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amone

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How do I connect my wireless notebook?

Hi there. I have an acer wireless notebook with centrino tech., a Intel Pro Wireless 2200BG(802.11b/g WlLAN). I have a router and a wireless setup that I am sure you've never heard of (since I live in Germany) and I definitely do NOT know alot about computers. Anyhow, after spending days and DAYS, I was finally able to get my notebook connected to the internet and it worked wonderfully for a couple of weeks. (Using windows to connect never worked, so I used the Intell to connect). That is, I was never able to plug and play with this thing. While I was having trouble connecting the first time, my husband took it to work and it worked fine and a friend took it home and there it worked fine as well. On the weekend, I tried to connect again and I found that I cannot anymore. I have discontinued my virus software, actually now I have recovered my whole system out of shear desperation and I have disconnected the firewall on my router. I do not have the WEP enabled. I have also disabled windows and I am trying to use the Intel software to connect. Currently, it cannot find anything. (Interestingly enough, sitting right next to my notebook is a Sony notebook and it connects ((though right now it is turned off)) to the internet using windows just dandy!!) My notebook is not connected to a network but I do have a PC connected in the same room. I have no mobile phones around, nor any blue tooth tech. turned on. I have tried to download current firmware for my router, but truthfully I am having trouble using the winzip and now each time my firmware exe. file turns into a word. doc! I have also tried to repair/deinstall and reinstall the Intel drivers, but that doesn't seem to do anything this time. I have used command to try to ping the router, but all the packets get lost. I apologize if I sound totally inconherent, this is really getting on my nerves. I was so proud for "fixing" the problem myself the first time and now this. Yikes! Amy P.S.: Okay, I see that you have t-online products in the US now, my router is a t-sinus 130 dsl, if you can place that product.
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TRobertson

I would really like to help you bu to better troubleshoot the situation I have a couple of extra questions.

Does windows recognise your wireless adapter? Check device manager.
What OS are you runing?
Do an "ipconfig /all" at a comand prompt and display the results.
Are you using DHCP?
Does your intel software see and wireless networks?

If your unsure what any of these mean let me know and I can walk you thru.
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ASKER

Hi, in answer to your questions:

Windows will open the intel adapter if I click on the adapter tab under properties but windows is not enabled to configure, the intel software is.

Intel currently does not find any availbable networks at present.

I am using XP as an OS.

I checked in the device manager and my adapter is listed-I can right click and get a menu for it and see that it is active and ready to use.

I did an ipconfig/all and it showed me that (sorry, I cannot display all results or is there a way to copy and paste with command? Anyhow, I can summarize them):

that under windows IP configuration that IP routing/wins proxy is is not activiated

and that my wireless adapter has no connection and it lists the mac address

it also lists the network bridge with an auto IP address I do not recognize-I don't need this bridge, do I?

Regarding DHCP: the only listing seems to be for this Mac mini bridge

At any rate, I fixed my firmware problem for the router and upgraded it and then I tried to ping and lost all packets.

Amy



 
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ASKER

I will also add that the DHCP server is activated on the router.
Can you also verify that you do not have MAC filtering turned on within the router, this would only let certain wireless devices to connect based on its MAC address.
Also what service pack are you on?  I know SP2 has become even more dependent on window's built-in wifi features.
Are you using the latest intel software? 5.0 i think.
Can you verify that the ip address for your pc and other laptop are of a private range. ie 192.168.x.x, or 10.x.x.x or 172.16.x.x (<-i know)
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ASKER

OMG! It works!! I haven't had a chance to do anything but download the firmware for the router this morning. And after I had nothing had changed. I just took my notebook off standby and it had a connection. Could there some sort of delay after I had uploaded the firmware this morning? I mean it is hours later. What do you suppose it was? Is is safe now to reactivate the firewall and do the mac filter?
Amy
I would guess that some setting on the router was blocking the access, and replacing the firmware restored the factory default settings.  Im sure its ok to enable everything just do it a step at a time and maybe even a reboot between steps to reassure that it is connecting ok.  Also make sure that you can connect from your other laptop and pc.
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ASKER

Well, it doesn't pay to get too excited too quickly. My notebook connection is gone again. Using my pc, I enabled the firewall and began on the mac addresses and suddenly the connection on my notebook was gone. I noticed also for some reason, the intel icon has also disappeared from the task bar. Sigh. I have disabled the firewall now and have undone the mac filter, but the connection seems to be still gone. No signal. No ping.
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ASKER

Okay, after crying a bunch of tears, I unplugged the router and let it cycle up. This was after I had activated the firewall and begun to put in the mac addresses. Obviously I did something majorly wrong, because after unplugging it I got a signal on my notebook. I do not know what to think. So, tell me, I am willing to wait with the mac filter, but can I connect the firewall at least? What do you think?
Amy
Are you getting a public or private ip from the router?  the reason I ask is because possibly it could be configured to only pass one public ip address and when one of the devices gets that addres (ie PC) then the other (ie laptop) can not connect.  this is just a thought.
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ASKER

Uh, what is the difference? Ie how can I tell the difference? (I am writing this from my notebook, btw.)
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ASKER

Oh, and I noticed that the intel icon is gone and hasn't come back. The connection status is done by windows.
>>Can you verify that the ip address for your pc and other laptop are of a private range. ie 192.168.x.x, or 10.x.x.x or 172.16.x.x
from command promtp of your notebook run ipconfig and look at ip address of network adapter.

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ASKER

Yes they are. 192.168 and so on.

The notebook is still working and I have activated the firewall on the router but not the mac filter...too chicken ----to try that again.
The mac filter should have all the mac address of each wireless device.  Verify both laptop MAC address are in this table.
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ASKER

Yes, in the meantime I have seen all the mac addresses in there, including both laptops. My question is- are any of those 0s actually Os? And, how important is it to use the mac filter? Thanks for your time.
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TRobertson

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I hadn't noticed that. Thanks.