Wireless Protocol security

Set the Sonic Wall to WPA2 and then I think it should work.

there are 4 WPA2....         any choices?

none work....

i am really perplexed...   and i know the laptop works, and so does the router
frustrated

It should work with any WPA method.

If you use no security at all does it connect?

It is possible the network card on the Surface machine is not compatible with the Sonic Wall. I have seen that before.

The driver for the Surface may need to be upgraded.

Look for a Wireless Network card driver upgrade from Microsoft Support and upgrade the NIC. (So uninstall the wireless NIC and install the new driver). Test in the Sonic Wall environment.

Also test the Surface with a different Wi-Fi source (coffee shop, say).

good thought  john.

my friends

I am still frustrated by the non-ability to connect on line.
how can I  update the wireless NIC driver on a my surface ?

If you cannot get the Surface online, look in Device Manager and look in the Network section for the wireless NIC. Double click to get properties and see if you can determine the make / model of the wireless NIC card.

Assuming the above, use a different computer to download the driver, put it on a USB key and install from there on the Surface machine.

I highly doubt it's an actual driver issue, unless the NIC isn't installed correctly.

In device manager, find the NIC and uninstall it, but don't choose the option to delete the drivers.  Restart the Surface and let it find and reinstall the NIC, then try to connect again.

You didn't say whether you tried it with no security at all.

If the Surface has been tried on different routers (as suggested above), there must be something wrong with the NIC installation. or maybe some strange failure of the NIC.

I have found that my own Windows 8.1 machine will connect wherever I go so long as I have proper authentication.

If the Surface has been tried on different routers (as suggested above), there must be something wrong with the NIC installation.

How so?  It works on other routers!

I do not usually have this kind of problem. If Surface works on an arbitrary router and ONLY not on the Sonic Wall, there must be some sort of incompatibility.  If not, then what?

ok,,

lets get a little deeper.
my tech uses the same router. Slightly earlier firmware.
i took my surface to his office  -  it connected.
i came home, it could not. Other computers have no issue with my new sonic wall.
i changed the security in my home to OPEN. My surface connected just fine.
i then changed to each type of security offered in the sonic wall.   my surface could not connect to any of them.
but other devices have no problem.

any thoughts ?

i was a way last weekend, and used the surface at my hotel.  it required a password at holiday inn... worked just fine.   just not in my house

john   unfortunately you win,

we have replaced it with a net gear... no issues... but i really wanted the sonic wall.

@intelogent  - Thanks for the update and to know that the new Net Gear router worked.