Access point: Second laptop kicks first one out

I added a Netgear WG602 wireless access point to my home network today. Everything works fine as long as I'm the only one connecting to this access point. When a second laptop is started though after a couple of seconds the first laptop is not online any more. Actually the wireless connection to the access point still exists. The laptop keeps sending data but does not receive anything (or nearly anything). When I try to ping the gateway all packets are lost.

When I repair the connection (the first laptop has Windows XP Pro. SP2 installed) everything works again. However you see the same problems after a few seconds on the other laptop (which has Windows XP Home SP2 installed). Again Windows says everything's fine (there is even a strong signal). However no data is received anymore.

I would appreciate any hints how to get two laptops to work with an access point at the same time. I don't know if it's important but the network is currently WPA/TPK encrypted and uses channel 10. There are a few other wireless networks around me.

Thanks in advance, Boris

Reply to
Boris
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Hmm it sounds to me like you are using static addressing, and have assigned both laptops the same IP address.

Wireless - Basic Configuration -

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- Basic Security -
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New Wireless does not work -
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Reply to
David Hettel

On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 00:25:14 -0000, "Boris" wrote in :

Try it with *all* security (WPA, MAC filtering, etc.) disabled. Make sure SSID broadcast is enabled, and is a *unique* value. Best to start with the access point reset to factory default settings, with just the SSID changed.

Reply to
John Navas

I switched off all security functions and made sure SSID is broadcast. The SSID is unique, too. I also use DHCP and no static IP addresses. Again only one of the two connected laptops could actually use the Internet.

There doesn't seem to be any problem with the wireless connections themselves. While one laptop is used to browse the Internet the other laptop can talk to the webserver in the access point (for remote configuring). However both laptops browsing the Internet at the same time is not possible.

Could this be a problem caused by the router and/or Internet provider? The access point itself has been patched to the latest firmware.

Boris

Reply to
Boris

I forgot to add that I changed the channel from 10 to 1 for testing purposes. However I couldn't find then the wireless network anymore - it didn't show up in WZC. I had to connect to the access point with an Ethernet cable to change the channel again as the network had completely disappeared.

Boris

Reply to
Boris

On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:53:19 -0000, "Boris" wrote in :

Do the two machines have different IP addresses?

Reply to
John Navas

On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:58:31 -0000, "Boris" wrote in :

Bad sign. Suggests strong interference or defective hardware.

Reply to
John Navas

What is the IP address of your Laptop and the subnet mask? To me it sounds as if your WG602 is not configured correctly, or it's DHCP server has been disabled. I suggest posting the details of the laptop's IP addresses and subnet mask both when connected to the WG602 and when the WG602 is removed from the network. You may also want to check that the two laptops have different MAC addresses, there's a very slim chance that for some reason they might have the same address.

Reply to
David Hettel

Hi

Access Point was added to which device?

Do you have a Router?

Did you configure the Access Point so that there would be only one DHCP active?

Is the Access Point core subnet the same as what ever is doing the Routing?

Jack (MVP-Networking).

Reply to
Jack (MVP-Networking).

Thanks for all your replies so far! Here are some more details to track down this problem:

  • DHCP is enabled.
  • The two laptops have differenct MAC addresses.
  • The access point is connected with an Ethernet cable to a ADSL modem - actually a set top box. See
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    This set top box isn't mine and wasn't configured by me. I just plugged in the access point to the port called "network" and all worked until I started a second laptop.
  • The IP address of laptop #1 is 89.168.23.181 currently. Subnet mask:
255.255.248.0. Gateway: 89.168.23.254
  • The IP address of laptop #2 is 89.168.24.165 currently. Subnet mask:
255.255.248.0. Gateway: 89.168.31.254
  • The IP addresses of the DHCP and DNS servers are the same.

What I don't understand is why the IP address of the gateway is not the same. Could this be a problem?

Boris

Reply to
Boris

After browsing the website of HomeChoice which seems to be the provider here where I am I found this on

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"You can connect up to three desktop computers without using wires."

Can someone explain what that means? Where does this limit come from? Can they configure something on their end that you can't connect more than three desktop computers? If there is such a limit and as I simply plugged in my own access point - is it possible that their connection is configured for one desktop computer by default (the website says something that *they* can provide wireless access; maybe they change the limit then once they can charge money for it)?

Boris

Reply to
Boris

From what you've posted, it appears to me that your DHCP server is NOT working in the Netgear WG602 box. You should be getting an address in the

192.168.xxx.xxx range generally 192.168.0.xxx and the netgear would be at 192.168.0.1. What appears to be happening is you're pulling and address from the ADSL modem. And if that is indeed what is happening then yes the network can limit how many computers can connect.

Sorry I just did a search on you Netgear WG602 it is a Wireless access point, not a wireless router, that means the netgear doesn't have a DHCP server in it. That it is not the correct thing for your needs.

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should have done that first. You don't have the hardware that you need. What you need/want is something along the lines of the KWGR614 wireless router.

Reply to
David Hettel

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I should have done that first. You don't have the hardware that you

I just looked up the documentation to be sure: You are right, the WG602 has DHCP *client* support. However I actually don't care as the laptops do get different IP addresses? That said everything should still work fine no matter from which DHCP server the IP addresses come from? From what I understand now the restriction is an articifial one coming from the provider?

Boris

Reply to
Boris

If your WG602 had a DHCP server, and the NAT that goes with that it would appear to your ISP as one device taking up one IP address. As it is now your network appears to your ISP as three devices, the WG602 taking one IP address and your two laptops each with a different IP address. Your ISP is providing you with three real, public IP address. Those IP address take/cost money there is only a limited number of them available. Think of them as store fronts on the main street downtown. There are only so many stores on the main street. After a while you run out of street that is still downtown. If you want a store, you're going to need to either buy it or rent it. Because you buy or rent one, it doesn't mean you get the ones on either side of it for free too.

So yes you could call your ISP up and tell them what you need to do, you have X number of computers plus one access point that you need IP address for and I'm sure they can provide a package that will fit your needs. But they are going to charge you for the IP address you are using. Or you could get a wireless router, that has both a DHCP client and a server, that would use only one IP address, and provide the ability to connect many computers to the internet all at the same time. The choice is yours. Right now your equipment doesn't support what you want to do. I'm sorry.

Reply to
David Hettel

Is the access point itself really using another IP address? I wonder as I should see then its IP address when I trace the gateway's IP address?

Thanks for your explanations! What I wonder though is what kind of set top box HomeChoice provides. HomeChoice seems to be the provider here (I'm really new here where I am and still try to figure out the technical environment), and the set top box they provide is this:

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there is no technical data about this set top box. I wonder if it has a built-in router which can be activated somehow. Has anyone any clue where this set top box comes from (there is only a picture at the webpage without any name or link to the vendor)?

Thanks for all your help so far, Boris

Reply to
Boris

On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:15:08 -0000, "Boris" wrote in :

No, since the access point is just a bridge, not a router. The IP assigned to the AP is used only for the web management interface.

Reply to
John Navas

Hi Hmm... While Access Points do not Do NAT. Most Access Points (AP) do have DHCP server (including the one discussed here the WG602). In a peer to peer Network with No Internet connection there is No need for a Router, and thus No credible DHCP, so the AP has one to assign an IP to the Wireless client. Jack (MVP-Networking).

Reply to
Jack (MVP-Networking).

On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 20:08:51 -0500, "Jack \\(MVP-Networking\\)." wrote in :

Not true -- the WG602, like other APs, has a DHCP _client_, not a DHCP _server_. The DHCP client is used to set the IP address of the web management interface for some other device acting as a DHCP server.

Again, not true -- the AP is just a bridge, and so has no role in IP assignment, like any other network bridge. IP assignment is typically done by a DHCP server on the network or manually.

Perhaps you should drop the credential claim.

Reply to
John Navas

On Thu, 16 Nov 2006 01:45:48 GMT, John Navas wrote in :

Oops -- typo. That last line should have been:

management interface from some other device acting as a DHCP server.

Reply to
John Navas

Some AP's do indeed have a DHCP server

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: The DWL-G700AP also includes an embedded DHCP server that can : automatically assign IP addresses to wireless network clients.

However, there is no mention of a DHCP server on the data sheet for the WG602:

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snipped - my isp's news server does not carry this NG)

Reply to
Axel Hammerschmidt

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