Thanks Anne, that seems a normal thing then.

This afternoon, my daughter connected OK to the system after school, but when I tried after work, My laptop wouldn't even see the network at all! (I waited 10 minutes, rebooted the PC, and waited another 10 minutes)
However on "Diagnosing the problem" i was advised to type something into the command prompt (Cant remember the exact instruction)
That seemed to give me an instant connection, and on rebooting later on the connection came straight in.

Regarding the print server issue, the answers a no. I only started playing about with the print server after I had the Laptops working last night.

I have actually sorted it, and will update the other post for others to see. (It involved changing the IP address of the print server to match the gateway of the router in TCP/IP settings on the Print server software pages. I then had to create a new TCP/IP port for the printer.)
Also I was only doing this on the wired desktop PC. Tonight I have had to setup a new port on the laptop too - (just done this & it works!!)

If I have to use the cmd prompt again I will try and log it for posting.

I wonder why it happened?

Thanx - Dave

Next step is guiding others through problems with wireless connections for you Dave.
(Your tenacity in dealing with this has been inspirational - well done!)

Hmm...
Thanks for your compliment, thats really cheered me up!

However, I don't think I'm out of the woods yet unfortunatly.

This afternoon, my daughter had to reboot the router before she could connect. She switched her laptop off, and went out. When I tried to log on with HER Laptop, I didn't even get the icon (2 monitors) in the taskbar!
When I went to "Connect to" my wireless network was showing "with limited connectivity".

I shut her Laptop down, went to mine, and it connected straight away. I don't know if it was what I did in the command prompt yesterday, but I can't get that back so I could try on my Daughters machine.

I am getting very frustrated. I am not going down the road of rebooting the router each time, and I suppose it's back to Belkin support AGAIN

Help - if I had any hair left, I'd be tearing it out Dave

UPDATE:
I have just spent hours trying to get my daughters Laptop to connect Automatically to the Internet proper when it boots up, without me having to do things like disconnecting & reconnecting, or rebooting ther router.

The network and sharing centre, once connected say it's "connected to "MYSSID" on a "Private network" there is a picture of a house with my SSID underneath.
The Network discovery is on, (but this automatically seems to revert to OFF on a reboot.)
However if it's not connected properly, there is no "House" just "Unidentified network"
Sometimes it "cant find any wireless networks" - then my SSID appears as if by magic.

Windows keeps telling me I'm "too far from the router" (I'm 20 feet away with 5 green bars and an "Excellent Connection")

I have found the command prompt
http://tinyurl.com/8jj3eh
and
http://tinyurl.com/7zxstu
but am not sure what is the correct thing to do?

I'm running out of options... and going slowly mad.



Just been on to Belkin via "Live chat" would you believe there is a Firmware update which appears to address wireless access problems !!!
Job for tomorrow

Dave the command prompt is asking you to type either adhoc or infacstructure where it says "network type". (note the space).

I think going by your result from cmd, which says "invalid" for type is due to you not actualy typing in one of those network values.

Trouble is, i'm not totally sure but I think you need infractstructure but wait for Phil or Mike lol
to confirm.

The problem you're seeing with the Network Discovery setting to Off after a reboot could be being caused by a firewall or even the windows own firewall .... check which you have enabled.

If windows firewall is in use check the "execptions" tab and check if network Discovery is unchecked.... if so check it, apply/ok the settings.

*I wouldn't mind guessing you are having a firewall issue here with the SSID appearing suddenly, as though two firewalls are "fighting over settings" or something ... if you know what I mean.

EDIT on looking again at your screenshot it is indeed infracstructure that you need to type;

so your command will be ; netsh wlan add filter networktype=infrastructure

Anne,
Thanks for the compliment but this is getting gone beyond my knowledge now.

The 2 firewalls is obviously worth checking, but I have my reservations on that because the problem is too intermittent.

The other problem I think I see is that there are actually 2 problems, one being with the network sharing and the internet access being the other problem.

So dare I suggest temporarily disabling the network sharing option and concentrate on the internet connection side of things.

Personally I don't think the firmware upgrade will solve the problem (this is a fairly new router to start with) but obviously I hope I could be wrong.

Phil when you look at the two screenshots from Dave ..... that cmd prompt he was to type in ....... do you agree he was to type infractstructure ... just don't want to advise the wrong thing there.

Apart from that I too am out of my depth ...... if it was me I would be inclined to start again and reset the router to factory default.

Not sure what you want to do Dave but;

I would check the laptops in case two firewalls are enabled.
I would then delete the current wireless profiles in both laptops in case something is causing problems there.
Mike has a tutorial on doing this and its simple steps:

http://mgmcc.forumotion.net/networking-tutorials-f17/removing-an-existing-wireless-profile-t109.htm

After this start over with a fresh scan for available wireless networks using the double monitor icon near the clock .... hopefully your SIDD will be there and you can connect.

Save the connection when that option appears .... and again choose "Private" for the type of network.

**Dave can you confirm what security programs are in use too please?

In response:
I have started afresh many times
OK, now Firewalls:
I have only Windows own Firewalls installed on all the Computers.
I know there is a firewall on the router, but I imagine this is not going to conflict?
I have deleted all the current Network Profiles as advised earlier - again several times.

Now Firmware upgrade...
http://www.belkin.com/uk/support/article/?lid=enu&pid=F5D8633uk4A&aid=9464&scid=0
This states that 2 issues around wireless have been addressed.
I have done the Upgrade (sucessfully)
I reset the Router to "Factory Defaults", and re entered all my details.
Now there's another issue I need advice on, but with current settings, It's all working OK!
Both Laptops connected once I reset the SSID and encrytion Key...

The "other issue" is Wireless security.
I needed to phone Belkin Support (I'd forgotten where to enter username & password)
They went through the entire setup with me.
However... They advised me to setup the wireless security using 64bit WEP security, but I would rather use WPA2.
Should I stick with the WEP for a few days to see if everything settles down OK, or should I change to WPA?

My inclination now is to leave things as they are as regards entering stuff into the CMD area, but I am worried about Wireless security...

Thanks Phil & Anne, for all your help and advice - this really is like a Family Forum - Dave

WEP or WPA, at least one or the other is going to give you some security and obviously better than none at all.
Obviously depending on where you live changing to WPA later may be a wiser option.

Yes, I would give it a couple of day's to see if it is all working properly and without any problems that have as yet not surfaced.
At least that way you will know it's working and what you have changed, should it play up afterwards.

Do we take it that the router firmware upgrade solved the problem?

I shall leave the WEP one for now, as you recommend, but will change it later as WPA is more secure. If its OK until Monday, then it should be OK.

It does look like the firmware upgrade has cured the problem, but I'm not rejoicing just yet!

One other problem... I don't think it's connected directly, The taskbar icon on my daughters laptop ONLY ON HER LOGIN has dissappeared, and I can't create a new printer port for the networked printer. (It's greyed out)
On my login, the icon is there OK, and I can Add a new port & set up the new TCP/IP port. This is now done and the printer works.
She is setup as an Administrator on the Computer.

Dave

It's called VISTA............. the problem that is.

For the first few weeks of using Vista, every-time I needed to do something it would not let me.
But slowly and surely with going into the properties of various things and changing the setting to "Allow All users" it then started to behave itself.

Can you not just select "Add New Printer" followed by, selecting Network printer, of which you then need to navigate to the PC where the printer is installed?

The odd thing (apart from Vista) is that it used to be there up until recently !!!

Now it's gone!

I have got round the printer issue, by loggin in on my user details, adding the printer port and saving the data.

On relogging onto her login, the port is showing the changed one, and it works OK.

I would like top know how to get the notification back. In XP there was something that said "Show icon in notification area" but I can't find it in Vista - if it even exists!

Thanks

The Lan icon (2 monitors and a globe that show when connected.

My daughter says it was there yesterday

Dave

I did think that's what you meant but just checking.

Still looking at my own since my last post, and even though it is in the notification bar, I can't find where to enable or disable it either.
Think I might have a go at the help file, (if there is one )