DI-524 and Cantenna

I use the D-Link as a broadband router for my home network (3 desktop PCs) ... and to occasionally (wirelessly) connect my laptop to my home network. Recently I bought a Cantenna ... and I would like to play with it to see what sort of signals my desktop PC(s) can get from my 10th floor location downtown.

Question: the computers on my home network are not aware of any wireless signals. How do I configure WinXP and/or my DI-524 so that my home network "sees" other wireless signals ... the way my laptop can ?

I have googled the question but not come up with any specific answer ... either on D-Link's site, the Cantenna site, or anywhere.

Thanks for any help !

-RS-

Reply to
RS
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Click your PC's wireless Icon in the icon tray, choose View available networks/Change advanced settings. Click the wireless Networks tab and Add a Preferred Network Also choose appropriate settings in Advanced.

Reply to
compac

That's the problem ... no such icon on my desktop PC's systray.

I know where it is on my laptop's systray, but my problem is with my desktop PC (connected by the LAN cable to the DI-524). How do I make the desktop PC aware that it (theoretically ... at this point) has wireless capability via the DI-524 ? It's like the desktop is missing some program (that the laptop has), that generates that Available Networks icon.

-RS-

Reply to
RS

Reply to
John Navas

Under Control Panel / Network Connections, there is just an icon for my dial-up connection and my LAN or High Speed connection ... nothing about a wireless connection here.

-RS-

Reply to
RS

Reply to
John Navas

Thanks. But it does't appear there. It's just a router ... why would it appear in Device Manager ?

"RS"

Reply to
RS

Reply to
John Navas

Is that the crux of my problem? Do I need a wireless adapter of some sort ... as well as the wireless router? Is it the case that the wireless router cannot act as a wireless adapter ? The list of comaptible divices that comes with the Cantenna includes the DI-524 ...

-RS-

Reply to
-RBS-

Reply to
John Navas

That's the point I needed clarified, I guess ... Either that or someone to explain how the wireless router (DI-524) can dish-out a signal ... containing webpages and data that is on the desktop ... and receive back data from the laptop ... wirelessly ... yet the desktop cannot see any other wireless devices / networks ... except my laptop ?? Why is that ? At the same time the laptop is aware of other wireless networks in the area.

-RS-

Reply to
-RS-

Reply to
John Navas

You ARE joking I presume?!

-RBS- wrote:

Reply to
Dave

Simply put:

I have a desktop computer and a Wirless router (D-Link DI-524).

Recently I bought a Cantenna

formatting link
Can I use the combination (desktop PC, DI-524, Cantenna) to connect to unsecured wireless networks in my area ?

Thanks,

-RS-

Reply to
-RS-

No, not joking ... sadly :-)

Just not good at explaining the problem. Here is what I just wrote to clarify it ... hopefully:

I have a desktop computer and a Wirless router (D-Link DI-524).

Recently I bought a Cantenna

formatting link
Can I use the combination (desktop PC, DI-524, Cantenna) to connect to unsecured wireless networks in my area ?

Thanks,

-RS-

Reply to
-RS-

Only if you can configure the DI-524 to act as a wireless client. Think of it then as a network card on the end of the piece of ethernet from your desktop to the DI-524.

You won't get any client tools on the desktop though, you're just ethernet as far as that machine is concerned. You'll have to manage the DI-524 via the web interface which are generally lacking in functions for the purpose to which you want to experiment.

David.

Reply to
David Taylor

That might be an interesting thing to try .. but would not achieve what I want. Thanks for clarifying.

-RS-

Reply to
-RS-

As I understand it, yes it would. The DI-524 would be the client connected to the cantenna. The connection from the DI-524 to the PC would be via ethernet. What you would not be able to do is run tools like netstumbler etc. because they need a local network card to communicate with.

If this isn't what you are trying to do, then you'll have to start all over again and state in a different way what you're trying to do! :)

David.

Reply to
David Taylor

OK, let me try running it like a client and see if I can connect to a variety of unsecure networks. Where do I find the client software for the DI-524 ?

-RS-

Reply to
RS

There is no client software as such, what it *might* have is an option to let you choose the device mode from choices such as:-

Access point Bridge WDS AP client

AP client on such devices is basic at best, if you're lucky they'll also include a rudimentary ability to browse for networks, some don't and require that you already know that information and enter it accordingly.

It's not the device for doing what you want to be honest.

David.

Reply to
David Taylor

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