Neighbor's problem with Microsoft Access Point

[stncttr908 Veteran]

http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/pro...a0e4a5&type=ovr

That would be the base station/router.

http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/pro...a0b14f&type=ovr

That would be the wireless adapter.

The problem she's having is with her daughter's computer. It's a Dell P4 1.8ghz, 256MB RAM, WinXP Home. Her cable connection goes into the router and comes into her computer, another Dell, P4 2.6ghz, 512MB RAM, WinXP Home, via a the wired 10/100. She explained that suddenly her daughter's computer (which is just in the other room) stopped working correctly the other night. So alright, I head over there to take a look. The USB wireless adapter recognizes the wireless network alright, obtains a network IP, and everything is good. However, it can't connect to the Internet. I manually configured the IP address, subnet, etc., and still had no luck. I released the network IP, renewed it, and even released/renewed the outside IP. Once I manually configured the local IP and subnet, it did send and receive packets to the network, but still no Internet.

Does anyone have any ideas? Help is greatly appreciated. I don't like Microsoft networking products. :no:

[+BudMan MVC]

When you say no internet - do you mean you can not ping anything by IP address. IE the isp gateway - or you can just not access websites, maybe its just a name resolution issue.

So the other computer works fine through the same router - just the wireless doesnt work? Could be a problem with WEP or WPA - is any of the wireless encryption stuff enabled? Is there any MAC filters enabled on the router?

Can the Wireless box ping the router?

[stncttr908 Veteran]

  BudMan said:

When you say no internet - do you mean you can not ping anything by IP address. IE the isp gateway - or you can just not access websites, maybe its just a name resolution issue.

So the other computer works fine through the same router - just the wireless doesnt work? Could be a problem with WEP or WPA - is any of the wireless encryption stuff enabled? Is there any MAC filters enabled on the router?

Can the Wireless box ping the router?

I mean not accesing websites.

I believe that some WEP encryption is enabled. If I had to guess, I'd say it's 128-bit.

I'll call her up and find out if they can ping the router from her daughter's computer.

[VGVL]

When you set the IP address manually, did you also set the DNS Settings correctly?

For a Network like that I'd say that leaving DHCP is your best option.

[boomn]

Just a side note, Microsoft wireless hardware generally very good stuff and doesnt deserve to be cracked on

[Billprozac]

Problem/Common solutions

1. Computer does not recieve an IP address.

Problem is either hardware malfunction or incorrect WEP settings.

2. Cannot ping the web.

Problem is with DNS settings. If router is a DNS forwarder, then set DNS to the IP address of the router otherwise set it to IP address of primary DNS at your ISP. Using DHCP should solve this problem as well.

3. Can access the internet, but cannot browse other computers, or other computer cannot browse wireless computer, or any other combination.

Firewall, firewall, firewall.

4. Computer connects, but disconnects fequently.

Turn on SSID broadcast on router, turn off 802.1x authentication in Zero Config. If possible, disable Zero Config and use the manufacturers wirless utility.

I too have had experiance with MS product, but was not impressed. There were no sever issues, but the range was short and the configuration was not as advanced.

[VGVL]

If all else fails, you might want to try this: (That's my old MN-500 Wireless Access Point).

[John Veteran]

  Huezo said:

If all else fails, you might want to try this: (That's my old MN-500 Wireless Access Point).

I don't know why this is so "cool" :rolleyes: It's a perfectly good piece of hardware, sell it if you don't want it. You're just wasting money by destroying it (N)

I have an MN-700 (Wireless-G) and I have had zero problems with it. No connectivity issues other than some minor interference from my walls, and it has not been rebooted since the day I got it and configured it. I highly recommend it (Y)

[clonk]

  Huezo said:

If all else fails, you might want to try this: (That's my old MN-500 Wireless Access Point).

Oh, the funny jokes!

[VGVL]

  gameguy said:

I don't know why this is so "cool" :rolleyes: It's a perfectly good piece of hardware, sell it if you don't want it. You're just wasting money by destroying it (N)

Maybe I should clarify on that issue. The Router kept resetting itself every few hours for about a month, until it finally died. I called Microsoft Tech Support and they said I had to send it in to have it replaced. Since that process was going to take a few days I decided to buy a new one on that same day (Not a Microsoft one, but still a Wireless Router). So I got to keep a dead WiFi Router until I decided to smash it with a hammer, lol. :laugh:

But no, that was not a "perfectly good piece of hardware". :p

[OptiPlex]

I expect this from grimreaper but you??!?? :D

[gawdflesh]

  Quote

You're just wasting money by destroying it

He uses an Apple...wouldn't be the first time he's wasted money... ;) (j/k)

If she's using XP, make sure she downloaded that wireless rollup update. I had nothing but problems until I downloaded and installed it, and even then, it was spotty performance at best. Honestly, if she hasn't had it that long, have her return it and get a linksys setup. The Microsoft hardware isn't *horrible*, it's just not very novice-friendly, which is odd.

[John Veteran]

  Huezo said:

Maybe I should clarify on that issue. The Router kept resetting itself every few hours for about a month, until it finally died. I called Microsoft Tech Support and they said I had to send it in to have it replaced. Since that process was going to take a few days I decided to buy a new one on that same day (Not a Microsoft one, but still a Wireless Router). So I got to keep a dead WiFi Router until I decided to smash it with a hammer, lol. :laugh:

But no, that was not a "perfectly good piece of hardware". :p

It sounds like you didn't install the firmware update then. A lot of people had problems like that, but the firmware update fixes it.

[[jon]]

:blink: interesting, never knew microsoft made wireless networking products :)

[PseudoRandomDragon]

  [jon said:

,Jun 20 2004, 16:49] :blink: interesting, never knew microsoft made wireless networking products :)

Yeah, they make mice too. :pinch:

[OptiPlex]

  gameguy said:

It sounds like you didn't install the firmware update then. A lot of people had problems like that, but the firmware update fixes it.

Wow, in that case, what a dumb***!

  Quote

He uses an Apple...wouldn't be the first time he's wasted money

:laugh: