acquiring network address problem

r3nu4l

Okay, I generally have no problems with my wireless service but every so often, usually after I've been away for a weekend, when I come back and switch on my laptop and network I have to wait for ages while the computer tries to acquire a network address before telling me that I have "limited or no connectivity"

Now, my housemate is not messing with the network settings and she can log on no problem so why can't I? If I plug the LAN cable into the Network slot I can connect to the web and tunnel using cygwin no problem.

We are using a lynksys 54G router, I use a SiteCom wireless network adapter (WL-140) and it only seems to happen after I haven't connected in a few days. The last time I had the problem I re-installed the same drivers I had been using and that worked but I don't want to have to keep doing that.

Anyone know that problem?

irlrobins

What type of card does housemate connect with? b or g type? Maybe try setting Linksys router to just b or g rather than mixed setting.

r3nu4l

thanks irlrobins but housemate uses 'g' setting also. I can't see any reason why this is happening!
It says I am connected to the preferred network and the signal is good but that it is acquiring a network address and then just gives up Weird!

irlrobins

Well try setting router to just b type and see. Have you any mac filtering or encryption running?

r3nu4l

Yes, we're using MAC filtering and encryption. We do broadcast our network ID. Why switch to b when we are both g compatible?

The point is that this is an intermittant problem. I had no problems for about six months then a problem, nothing for two months, then a problem, nothing for three months, now a problem again

Just had a thought, maybe somehow my MAC address has been removed. Can't see how but I'll check later, thanks for asking about that!

irlrobins

Try removing mac filtering and then encryption to see if that solves it. Just a case of removing one thing at time and seeing what fixes it.

Sometimes it's better to have a router to work in either b mode or g mode but not in mixed mode. So worth a try I thought.

r3nu4l

Yeah, I'll probably end up trying everything everything I can think of in the end, hopefully it's some cockup with the MAC filtering (or hopefully not! That could be bad news!).

I'll have a look later, cheers.

Foxwood

r3nu4l wrote:

Yeah, I'll probably end up trying everything everything I can think of in the end, hopefully it's some cockup with the MAC filtering (or hopefully not! That could be bad news!).

MAC filtering is a waste of time - it really doesn't buy you any security, because cloning a Mac address is trivial, and anyone who can hack your WEP security can clone your MAC address. Just leave the MAC filtering off, and make sure you're using WPA-PSK.

irlrobins

Foxwood wrote:

MAC filtering is a waste of time

No it's not. Yes it can be by-passed but it does provide an extra layer of security. To dismiss it entirely wouldn't be right imo.

NutJob

Mac adress filtering is annoying id rather have haiku as a password that make my life any more aqward by having to log into my routers to get friends on my wireless.

But then again im a lazy shight:D


can i recommend makeing sure your SSID name is not a common name and itll add a little practical security with no headaches. The ones to avoid: http://www.wigle.net/gps/gps//Stat
helps WPA-PSK


Or if ur feeling a little bit adventorus run a vpn tunnel (super dooper paranoid and my kinda low maintanace )

Foxwood

irlrobins wrote:

No it's not. Yes it can be by-passed but it does provide an extra layer of security. To dismiss it entirely wouldn't be right imo.

No, it doesn't provide an extra layer of security - you're broadcasting your MAC address all the time! If your WEP password is broken, then it's been broken by someone who knows how to clone your MAC address.

Unless you turn your router off when you're not using it, MAC filtering is little more than a nuisance to someone who wants to piggyback on your service, and an administrative headache when stuff doesn't work.

irlrobins

Foxwood wrote:

MAC filtering is little more than a nuisance to someone

Ah, but every nuisance increases the likelihood of the "hacker" to say "ah fúck it, could I be bothered??"

Anyway, going off topic here. OP, any progress?

SouperComputer

Ah, but every nuisance increases the likelihood of the "hacker" to say "ah fúck it, could I be bothered??

Although putting more obsticles in place generally is a good security practice, this is not one of those cases. If one has gone to the effort to capture enough packets to crack (Not hack BTW) the key, getting mac addresses is not a nuisance at all.


@r3nu4l, you have your tried both windows Wireless Zero and the hardware's own software. Sometimes I find one or the other works better. Try each and see if that helps, also make sure thye are not fightin over each other. Generally the hardware makers throw a shortcut in your "startup" folder in the start menu.

Of course, the latest firmware for your router and drivers for your card would do no harm, but you've probably done that already.

If the network is encrypted, sometimes DHCP it can timeout if the signal is weak.

Another easy (Read lazy) way of solving the issue is to specify a static IP on the client machine.

r3nu4l

Thanks for all the info and all the advice on the waste of time that is MAC filtering. I do agree though, the more obstacles in the way the better, including turning off the SSID and all the other little bits and bobs. Believe me as a former member of hackthissite and other groups I do know a bit about *ahem* security. If ther's one thing I've learned over the years it's no matter how secure you think you are, you're not!

That's why I was so put out by what happened I couldn't figure out what the problem was but lo and behold, bizarre of the bizarre, the d*mn hing started working again last night for absolutely no apparent reason!

I've looked through all of my logs,performed full system scans all my anti-vir, anti-spyware, anti-rootkit (including one of my own scripts)and can't see anything suspicious! Perhaps next time, I'll just post on boards and that will fix the problem automatically

I'll keep looking because that's just plain weird. For ten minutes last night, nothing, then all of a sudden 'oh yeah, I'll connect you, no probs' I'll be keeping a close eye on all traffic through my system for a few days and let you know if I see anything overly suspicious (apart ffrom the dozens of attempted portscans that is ).

Edit: SouperComputer, thanks for that, yes indeed, one of the first things I did was to determine whether the SiteCom and Windows software were having a barney, doesn't look like they were. Thanks.

irlrobins

Ah it is probably thinking "Fuck this, it's too nice to be indoors on a day like this, I'm off out to the garden for a beer and an oogle at the girl next door in her bikini..."

MunsterCycling

Don't you have a tree to find??? LOL

NutJob

irlrobins wrote:

Ah it is probably thinking "Fuck this, it's too nice to be indoors on a day like this, I'm off out to the garden for a beer and an oogle at the girl next door in her bikini..."

Now theres a plan i like!:D
Try not to get arrested for stalking and it could be a great day.