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Belkin wireless setup problem

Hi,

A mate of mine in on NTL broadband and he connects via a Belkin Pre-N router and a Belkin 54g card in his PC upstairs.

He's been having loads of problems with dropped connections and it won't connect at all now. When I opened "network Connections", the wireless network icon just keeps alternating between "disconnected" (with the red cross on it) and "aquiring netword ID" (or something like that).

On my wireless setup, with a Belkin 54g router and Linksys 54g card, when you first configure the card you get the "aquiring nedwork ID" message for about 5 seconds and then it works fine. On his, it just keeps alternating between the two messages and never actually picks up an IP address.

Any help would be great.

Geoff

Reply to
Geoff
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"Geoff" wrote in news:ugnQf.33908$ snipped-for-privacy@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk:

Sounds like the network is being detected by the cliet PC but communication isn't working so the client PC cannot acquire an IP address from the DHCP server in the router.

Q: Are any other wireless networks showing up?

Suggestions:

Try switching encryption off altogether at the router, just to check for that as a possible cause.

Try selecting a different wireless channel on the router.

Reply to
Frazer Jolly Goodfellow

"Geoff" wrote in message news:ugnQf.33908$ snipped-for-privacy@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

Tell your mate how to find the group, then he can be asked questions and given advice directly. It will save having to pass messages backwards and forwards through you.

Reply to
paul

Frazer,

Thanks for the advice. When I was at his place yesterday, I tried turning the encryption off and changing channels, but it didn't seem to make much difference??

In order to get an internet connection, we had to cart the whole PC down stairs and make a cable connection to the router. This of course works fine and, as you'd expect the wireless signall strength is very good, but it still can't aquire an ip address??

I wondered if there was any conflict between the belkin configuration software and the XP config software???

I tried taking the belkin software off, but then on restart the PC was asking for network card drivers and I couldn't find any on the install CD. The only option I had was to reinstall the belkin software.

I run my wirelss network just using the windows config software and nothing else and it works great??

Is there likely to be a problem in using the belkin software??

Cheers

Reply to
Geoff

More suggestions:

Check the DHCP server is configured on in the router.

Try setting the router to pure 802.11g working, switching off any pre-N or other bells 'n whistles.

Try a different wireless adapter.

Seek help from Belkin.

"Geoff" wrote in news:knwQf.34027$ snipped-for-privacy@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk:

Reply to
Frazer Jolly Goodfellow

I had a similar problem with a Belkin 54G PCI card in one of my PCs.

The damn thing would try to connect and reconnect and reconnect etc....infinitem...you get the picture :-)

Seems that the Belkin card needs the Belkin software and if you try to use the XP wizard it just gets all confused.

The way around it (from memory) was to completely delete the network details on the PC in question and start again.

Then ONLY use the Belkin software to connect to the network.

Also make sure that you have the security passphrase correctly entered and recognised.

I seem to recollect that when this situation arises you have problems getting the passphrase recognised (for WPA) when this conflict occurs.

Once you get the Belkin card working do NOT revert back to the XP wizard.

Shut down the PC with the LAN enabled and on reboot the Belkin should find the open network automatically.

From then on you should be OK.

Its worth noting that in the instructions for this card Belkin state categorically that the Belkin software must be used.

It doesnt however, tell you the strife you can get into if you try it the other way round.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Rob

Reply to
me here

Just to clarify a point.....do NOT use windows to automatically reconnect the network.

My PC with the Belkin card is packed away at the moment, but from memory theres a tick box on the Belkin software to allow windows to reconnect, and also one under the XP wizard.

DO NOT tick either.

The Belkin software will remember and restore the connection OK.

Cheers again

Rob

Reply to
me here

thanks for the replies, I will pass the info onto him tomorrow at work and report back as to how he gets on.

Geoff

Reply to
Geoff

I'm having exactly the same problem with my Belkin wireless card connecting to my wireless connection. All my other computers connect fine apart from the one using the Belkin card

"Geoff" wrote in message news:knwQf.34027$ snipped-for-privacy@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

Reply to
Jumbo's Chippy

Me here,

Could you please run through all that again please? I am having exactly the same problem. I have tried to connect using the Windows XP facility and so, I have probably cocked things up.

What do I need to do? If I reinstall the wireless card, what are the next steps? My network is secured with WPA-PSK and so, whereabouts do I input the passkey to access the network? I can only find a part that asks me for a username, however one is not used.

Reply to
Jumbo's Chippy

Me here,

Could you please run through all that again please? I am having exactly the same problem. I have tried to connect using the Windows XP facility and so, I have probably cocked things up.

What do I need to do? If I reinstall the wireless card, what are the next steps? My network is secured with WPA-PSK and so, whereabouts do I input the passkey to access the network? I can only find a part that asks me for a username, however one is not used.

Reply to
Jumbo's Chippy

OK here it is again in more detail.

I had to drag out the old PC to check my settings on this.

I had a bastard of a time setting this up originally and I'm not going to meddle with it now :-)

Anyway, here goes.........

The Belkin card needs the Belkin software and thats what you use to configure the network.

DO NOT USE THE XP NETWORK WIZARDS.

Uninstall the Belkin driver, remove any trace of the bodgy network from XP, reboot and start afresh.

Next reload the Belkin driver/software.

There should be a desktop icon and an icon in the status bar bottom right.

Open the Belkin software from the desktop icon and configure it as per the tabbed sections.

Under "Status" make sure the tick box to let windows configure the network, bottom left, is left UNTICKED.

Next go to "configure" and do network mode and ssid and select 2.4 b/g bullet.

Next to go "security" and enable WPA (i think it only offers PSK) and enable 'create 64bit pass phrase' bullets.

Enter the encryption key, press OK or whatever and your done.

This may be where it get a bit confusing. If it doesn't accept the passphrase then you may have to try a few times.

Without going through the exact process again I can't be more definite than that.....it may vary a bit.

If all is OK then the icon in the status bar should connect to the open network.

It may try to connect twice before settling down, just wait a while and see how it goes.

If it connects then the icon will go green etc.

Next shut down the PC with the network enabled and reboot.

The Belkin software should find the network and remember the details.

From then on it should be safe to disable the LAN if required.

Do NOT go into network connections in XP and change any properties or configurations - stay well away.

This is definitely one very touchy card.

I hope this gets you through it.

Cheers

Rob

Reply to
me here

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