linksys-India for 2hrs and got it to work on an open system. I turned on WPA and it failed. Went back to an open system and it refused to grab an IP. I've managed to get it to work only 2-3 times since. The D-Link card continues to lock my laptop tight about 10sec after I put it in the slot. I was on the phone with tech support for 30min and got it working after a complete driver reinstall. Now it's gone back to its system lockup crap. I've also tried to apply the MustDie 2.07r1 f/w to the WAP54G but it says I can't downgrade the f/w. How stupid of Linksys for that little bit of code. Drivers and software have been uninstalled/rebooted/installed several times to no avail. Am I missing something simple?
Almost forgot... does anyone have a link for Sveasoft's Freya firmware? I've read it's a free download, but I can't find an active link to it. I'd actually be happy with any f/w that removes the Tx power crippling I've also read about. Thanks. |
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HemiCuda70
join:2005-02-11
Soddy Daisy, TN
| reply to FragTek
Forgot to add... I have another PC on the LAN with a WMP54GS pci card and 7dBi desktop-mounted antenna. 7dBi antennas on the AP as well. about 100ft between the AP and PC. signal strength is "low" to "very low" even with this setup, but the PC has no trouble getting a connection to the WAN albeit unstable sometimes. I have an adapter cable to hook up a cAntenna to the PC. hope that helps the signal; also the reason [I think] I need power control via firmware. The AP & PC are set for wpa-psk. I'm perplexed that wi-fi works on the laptop periodically regardless of security settings on the LAN. DHCP is handled by a n*x-based firewall/router PC on the wired side of the LAN. Maybe someone will see something obvious that I've overlooked. |
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HemiCuda70
join:2005-02-11
Soddy Daisy, TN
| Ok, did some more hair pulling and found out the D-Link card was at fault for the lockups. Got a new B4 and it hums right along using the Atheros drivers/utility. Atheros seems to have taken control of my linksys card as well. Still no IP from the DHCP server for either card. The Atheros utility is reporting tons of CRC and Frame errors in the received section.
I remember reading somewhere on the Forums about unchecking the 802.11(?) option in network properties for the card. When I do that it disables the Atheros utility and I'm left with a blind and deaf wi-fi link. I've done all the tinkering I can til the end of the week.
As far as the MustDie firmware issue... is there any way to forcibly downgrade the firmware on the AP (WAP54g v2) so it'll load MD?
--
"I reject your reality and substitute my own." |
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johnxtampa2
@rr.com
| PrestonLewis, you are the man! Changing from Open to Shared resolved it for me.
Incidentally, this issue is happening to hundreds of people (tons of postings to online forums, newsgroups all over the web). Would this be a Microsoft issue, or a Linksys issue? (Based on my research, although it's hard to say for sure, almost every posting I see involves a Linksys, although with their market share, that may be a coincidence).
As a sidenote, here is the WORKAROUND I was using before discovering the better solution: Remember, this is the workaround.
- Being a workaround, you have to do this every time you startup or log in.
- Go to the Properties Page of the Wireless network, where you have the network key, key index, etc.
- Change something (anything, it seems).. I usually change the key index down 1, then back up 1 to where it was before
- Click OK
- Wait a few seconds, and it'll connect (then swear a lot)
Remember, this is a workaround... Try PrestonLewis' fix first (change the Network Authentication from Open to Shared). |
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johnxtampa2
@rr.com
| Oops, I guess I was premature (see my posting directly above)....
The fix (changing network authentication to "Shared") worked a couple times, but the computer is back to it's old tricks. The workaround fix is still working, though (and seems to work every time) |
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