Laptops not connecting to Router?

JackieChan

Guys, just want to check if there is something simple that I'm not thinking of.

I recently swapped out Prestige 600+Belkin wireless to BTs Voyager 2110 router.
So once done, set up 128bit WEP, different SSID than previous.

I have 2xPC's and 2xLaptops.
PC1 -wired, fine
PC2 -wireless(Belkin pre-N card), fine
Laptop1(IBM ThinkPad T90), knows there is a network but does not get IP address. (The wireless card in this is not WAP compatible)
Laptop2(Dell 9400), knows there is a network but does not get IP address.

I just can't make sense of why the laptops are not connecting. They are behaving as if I have entered the incorrect password(picking up network but not connecting to it) on them but I've tried and retried with not joy.

The PS3 is fine also when I rescanned for network and entered password.

Any thoughts?

nohopengn

Have you tired using 64 bit WEP? Also, are you using HEX or ASCII?

pizzahead77

Try turning off the encryption on the router and check that the laptops will connect to the router.

What level of encryption are you using? What OS is on each of the laptops?

Jonathan

Is the mac address filter enabled on the router?

JackieChan

Sorry for the delay in this but here is some updates.

I've been working with one of the laptops(Dell 9400-Windows XP).
If I disable the wireless security settings it make a connection and I can access the internet.

But once I set the router to 128bit WEP and set up laptop with key I pick up that crappy 169.237.x.x address.
The troubleshooting message seems to be pointing at the passcode I'm entering but after about 20 times entering/testing it you can be sure you have entered it correctly and yes I'm entering HEX.
As I said earlier, another wireless PC and PS3 have no probs. This laptop had no problem connecting to my previous router.

Is the mac address filter enabled on the router?

I've not changed any of the more advance settings on the router but since the laptops are connecting with disabled security I can't see this having an impact

Pete67

Some wireless setups allow you to enter an easily remembered passcode which then generates a WEP key from the passcode. Make sure you are not entering the WEP key into the passcode field or vice versa. A 128 bit WEP key has 26 hex characters.

watty

However WEP is not much better than no encryption. Use WPA (PSK AES versions).

One end is using HEX and the other a passphrase, or not same length. Use a new airpoint name too to aviod laptop confusion.

JackieChan

Pete67 wrote: »

Some wireless setups allow you to enter an easily remembered passcode which then generates a WEP key from the passcode. Make sure you are not entering the WEP key into the passcode field or vice versa. A 128 bit WEP key has 26 hex characters.

The laptop does not allow a passcode, you enter your 26 hex characters and off you go. Router is set to use hex characters and another two wireless machines can connect so no issue there.

However WEP is not much better than no encryption. Use WPA (PSK AES versions).

One end is using HEX and the other a passphrase, or not same length. Use a new airpoint name too to aviod laptop confusion.

I know it's not great but one of the laptops has a card that doesn't support WAP.
So for the time been thats the way it's going to be.
I have tried changing the SSID twice with no joy either.
I'll have (yet) another look this evening and confirm that I have been doing things correctly.
Thanks for your comments guys...appreciate them.