Wireless Networking Question

I think i know what may be causing the disconnects.

Wireless encryption key's are cycled on the WAP, so if your router is using more then one key, it will use key#1 for a period of time, then rotate to key #2, etc.

64 bit encryption will use 2 keys, where 128 uses 4.

Now, the interesting thing with windows XP is that it's only got room for 1 encryption key to be used. so that's 32 bit encryption... not very good.

The disconnection comes when you have mismatching encryption. Your WAP rotates the key, your XP can only have one, it does not know the new key, so it looses it's connection. XP then re requests a connection using key #1 and the WAP obligates... till the key rotates again... You can see the patern here.

The solution is to use what ever software comes with the laptop/desktop and/or NIC to input ALL the encryption keys. On my IBM laptop, i need to use "Access Connections" software to input more then one key. There should be a similar manager for your laptop and/or NIC.

Of course, you could always go down to 1 key in the WAP, but that is not very secure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Matridom

I think i know what may be causing the disconnects.

Wireless encryption key's are cycled on the WAP, so if your router is using more then one key, it will use key#1 for a period of time, then rotate to key #2, etc.

64 bit encryption will use 2 keys, where 128 uses 4.

Now, the interesting thing with windows XP is that it's only got room for 1 encryption key to be used. so that's 32 bit encryption... not very good.

The disconnection comes when you have mismatching encryption. Your WAP rotates the key, your XP can only have one, it does not know the new key, so it looses it's connection. XP then re requests a connection using key #1 and the WAP obligates... till the key rotates again... You can see the patern here.

The solution is to use what ever software comes with the laptop/desktop and/or NIC to input ALL the encryption keys. On my IBM laptop, i need to use "Access Connections" software to input more then one key. There should be a similar manager for your laptop and/or NIC.

Of course, you could always go down to 1 key in the WAP, but that is not very secure.

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Well here's the craziness, everything works like a charm. I can access the internet from my room on my laptop while my sister's on her desktop downstairs on AIM, without any issues (except for the obvious slight slowdown).

The problem comes up especially when the cordless phone is used (at least the one in my parent's bedroom; haven't tried out the one downstairs). The phone is 2.4 GHz as is my wireless card. So I get disconnected for the duration of the call since my room is near the phone's baseset. Any way I can find out what channel the phone is broadcasting at and change my wireless card's channel to something the phone doesn't access? Any other suggestions?

In reagards to WEP, I have it up and running without any issues. I use my wireless card's program which supposedly encrypts at 128 bits yet only uses one key. I used the same passphrase in that program and in the router's setup program that I accessed via an internet browser. Although could that be the issue?

Thanks!

Looks like you have the WEP set correctly, the channel for the wireless card? No clue on how to change it.

Just a stab in the dark - since i don't have wireless, but it should be easy to change the channel of the phone. On the phone - typically, there should be a channel buton and you should be able to find 1 that reduces interference with wireless. The phones usually have channels 1-10 , new ones 1 - 25
If that doesnt work - check for channels on the Linksys, or relocate the phone or the router and see if that helps

Try changing to adhoc mode so you can bypass the router or you can enable ipx spx or netb to bypass the firewall all together. Luck 2 u.

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Originally Posted by Paco L 250

Here's the deal:

I have the LinkSys Wireless-G Broadband Router and I have 2 computers plugged directly into it, and they network and share files perfectly. They both use the same ethernet card (LinkSys LNE100TX(v5) Fast Ethernet Adapter) and have the following items in use:

• Client for Microsoft Networks
• File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
• QoS Packet Scheduler
• Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

They are also on the same workgroup.

But I'm having issues using the LinkSys Wireless-G Notebook Adapter on my Dell Inspiron 8200. I can't connect to the network in anyway (although I can see the shared drives, I can't access them) and the other two desktop systems don't even see the laptop. The laptop has the same items as above installed for the wireless connection, but it still doesn't want to work. For all three computers I've used the Network ID Wizard just in case, and still no difference: the desktops can network fine, but the laptop cannot using the wireless card. The laptop is also set to be on the same workgroup

The laptop does have integrated ethernet (wired) (3Com integrated ethernet), but I really won't use that unless I'm back at college and connecting to the internet there. This also has the same protocols and services as the desktops do, but I haven't set up a wired network with the laptop yet.

All computers have Win XP Pro w/Service Pack 1 and the latest drivers for all networking products.

Now it may not be an issue now, but I will be getting Cable/DSL internet in the next couple of months so it will be. So how can I get the wireless connection to work on the laptop when it has the integrated ethernet port as well? Is it possible?

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I have Intel CENTRINO CL51. They have provided me with network adapter drver. However I have tried to install this garbage several times and no can do. I keep on having the certificate issue and that pesky asterix mark on the driver. I have tried everything and nothing seems to work. I am on Win XP SP 2 For better details for assistance pls click on this http://www.compal.com/Product/Html/notebook/DCL51.html .I will appreciate any help I can get.