Wireless Networking Question

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?

Is windows controlling the wireless device or does it have its own software?
Diisable WEP and encryption on both router and wireless card and choose to not hide SSID also ensure you have it set to Infrastructure mode[Access point].
Will it connect now?
Is the wireless software showing your routers SSID after seeking?

What windows on the desktops? What windows on the laptops?

If it's 2k/NT/XP have you created login accounts for each machine to login to each other?

I have the same router/WAP and a G card built in my laptop. The laptop never wanted to connect when WEP was disable. I just enabled WEP, created a key, and typed that key into the prompt on the wireless connection. Check the setup on the router, and advanced properties on the wireless NIC for the channel. Set them the same.

Another issue:
I imagine there is also a wired NIC in that laptop. Check your devices to see if there is a device called 'Network Bridge' My wireless never worked right when that device was present. In fact, I didn't get it working untill I reloaded the laptop using the regular OS CD instead of the drive image disk.

To answer some of your questions:

Both the desktops run WinXP Pro as does the laptop, and all of them have logins (various users as myself, sister, guest, etc.).

There is no "Network Bridge" setup on the laptop.

Windows is not set to configure my wireless network settings; I'm using the Linksys software. According to the software, the settings are as such:

TCP/IP SETTINGS:
IP Address - 192.168.1.102
Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway - 192.168.1.1
DHCP Enabled

WIRELESS NETWORK STATUS:
State - Connected
SSID - linksys-g
Network Type - Infrastructure
Transfer Rate - 36 Mbps (sometimes 56 Mbps)
WEP - Off

Now here's the question that might the kicker. I don't have cable/DSL internet, so I didn't run the router utility on my laptop, nor did I use the web-based setup, should I have to do that? It didn't specifiy in the manual that it was necessary. The router utility CD that came with the router looks for an internet connection, specifically cable/DSL, which didn't apply to me. So do I still have to run it?

I know that if I have to run the utility to have it work, I'll look like a complete and utter moron on Windrivers...burn me now for being an idiot if that's true :flame: .

Thanks for the help! :D

No, you don't have to run the setup utility, whether you have a net connection or not. It sounds like your IP is being assigned by DHCP. I've sometimes had problems with DHCP over wireless. You might want to go manually assign an IP to the wireless NIC. Pick something below 100 for the last octet, so it doesn't fight with the DHCP server of the router.
E.G. - Set your laptop to 192.168.1.50 or something, as the DHCP address will start at 192.168.1.100, also remember your subnet mask of 255.255.255.0

Since you don't have an internet connection, you don't really need to worry about gateway or DNS servers.

does your router not have use an access screen to configure it as per the Vigor model below?

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...5/fb9b0e25.jpg



http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...e/fb919287.jpg

In which case you need to use it to set the router up for the wireless devices to connect.

You mentioned in the begining that you can "see" drives? what happens when you access them? Maybe it's a simple thing as giving "rights" to access them? Windows XP Pro is very secure and you have to set up users.

Funny thing is...I can communicate with the router with the wireless NIC, since I just upgraded the router's firmwire, but I can't seem to access other computers on the network.

I used the router's web-based utility to configure it and upgrade the firmware from my laptop, so why can't it access the other computers on the network?

Should I manually assign an IP address to each computer even though the two wired computers can see and access each other?

For information purposes:
My computer's IP: 192.168.1.100
My sister's computer's IP: 192.168.1.101
My laptop's IP: 192.168.1.102

Thanks!

Could you tell us if you have set up user account for each of the machines on the machines you wish to access?

EG two computers fred and george.

Fred needs a user george with password to allow george to see Fred's shared files.
George also needs a user Fred to allow fred to see george's shared files.

Both should have passwords set - otherwise you get some odd errors sometimes.

Well my desktop has user accounts set up for sharing its drives across the network, as does my sister's desktop. I set my laptop in the same way as well.

All three in the same workgroup (named WORKGROUP for simplicity). But here's my question, and I think this might be the issue: I log on with the user account "Raj" (w/o quotes) on my desktop, my sister with user account "Lisa" on her desktop, and the user account "Raj" on my laptop. Now will having two user accounts that have the same name, on the same network, logging on at the same time, screw things up even though they're on different computers?

Or is it just a stupid IP address issue?

just to recap :
log onto desktop with Raj
log onto other desktop Lisa
log onto laptop Raj

laptop cant browse shred drives on desktops - but can see them

Does Raj have exact same password on all 3 computers ?

I'm thinking the laptop using different password or blank -

BTW - if you can see other drives (or folders) your network is working - try ping 192.168.1.101 form command prompt to test it

HTH

Ok...this is crap, total crap.

My laptop can't even see the two desktops at all. I've logged onto each computer with a unique user on each one, and to no avail. The 2 desktops can access each other, but the laptop can't do crap.

I've tried using the wired NIC built-in the laptop, but that doesn't work either.

In both cases, when I try to "View Workgroup Computers" in "My Network Places," I get the same error stating the workgroup is not available and that I might not have permission to access it. But what's really pissing me off is that I set the laptop up IN THE SAME FRIGGIN' WAY as the desktops! I figured I might be able to access the desktops via a wired connection, but no. I swear I'm ready to burninate my laptop here... :flame:

The laptop can't even ping either desktop computer... :mad:

Should I just give each computer it's own IP address? Will that affect my internet connection once I get DSL?

Please, I'd really appreciate any help. :confused:

If you cannot ping either desktop and you are positive the cable and/or switch port is good, you are looking at firewall issues.

Norton, PC cillin, Macafee and XP all have firewalls. Make sure that they are all down on all 3 machines for testing purposes.

Then try pinging the desktops - are you trying pinging by ip or by netbios name?

Now this is weird ("I'm from Holland, isn't that veird?"...ahem)...

To clarify, in the following, I used both a direct wired connection and my wireless LAN card. Also, in the Network Connections section of WinXP it says that the IP address and such is being assigned by DHCP.

After turning off any form of authentication, both the desktop PCs can see the laptop, but can't access it, but the laptop still can't see the desktops.

What even stranger is that I can ping back and forth between both the desktop PCs and laptop using either one! :confused:

So I tried using the net view \\ComputerName command and I got a System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not found. I checked all my connections, but they're in perfect shape.

I then used net view \\IPAddress command, and it succeeded. According to Windows Help, if it succeeds, then ComputerName is being resolved to the wrong IP address.

So...what the heck is going on?

Does the router have its own IP address and could that be conflicting, and what's all this about resolving to the wrong IP address?

Here are the respective IP addresses:

My computer's IP: 192.168.1.100
My sister's computer's IP: 192.168.1.101
My laptop's IP (when using wireless LAN card): 192.168.1.102
My laptop's IP (when using direct wired connection): 192.168.1.103

Still not sure - but a few more things to know,

1. You can't have both the wireless and the wired plugged in at the same time. not even for a second !

(this may be causing the name resolution problem i.e. 192.168.1.102 and 103 both have the same network name laptop)
2. the router(by default) is 192.168.1.1. You should be going to http://192.168.1.1 from one of the desktops to configure the router.

3. Take out your wireless adapter on the laptop

4. Plug in the built-in nic on the laptop

5. Verify all FOUR adapters (2desktops, 2 in laptop) are set for DHCP in network settings

6. Power down all computers and hit the reset on the router (little button in hole)

7.Start up the laptop and and verify you can see http://192.168.1.1

8. Start up a desktop and verify you can see http://192.168.1.1

9. Try browsing each computer - What happens ?

10. verify the IP's with ipconfig at command prompt - laptop should say 0.0.0.0 for wireless and 192.168.1.10X for 3Com

11. If you can see router at http://192.168.1.1 but can't browse network - it's an authentication issue - we can resolve that and then get wireless working.
If you can browse each other, then disconnect 3Com and enable wireless - then GOTO 6 : )


Good Luck

Ok , I forgot to include this important point- You said you were logging on with unique user names - unique is not important - whats important is the password.
Since you are not using a domain controller - you have no way of keeping the user passwords synchronized. All 3 computers need to have Raj and Lisa as users with the EXACT SAME PASSWORD on each computer. i.e.

desktop1 has User:Raj with Password:opensesame
desktop1 has another User:Lisa ,Password:prettyplease
desktop1 has another User:Jerry, Password:Garcia

laptop has user:Raj with Password:opensesame
laptop has other User:Lisa ,Password:prettyplease
laptop has another User:Jerry, Password:garcia

Give all users share access to whatever folders/drives you want.

Jerry logged onto laptop will not be able to browse desktop1 because his password is different on each computer ( Garcia vs. garcia )

Blank passwords won't work either in XP (I'm pretty sure that causes problems - plus not a good idea)

you can be logged on as Raj on all 3 computers at the same time

Hope that helps

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Grateful_Dad

Still not sure - but a few more things to know,

1. You can't have both the wireless and the wired plugged in at the same time. not even for a second !

(this may be causing the name resolution problem i.e. 192.168.1.102 and 103 both have the same network name laptop)
2. the router(by default) is 192.168.1.1. You should be going to http://192.168.1.1 from one of the desktops to configure the router.

3. Take out your wireless adapter on the laptop

4. Plug in the built-in nic on the laptop

5. Verify all FOUR adapters (2desktops, 2 in laptop) are set for DHCP in network settings

6. Power down all computers and hit the reset on the router (little button in hole)

7.Start up the laptop and and verify you can see http://192.168.1.1

8. Start up a desktop and verify you can see http://192.168.1.1

9. Try browsing each computer - What happens ?

10. verify the IP's with ipconfig at command prompt - laptop should say 0.0.0.0 for wireless and 192.168.1.10X for 3Com

11. If you can see router at http://192.168.1.1 but can't browse network - it's an authentication issue - we can resolve that and then get wireless working.
If you can browse each other, then disconnect 3Com and enable wireless - then GOTO 6 : )


Good Luck

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Well I did all that, and again, the desktop PCs can access each other but the laptop is still out of the loop. Although when I did ipconfig at the command prompt, it didn't show anything for the wireless (well, the wireless card wasn't plugged in, so I would assume it wouldn't). All the computers could see the router at http://192.168.1.1 without any issues.

At ipconfig, this is what I got:
Desktop #1 IP Address: 192.168.1.100
Desktop #2 IP Address: 192.168.1.101
Laptop IP Address with only NIC plugged in: 192.168.1.103
Laptop IP Address with only wireless card plugged in: 192.168.1.102

In all cases in ipconfig, the Subnet Mask was 255.255.255.0 and the Default Gateway was 192.168.1.1

So as, you said, it seems to be a friggin' authentication issue. So how do I solve that?

Thanks! :thumbs:

OK - network seems to be in order since you can see router from all 3 - if you had dsl, all computers would be able to use internet -

First, on laptop - go to network connections in control panel and verify that file and print sharing is enabled on both (3Com and Wireless) adapters. You must have something on the laptop shared - pick a folder and share it. you can choose share to everyone or just Raj and Lisa etc... restart laptop. Logon to Laptop.

Now logon to desktop1 with the same user name and password as you did on laptop - the logon credentials are what is used when you try to access a shared folder. I can't stress enough that the User Name AND Password must be the exact same on both the laptop and desktop - don't use blanks.

now on desktop1 double click on "My Computer" - in the address bar where it says my computer type "\\192.168.1.102" or 103 depending on which network adapter laptop is using - you should be able to see the shared folder
or an authentication window pops up - let us know

Yet another point i thought of after posting - when you boot windows xp , is it autologging on someone or do you get to choose logon ?

Having just got my new toy - centrino laptop with everything (droool) and set up a wireless AP to a netgear adsl modem/router, I feel a tad more qualified to put my two cents in....


First up XP ALWAYS makes one share - shared documents... unless this has been deliberately removed, it should be there.

What you have is a netbios problem

You can ping by ip, but not by netbios name.

So check the settings for the internal lan connection as follows on all machines:

Right click my network places, select properties
Right click the lan connectiod (icon), select properties
They should all be set to dhcp and everything is greyed but the advanced button, click that.

Under Wins tab, look at the netbios setting - it should have the radio button "enable netbios over tcp/ip" checked

Reboot the router, then reboot all the machines.

Woohoo! Problem solved. I had everything setup as Grateful_Dad had said, but it still didn't work until NooNoo mentioned NetBios. I enabled it under TCP/IP but it still didn't work...

That is until I actually installed the friggin' NetBios Protocol. Then everything worked so smoothly, I nearly wet myself. :mult:

So know I have a couple more questions. I'm getting DSL soon (hopefully the kit should be in either today or later this week), and I was wondering if setting up the internet firewall in WinXP for the wired and wireless connections would screw up my home network. Obviously I'd want a firewall with the connection basically always being on. Or should I get another internet firewall instead of the one in WinXP?

Also, if I set up WEP for the wireless connection, that shouldn't screw up the home network should it?

Thanks a lot you guys. This calls for some celebration. :drink:

Windows XP firewall is almost a complete waste of time. While it will stop incoming stuff on popular ports, if the machine generates the request and the incoming is the answer, then it lets it through, regardless. So if you have a trojan broadcasting for its master, then the master can sail right through the firewall like it wasn't there.

Get a proper firewall!

I don't know what the firewall is like on your LinkSys Wireless-G Broadband Router - perhaps others can comment?

Excellent - congrats
as far as firewall - I agree with NooNoo - don't use Windows XPfirewall.
I have a Linksys 4 port router and i still run ZoneAlarm
Now most would say that all you need is the linksys -BUT i have had a few
(more than 1 less than 5 ) "hits" come across that and be caught by Zonealarm
I would not have known of the packet getting across the linksys if not for ZoneAlarm. Also, as NooNoo said, ZoneAlarm will tell you if an application wants acces to the net. Some Programs (adobe reader for example, and nero 6 on install) try to acces the internet for updates. ZoneAlarm will ask you if you want to grant permission or not. A trojan can be discovered this way.
So - to make a long story short , When you get DSL, power down linksys and PC's. Connect DSL modem into WAN port on Linksys, Power up DSL Modem, wait for DSL link, Power Up Linksys modem , wait for link, power up PC's. Nothin but net : )
WEP shouldn't interfere - but no experience with it.
Zonealarm , and any other firewall, takes some time to get a handle on , but as a guide - if you caused the zonealarm to popup a warning then its ok to allow - if you didn't do anything - read the alert.

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/conten...id=zadb_zadown
get the FREE one
or
http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html

Good Luck : )

Ok...now that I've enabled WEP on my router, my laptop can't access my home network via the wireless card. In fact WinXp kept asking me to enter a network key (which I'm pretty sure is the paraphrase for setting up WEP), but when I did, it kept yelling at me to enter it in 5 to 13 ASCII characters or some # of hexadecimals.

I got frustrated so I switched to WPA Pre-Shared Key using the TKIP algorithm, but it's still basically the same friggin' thing; I can't access my two desktops using the wireless router but I can access the internet (WEP or WPA).

Should I even use any encryption, or should I just stick with a personal firewall (like Zone Alarm...which I'm pretty sure has a CRAP load of spyware on it)?

Thanks!

You need wep encryption. Some where in your wireless access point set up is a generator to create the hex code that xp wants.

I dont have wireless yet, but have heard this same thing before, and as (once again) NooNoo said, use wep -- I'm sure its a simple setup issue -
No spyware in ZoneAlarm , but if you use the "more info" button when an alert pops up, they try to push pro on you.
Kerio personal firewall is just as good IMHO but not as pretty or intuitive - but once again NO Spyware ! :flame:
( thats me flaming spyware , not you)

you got this far - you'll get it , and i hope post the solution so when i get my wireless, I'll know : )

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Paco L 250

Should I even use any encryption, or should I just stick with a personal firewall (like Zone Alarm...which I'm pretty sure has a CRAP load of spyware on it)?

Thanks!

---

Why do you think Zone Alarm has spyware on it ? I've never heard this or found any evidence of it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edball

Why do you think Zone Alarm has spyware on it ? I've never heard this or found any evidence of it.

---

I just read this from reader reviews on Download.com. I'm too sure of it either, which is why I'll just try out the software anyway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NooNoo

You need wep encryption. Some where in your wireless access point set up is a generator to create the hex code that xp wants.

---

So I can't use the paraphrase instead of the hex code that was generated by that paraphrase? I also did 128-bit, so it made four keys so which do I choose?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Windows XP firewall is almost a complete waste of time. While it will stop incoming stuff on popular ports, if the machine generates the request and the incoming is the answer, then it lets it through, regardless. So if you have a trojan broadcasting for its master, then the master can sail right through the firewall like it wasn't there.

Get a proper firewall!

I don't know what the firewall is like on your LinkSys Wireless-G Broadband Router - perhaps others can comment?

---

Ahhhh an 'invitation' to stick my beak in ! :D

These are ok - but they won't stop trojan activity any more than any other hardware firewall will - for that you want a software firewall solution (or something else !) ... all hardware firewalls do generally is block ports !

& on the subject of Zonealarm & 'spyware' - well it does & it doesn't have 'spyware' in it - one of the features of zonealarm is to 'phone home' with new threats (but I think you can turn that off) - now is that spyware or not ? Litterally ... I guess it is !

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.

Quote:

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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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