connecting to internet wirelessly SOS!!

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #1 11-20-2006, 05:42 PM

Hi,
I need some serious help.......i'm new to pcs! Have always used a mac and thought I would venture out.

This is my husband's old dell laptop running windows 2000. When he handed it to me, it was getting on the internet fine thru our wireless network..I did something and couldn't get back on.....I've spent many days trying to figure it out but no luck.

The pc card is an IPAQ and is in the right slot......Now it doesn't even flash! The computer is telling me the card is enabled but the drive won't restart.....I am really lost...Would or would anyone care to tackle this problem with me?? I really do need help...

Thanks
SDMURR

snowmonkey · #2 11-21-2006, 11:57 AM

Hi SDMURR, Welcome to this forum and welcome to world of problem with PC

.

We will try our best to help you out....in regards to your issue, Do you remember anything about network setting change, anything at all ?

Did you change the SSID? or did you change the wireless frequency ?? If the card is enabled and you PC can see it then is must have to do with wireless configuration not the hardware itself ?

Can you please provide the make and model of the Wireless card so we could track down the driver for it.
The following site has some help for Windows 2000 wireless networking setup, it might help too:
http://www.wellesley.edu/Computing/W...relesswin.html

Cheers

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #3 11-27-2006, 04:07 PM

Thanks so much for responding.....Here's what I've discovered since my last post......Everything works....I took the computer to my brother's house and I got on his wireless network with no problem.....His network is NOT password protected! Any wireless network that is not password protected I can NOT get on including mine..It has to be some setting, right? Does this help?

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #4 11-27-2006, 05:15 PM

Sorry to confuse you...I meant to say I cannot get on any wireless network that is secure......The dell notebook running windows 2000 uses a compaq 11 mbps Wireless pc card........the light on the card will either keep flashing or not flash at all.....It obviously is not seeing the router. Some setting is hanging it up..

HaroldWe · #5 11-27-2006, 10:13 PM

sdmurr makes a good point. Maybe this is a device driver issue. Your in the Windows world now. The answer to all questions is another question: "Do you have the latest version?"

Seriously, though, I have seen updated card drivers fix all sorts of weird problems. Check on the manufacturer's web site and see if there updated device drivers.

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #6 11-28-2006, 03:08 AM

Thanks, Harold..I will check it out

SDMurr

snowmonkey · #7 11-28-2006, 12:52 PM

Here are couple question I hope you could answer:

Are you sure your wireless card and wireless router are one of the same type......802.11 b and g wireless card would work with 802.11 G router but if wouldn't work with 802.11 a router.

Question 2: do you know if your router / wireless network is password protected ??? Can you get into your router setting and confirm that.

Cheers

onespeedreed · #8 11-28-2006, 02:09 PM

Wireless uses WEP and WPA protocols for wireless protection.
To be able to login to a password protected wireless system one of these(wep or wpa) needs to be ENABLED.
You will need to get into your wireless card settings and make sure these settings are available.
You may need to download updated software to get wpa or wep support.
Does the password protected signal show up in wireless network connections? What happens if you try to connect? If it does look for the wpa or wep options.

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #9 11-28-2006, 05:20 PM

Yes, my wireless router and wireless card are compatible...We have a D-Link airplus extreme G router and the pc uses a compaq 11mbps wireless pc card.. And yes, our wireless nework is password protected......This computer was seeing the router before and I could get online but something happened and it's making me crazy....I just can't find information anywhere that has helped.. Our other 3 computers are are operating wirelessly so it's not the router...And remember, I can get on an unprotected wireless network. There's something hangin it up....I even tried to upgrade the driver by downloading the upgraded version from the hp website..Nothing happened. I can't even find where the downloaded files went!!! I think I love my Mac more and more!!
Here's something else...My husband used this computer for work and it was set up by the IT department...He buys out his old computers after they depreciate enough. So could there be some kind of security issue hangin it up? The dorn man won't take it back to the IT department and have them clean it up!! Says he's too too busy for that kind of stuff!!
To answer the other questions....Yes, Wep is enabled..The password signal does NOT show up and the computer can't see the wireless network......The card should be a constant green light when it sees the network but it isn't green...Just flashing green..
Well, I've learned a lot about PCs and I don't know if I like it!
Thanks, guys, for trying to help me out.......I really want to get this running so I can pass it down to my two little computer literate grandchildren..My goal is to keep them computer literate but I have to learn about pcs first......

snowmonkey · #10 11-28-2006, 07:01 PM

Could please one more thing..... Do you have more then one profile on that PC....if so does it acts the same way on other profiles ? if you don't have a second profile, could you please create one and try to see if you can get connected...I wounder if your profile has limited access.....given the fact that your profile used to work properly before.

Cheers

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #11 11-28-2006, 07:55 PM

Added another profile the other day and it made no difference

snowmonkey · #12 11-28-2006, 08:06 PM

Can you please provide exact made and mode of your wireless card (even if there is a version number on it)...I want to find the registry setting for it and ask you to uninstall the card, remove the registry values...and I will provide you with the link to download the new driver for it, that is if you want to !!!

Cheers

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #13 11-29-2006, 10:01 AM

Here it is..........compaq
IPAQ networking
11 mbps wireless pc card
Compaq HNW-100
Agency series: C02014
Supports IEEE 802.11b
Encryption: 128RC4

snowmonkey · #14 11-29-2006, 01:24 PM

The notebooks requires the WEP key to be in hex format - it cannot accept a "pass phrase" which is used by some router setups, is it possible that your IPAQ is looking for Hex key (plus key number 1 or 2 or 3 or 4) instead of pass phrase, have you tried either two options ?

relevant info from Compaq site:
************************************************** **
Driver download Link for your IPAQ unit is found on the following link:

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/fi...oad/22505.html

Since I haven't had an IPAQ before therefore, I don't know how to uninstall the darn thing

.......Please note that IPAQ PC only uses WEP encryption NOT WAP and it seem link your IPAQ is set for 128 bit encryption...make sure your router is set for the same thing.

This contains the software to support the Compaq iPAQ 11 Mbps Wireless PC Card on handheld devices using Windows CE 3.0, Windows for Pocket PC 2000, or Windows for Pocket PC 2002, and on notebooks that have an available PCMCIA slot and run Windows CE 3.0

version 1.7.29 C (25 Apr 02)
************************************************** ******
Same problem on this forum (but I don't know if you have the same IPAQ or not) http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp...=9&TopicId=369

Cheers

sdmurr@sbcgloba · #15 11-30-2006, 07:59 PM

"The notebooks requires the WEP key to be in hex format - it cannot accept a "pass phrase" which is used by some router setups, is it possible that your IPAQ is looking for Hex key (plus key number 1 or 2 or 3 or 4) instead of pass phrase, have you tried either two options ?"

You've lost me here!! I'm a mac person and learning!! I do know that there is a pass phrase in the tcp/ip section of the set up box. Is that what you're referring to? How do I try the other 2 options you mentioned? Can you direct me?

And it is set for 128 bit encryption...Don't know about the router but I think its the same. Now I figure that one out too!!

I had already located and downloaded the software for the updated driver a couple of days ago but it wouldn't install. I got no message that it didn't install but I can see that the version didn't change....My mac communicates a little/lot better.
I really appreciate the time you've given me...Thanks so much

Sharon