Laptop can't connect to any wireless network after having tried to connect to my new Belkin N+ modem/router
Hi experts,
Yesterday I replaced my old SMC modem/router (b/g) with a new Belkin modem/router (n+)
My desktop PC (running Windows Vista) and Dell laptop (running Windows XP) can connect wireless without any problems.
But... my wife's 4 years old Medion laptop (running Windows XP) can't.
This is what I did and experienced:
* I right-clicked on the wireless connection icon in the system tray and choose "View Available Wireless Networks" as always.
* I found the SSID of my new Belkin N+ modem/router among my neighbours' (protected and unprotected) SSID's
* I selected my own and clicked "Connect"
* I gave in the network key (WPA2-PSK) and pressed "OK"
* While connecting all wireless networks in the overview window fell away and the connection failed.
* Refreshing the network list didn't help bringing them back
* Repairing the network connection sometimes brings up the available networks again.
* But even then: trying to connect to one of my neighbour's open networks doesn't work anymore and the available networks are gone again.
This is what I think:
The wireless network card of that laptop (and old Winbond W89C33 mPCI 802.11 Wireless LAN Adapter) supports 802.11 b/g but not n(+)
That's OK. I don't expect miracles.
But even then: how come that after having tried to connect to my new n+ modem/router, I even can't connect to the wireless b/g networks that I could previously connect to?
So my question:
How to "repair/reset" my laptop in the sense that it can connect again to the wireless b/g networks it could previously connect to?
Thanks in advance for trying to help.
Yesterday I replaced my old SMC modem/router (b/g) with a new Belkin modem/router (n+)
My desktop PC (running Windows Vista) and Dell laptop (running Windows XP) can connect wireless without any problems.
But... my wife's 4 years old Medion laptop (running Windows XP) can't.
This is what I did and experienced:
* I right-clicked on the wireless connection icon in the system tray and choose "View Available Wireless Networks" as always.
* I found the SSID of my new Belkin N+ modem/router among my neighbours' (protected and unprotected) SSID's
* I selected my own and clicked "Connect"
* I gave in the network key (WPA2-PSK) and pressed "OK"
* While connecting all wireless networks in the overview window fell away and the connection failed.
* Refreshing the network list didn't help bringing them back
* Repairing the network connection sometimes brings up the available networks again.
* But even then: trying to connect to one of my neighbour's open networks doesn't work anymore and the available networks are gone again.
This is what I think:
The wireless network card of that laptop (and old Winbond W89C33 mPCI 802.11 Wireless LAN Adapter) supports 802.11 b/g but not n(+)
That's OK. I don't expect miracles.
But even then: how come that after having tried to connect to my new n+ modem/router, I even can't connect to the wireless b/g networks that I could previously connect to?
So my question:
How to "repair/reset" my laptop in the sense that it can connect again to the wireless b/g networks it could previously connect to?
Thanks in advance for trying to help.
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I suspect that the wireless adapter in the notebook is failing. I would try replacing it.
ASKER
@bgoering: Thanks for the tip. Btw, does that have any drawbacks?
@edbedb: I think that's not the case since right before I tried to connect to my new Belkin router it worked perfectly (connecting to my old SMC router)
@edbedb: I think that's not the case since right before I tried to connect to my new Belkin router it worked perfectly (connecting to my old SMC router)
SOLUTION
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There are no issues running in mixed mode, for maximum N performance ensure you have set the channel to wide (40 MHz)
ASKER
@bgoering: Thanks for the info.
@edbedb:
I didn't try to connect with my old router again.
But as I said, connecting to the unprotected wireless networks of my neighbours seems to be impossible (which was possible right before I tried to connect to my new Belkin modem/router). Anyway, if the wireless adapter fails, I guess biju_2k's suggestion (which I'll try out tomorrow evening) should help.
Thank you all for your help so far.
@edbedb:
I didn't try to connect with my old router again.
But as I said, connecting to the unprotected wireless networks of my neighbours seems to be impossible (which was possible right before I tried to connect to my new Belkin modem/router). Anyway, if the wireless adapter fails, I guess biju_2k's suggestion (which I'll try out tomorrow evening) should help.
Thank you all for your help so far.
ASKER
Update:
1. My Belkin router was and is configured in mixed mode (b/g/n)
2. I removed the network adapter (which by the way was NOT and is NOT flagged with an erron icon)
and afterwards it (auto-)installed again without problems.
But the problem still exists.
From time to time the wireless networks are there, most of the time window says none are available.
When they are there I tried to connect with one of the unprotected ones (I used to be able to connect with previously).
Sometimes WHILE trying to connect, the wireless networks are gone again.
Sometimes I am able to connect. But the connection seems to be very unstable: after some minutes the connection is gone and... no networks are found.
*sigh*
So, if my wireless network adapter is indeed failing (which seems to be the conclusion for now...) the strange thing is that the failing started at the moment of trying to connect to my new Belkin modem/router.
And that's a coincidence that I almost can't believe.
1. My Belkin router was and is configured in mixed mode (b/g/n)
2. I removed the network adapter (which by the way was NOT and is NOT flagged with an erron icon)
and afterwards it (auto-)installed again without problems.
But the problem still exists.
From time to time the wireless networks are there, most of the time window says none are available.
When they are there I tried to connect with one of the unprotected ones (I used to be able to connect with previously).
Sometimes WHILE trying to connect, the wireless networks are gone again.
Sometimes I am able to connect. But the connection seems to be very unstable: after some minutes the connection is gone and... no networks are found.
*sigh*
So, if my wireless network adapter is indeed failing (which seems to be the conclusion for now...) the strange thing is that the failing started at the moment of trying to connect to my new Belkin modem/router.
And that's a coincidence that I almost can't believe.
That's why I wanted you to try connecting to your SMC router. I suspect it will connect to it and that would mean your wireless adapter didn't start failing at the same moment.
ASKER
I found out the following:
Whenever I switch off my new Belkin modem/router I see all available wireless networks and I am able to connect (to the unprotected ones) without experiencing any problem!
So indeed, my wireless adapter is not failing... unless it receives and "processes" the signal of my new Belkin router.
I tried all kind of settings (mode: only b & g, only g, WEP instead of WPA2, other channel, ...) but nothing helped.
Conclusion:
My wireless adapter is not at all compatible with my new Belkin router. And it is that bad that it starts failing whenever it picks up a broadcast signal from it (without even trying to connect)
For the moment I switched back to my old SMC router.
I'll retry introducing that Belkin router when we replace my wife's laptop in the near future.
Any further thoughts on this?
Many thanks for trying to help, everybody.
I'm thinking about spreading the points among all of you. What do you think?
Whenever I switch off my new Belkin modem/router I see all available wireless networks and I am able to connect (to the unprotected ones) without experiencing any problem!
So indeed, my wireless adapter is not failing... unless it receives and "processes" the signal of my new Belkin router.
I tried all kind of settings (mode: only b & g, only g, WEP instead of WPA2, other channel, ...) but nothing helped.
Conclusion:
My wireless adapter is not at all compatible with my new Belkin router. And it is that bad that it starts failing whenever it picks up a broadcast signal from it (without even trying to connect)
For the moment I switched back to my old SMC router.
I'll retry introducing that Belkin router when we replace my wife's laptop in the near future.
Any further thoughts on this?
Many thanks for trying to help, everybody.
I'm thinking about spreading the points among all of you. What do you think?
I would return the router while you still can. In my experience Belkin is the worst brand name router there is. Just this past week I had a client that had a brand new one that had to be returned.
ASKER
@edbedb
Funny to hear you say that!
This Belkin router is a replacement (that I got after waiting for 2 months) for a brand new Linksys/Cisco modem/router (type:WAG160N) that I bought earlier.
But since
1. it didn't work as it should (very often there was no more connection to the internet although my PC was connected to the router and the only thing I could do to solve it was power off/power on)
2. On the internet (even Linksys own's forum) I found lots of people having the same problem
3. apparently no firmware upgrade would become available soon
I returned it to the store where I bought it and asked for one of a different brand. Which was Belkin in this case.
So in MY opinion, Linksys/Cisco is the worst brand name router there is ;-)
Moreover, the problem I experienced is in my opinion due to my older wireless adapter and not due to my router.
Nevertheless, thanks for sharing your thought.
Funny to hear you say that!
This Belkin router is a replacement (that I got after waiting for 2 months) for a brand new Linksys/Cisco modem/router (type:WAG160N) that I bought earlier.
But since
1. it didn't work as it should (very often there was no more connection to the internet although my PC was connected to the router and the only thing I could do to solve it was power off/power on)
2. On the internet (even Linksys own's forum) I found lots of people having the same problem
3. apparently no firmware upgrade would become available soon
I returned it to the store where I bought it and asked for one of a different brand. Which was Belkin in this case.
So in MY opinion, Linksys/Cisco is the worst brand name router there is ;-)
Moreover, the problem I experienced is in my opinion due to my older wireless adapter and not due to my router.
Nevertheless, thanks for sharing your thought.
ASKER
At last I found the solution myself, but nevertheless I'm thankful for the efforts of the experts that tried to help me.
ASKER
@biju_2k: I'll give that a try tomorrow evening when I'm home again.
@MRK78: No driver updates found on the net for that (apparently old) wireless card.
I could indeed try without encryption, but currently that does already fail when I try connection to my neighbour's unprotected network.
So as I said, my first priority is to make connecting to b/g networks work again.