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Problems with wireless network

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  • 07-12-2010 8:04pm
    #1
    umop-apisdn
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭


    Evening all,

    I'm looking for some help from all you knowledgable folk...

    My netopia router gave up the ghost over the weekend, and I've just replaced it with a Trendnet modem router. I got all the settings from eircom and configured it using the cable.

    But when i tried to connect wirelessly from my laptop, the network SSID wasn't showing up. I don't think it's my network adapter because i can pick up the neighbours network, which is about 20m away.

    And i know the router is working ok because my iphone picked up the network no bother.

    So can anyone give me any suggestions as to why my laptop can't see this particular network?

    thanks guys

    Emma


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    #2
    FSL
    Registered Users Posts: 1,456 ✭✭✭FSL


    What model is it? Does it have wireless and is the wireless switched on.

    Have you configured the wireless on the router and if so have you reconfigured the laptop to match?


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    #3
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Try changing the wireless channel that the router is broadcasting the network on.

    Also what standard is the network being broadcast on? ie is it g or n?

    If it is n then your laptop may not have an n standard wireless card.


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    #4
    umop-apisdn
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭umop-apisdn


    Sorry, not sure what device you want the model number for, so here's everything i can think of.

    My laptop is quite a few years old... it's an Advent 7098, model KN1. The OS is Windows XP (2002, SP3).

    The network adapter is an Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection. I checked for updates for the adapter just to make sure that wasn't the problem, and it came back as no updates available.

    AFAIK, the wireless is switched on (green light on laptop) and working (as it is able to find my neighbours network when i click 'view available networks').

    The router is a Trendnet Wireless G Modem Router (TEW-435BRM), and i was told that the router was working fine (by Trendnet Tech support) as my iphone connected to the wifi with no problems. I also checked that the SSID broadcasting was enabled.

    I don't know how to check that my laptop settings match the router settings, as my laptop isn't picking up the network. Usually i would check wireless network properties etc. when the laptop picks up the signal, but this isn't happening.

    I'm sorry, i'm not very technical minded, and the little knowledge i have picked up is from trial and error, so hope this makes sense.

    Thanks
    Emma


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    #5
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Dont worry there is nothing to change on the laptop.


    Go back to your wireless settings in the router and change the channel downwards that the network is being broadcast on and see if that makes a difference.


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    #6
    umop-apisdn
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭umop-apisdn


    dub45 wrote: »
    Try changing the wireless channel that the router is broadcasting the network on.
    Does it matter what channel i choose? At the moment it's on 11

    Also what standard is the network being broadcast on? ie is it g or n? If it is n then your laptop may not have an n standard wireless card.
    I was looking at n routers until the guy in shop said the same thing about my laptop, so i went with g. On the router wireless settings, 802.11 mode is 802.11g & 802.11b


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    #7
    umop-apisdn
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭umop-apisdn


    Dub45,

    Just want to check - I am on the internet at the moment using a wired connection. Will the wifi still show up even though i'm connected through the cable, or do i need to disconnect first?
    I tried going down to channel 10, but still picking up just neighbours networks. Shall i try the other channels?


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    #8
    umop-apisdn
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭umop-apisdn


    DUB45,

    You are a star. Just tried channel 9, and up pops my network!!

    I can't believe that i spent 45min on the phone to Trendnet Tech Support this evening (and prob at some extortionate rate), and the muppet never tried that. He even made me go in and check that i was on channel 11. At the end of the 45min he told me my laptop was the problem and that there was nothing they could do. Un-be-lievable!!

    Thank you so much - i knew it would be something simple.

    Emma


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    #9
    Loveless
    Registered Users Posts: 504 ✭✭✭Loveless


    Just a suggestion, but the wireless encryption level could be set to something like WPA2 which an older laptop with the original wireless drivers could have problems picking up. (Your neighbour's wireless signal might be set to a lower level of security, hence your laptop being able to see that particular signal).

    Just as a test, for a few mins maybe set the security password level on your new router to 'None' and see if your laptop detects your wireless signal. Change it back then when you're finished.

    (To answer your other question: you can pick up wireless signals whether your laptop is pulled in via CAT5 cable or not, makes no difference).


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    #10
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    You are very welcome - glad you got it working - its very frustrating to be so near and yet so far.

    Some laptop cards (especially those bought in America) cannot handle the higher numbers. By the way the "pure" wireless channels are 1, 6 and 11.

    There is a handy program called Netstumbler which will show you what wireless networks are around you and what channels they are broadcasting on so you can avoid clashing with your neighbours.

    http://www.netstumbler.com/


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    #11
    Loveless
    Registered Users Posts: 504 ✭✭✭Loveless


    See you got sorted in the last few mins, well done.

    You can download a program called "inSSIDer 2" which will show you the signal strengths and channel no's of all wireless network in your area. It'll probably show up that someone else is also using Channel 11.
    http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider


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    #12
    umop-apisdn
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭umop-apisdn


    Hi Loveless,

    I think our messages crossed over, but thanks anyway.

    Our previous modem had WPA encryption and our neighbours is WPA2, so i knew that wasn't the problem. But that thought had crossed my mind too and i tried briefing disabling the security just in case it was something connected to that.

    It turns out i just needed to change the channel on my router - easy when you know how :rolleyes:


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    #13
    umop-apisdn
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭umop-apisdn


    Thanks guys - will give them a go


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    #14
    gibson
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭gibson


    dub45 wrote: »
    You are very welcome - glad you got it working - its very frustrating to be so near and yet so far.

    Some laptop cards (especially those bought in America) cannot handle the higher numbers. By the way the "pure" wireless channels are 1, 6 and 11.

    There is a handy program called Netstumbler which will show you what wireless networks are around you and what channels they are broadcasting on so you can avoid clashing with your neighbours.

    http://www.netstumbler.com/

    Just saw this thread as I was looking for a solution to my problem. Does the channel thing you were saying affect performance of a network as well or just literally the logging onto a network? I keep dropping connection and just wondered if changing the channel would benefit?


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