Hi,

Happy new year to all,

I have a problem (I think with my Router)

I have several PC's connected to the router (Linksys WAG200G) some wired, and some wireless (2 Laptops)

The wired ones are fine - no problems at all. The Laptops however are playing up. As they are BOTH playing up, I am assuming that the problem lies with the router and not the Laptops. (1 Toshiba/ 1 Compaq - both Vista HP btw).

If I connect my Laptop to the router via a cable, it's fine.

So - what have I done...
I disconnected power to the router for 5 minutes, and when I reconnected it, it was still not working.
I went into the settings to see if anything was ammiss (nothing obvious)
I tried removing the encryption (temporarily) (no change)
I did a "Hard reboot" from the routers pages. (made no difference)

The router is a few years old now, and I had it replaced about 12 months ago as my original Linksys WAG54G failed with a "known fault"

I know that I can get support from Linksys... but last time I was without the router for about 3 months.

It may be time to look at replacing it with a faster model, and as I have a Belkin Print server, maybe I should try a Belkin Router/Modem.

I have seen Belkin routers, but do they come with Modems too? I have seen "G" ones with Modems (limited range), and I have seen "N MIMO"??? ones, but I have not seen these with modems. (Only looked in Comet)

What could you recomend both in the "fixing the Linksys" or replacing it with something faster.

I have a BT line, no Virgin or cable, and currently have a 2 (Mg) connection, though Virgin have said that this is shortly to be upgraded. (Don't think this is why the wireless parts have gone down, for reasons as above)

Any advice gratefully received

Thanx _ Dave

Not sure if you are saying wireless has gone faulty on the router (does the wireless light stay lit or has it been going off) or that picking up the connection has gone bad.

Go into the routers settings and disable wireless, apply/ok .... wait a bit and go back and re-enable wireless, apply/ok the changes again.

Sounds daft but sometimes doing such can kick settings in again.

If it is that the laptops are not picking it up as good or the connections are getting dropped/kicked out, it could be that a neighbour has set up a new network and on the same channel causing interference.

**Do also consider changes made in your home around you .... has something recently been placed near the router that could be causing an interference, have you checked that the arial, if it has one, is still tightly screwed up/attatched and upright ?

Have you new devices in the home .... hand held phones, digi senders (video sender left on) bluetooth device close by left on ?? Have a check about

I would certainly change to a different channel 6, 2, or 12

Also, as you mention the laptops have vista maybe you could install this gadget for vistas sidebar ..... it tells you info on the networks around you ..... it may reveal that neighbours close by are all on the same channel, change yours to something different.

http://www.xirrus.com/library/wifitools.php

OK,

I think the wireless has gone faulty on the router, and the wireless light stays lit on the router.

I have tried switching off the wireless, waiting 10 minutes and re-enabling it. The light goes off when I switch it off, and on when I switch it on, but I get my laptop indicator stating wireless connections are available (Mine and no others - I'm 300metres from any other houses, and there are no other wireless networks indicated (I know there might still be, but not broadcasting their SSID). However I have tried changing the channels from 9 to both 6 then 12, with no difference. (Only 9 gives me any sort of connection - do I have to do anything to the wireless PC's when I change the channel?)

The icon in the taskbar is changing from showing access is available to Local & Internet, but still the pages are not loading as they should. "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage"

Again there are no changes that might be causing problems. Yes there are AV senders in the house, but these have been in use for months on the same channels as they have been on for months.
Arials, yes are still there, tightly attached and upright.

Thanks Anne,

Dave

Hello again Dave,

Hmmm it does sound like something could be wrong with the router, HOWEVER, I would try one last thing before giving up and buying another router (and please do wait for others to comment or advise).

If it was just the one laptop having wireless trouble I might be inclined to ask about security programs .... unless you've installed something new on both?

I would try deleting the wireless profiles from both laptops and connecting/starting afresh.

See Mikes tutorials here on how to delete the old/current profile and then start over ..... maybe it could just help;

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

PS, you don't have to do anything to the pc's when you have changed a channel, the network should just be picked up again as available or if set to connect auto it will connect.
*If there are problems though after changes to router settings, again, we would try deleting old profile.

Hi again Anne,
Firstly many thanks for helping me with this problem!

I have actually gone an bought a new router Its a Belkin F5D8633-4 one which was on offer at PC world.

Having been through the setup (and following 2 phone calls to Belkin!) My Laptop is connected OK, but the other one will not "see any networks" despite the fact it is half a meter from the router!

A USB adapter came with the router, and I will try that incase it is the wireless innards on my daughters laptop that is playing up.

Sometimes it does see the network (Very strong 5 green bars) and when I click on "Connect" it asks for the WPA Key, and on entering it, it still comes back as unable to connect!

I will try the USB, and thats it for tonight!

again - thanks Anne

Do still delete the old wireless profiles incase they cause a problem.

When you enter the key be sure you are entering it completely correct , remember case sensitive!

The usb adapter might help ..... I'm wondering if the internal wireless adapter in the laptop (the one having the trouble) does not support WPA but from what I've read most do unless pre 2003 ?

A firmware update can be applied to the adapter making it WPA compatible if the manufacturer has issued one that is.

Mike or Phil would know more so do wait for them to reply too.

You could try setting it up with WEP to see if it can connect ...... it will rule out problems with the NIC in the laptop at least.

Have you by any chance set-up "Port Forwarding" on any of the PC's, especially the one/s you are having problems with (the problem PC)?

If you have, that may be the problem.
Because, the main problem with port forwarding is, if the (the problem PC) is not the first to be turned on, then the router will assign the first PC with it's first IP address in it's series, which will probably be the IP address that you used on (the problem PC).

Please note, the IP address' below are only used as a example and may not be the same numbers as your system.

As most routers use a range in the region of 100 IP address "198.162.1.2 - 198.162.1.99".
Using Port forwarding on a PC (in my opinion) should use a router IP address which would fall toward the end of the routers address limit, or, for example, if you have 6 PC's then the "the problem PC" would be given a IP address of something like 198.162.1.6 (not down in the lower scale of say: 198.162.1.2 or 3.
Also, with a different address for the wireless connection than the wired connection.

One other place to look would be your fire wall. If necessary, unplug the modem then turn off the fire wall/s, one-by-one to see if that helps.

Can you access any of the other PC's shared folders on the system or is it only when trying to connect to the internet that is the problem?

I hope this helps and will come back later to see if I can help any further.

OK,
First, security - I get all these problems with no security in operation.
At the moment, I can't get the USB adapter to load as it should (in spite of following the instructions to the letter - so it's another phone call to Belkin)

Next - I have not knowingly set up Port Forwarding, or indeed altered any other settings in that area - again not knowingly. However just to prove your point, I turned on the "problem" pc first (in fact, I have probably been through every combination of on and off!)
As to Other Pc's.. I can sometimes get what is called "Local" sometimes "Local & Internet", and sometimes the "Internet" will drop back to "Local" for no apparant reason.
As an update my daughters Laptop (sitting 2 feet from the router) having just been saying "Local & Internet" has reverted to "Local". It says it's "Connected" to the router, but won't access any other PC's on the network. The signal strength is "Excellent"

Would firewalls affect only wireless? The PC's all connect instantly using a cable.

I feel that what Anne said about something causing a conflict (AV sender etc) has some connection, but I have switched everything off relating to this.

Might try moving the router to another phone socket to proove this one...

I'll keep posting.

Thanks - Dave

I have to be honest and say, I'm not sure what or where the problem may be, but it seems strange that it is 2 PC's with Vista, as it is both of the PC's I can't see it being the wireless adaptor in both PC's going faulty at the same time.

Re, Port Forwarding.
No, this could not have been setup unknowingly, as it requires adjusting settings in both the router and the PC.

Security, again the likelihood of this effecting both PC's, but only on the wireless connections' also seems less likely to be the problem.

Two different routers but still the same problem, so not likely to be a router problem.
My only conclusion at this time is that it is going to be a Vista setup/configuration problem.

I think the only thing left for me to suggest is things that I would be checking if it were me, which no-doubt you have already done, but just on the off chance:-
1. Router channel 6 and correct area setting "Europe"
2. Try the "Diagnose and repair" option in Vistas' "Network and Sharing Center"
3. Make sure the TCP/IP is still set to use "Automatic" and not a fixed IP address. (Obtain an IPv6 address automatically)
4. ?

Belkin support went through all that you have mentioned above.

They left me with the task of going through the entire list of channels (12 or 13 of them) and each time rebooting the router, and trying each channel.

I started with 9, then jumped to 1. On 1, I had a brilliant connection all over the house on both Laptops.
Great (I thought), I switched off both Laptops, and then restarted them again. Imagine my despair on starting the 2 laptops, both had "Limited Connectivity" full 5 bars to the router (no network, or Internet). HOWEVER, when I switched off the router, then switched it on again after 1 minute, both Laptops came up with full Internet connection!

I repeated the "Experiment - exactly the same result.

If I switch OFF ONE Laptop, when I restart that one, I have to "Disconnect" from the network" and "Reconnect", then it works.

So.... I have reconnected my Linksys, changed it to Channel 1, and now it works OK, except that when I power down the Laptops, they reconnect properly to the Internet fully. (On the Belkin, the "Wireless" light goes out when no laptops are connected.

Now a dilema - do I persevere with the belkin, and try to find out WHY it behaves differently to the Linksys, and keep it (It's an N, and the Linksys is a G and wireless connection is much faster with the Belkin (Home page appears in no time) (or it appears to be, or would it be) , OR do I carry on with the Linksys, and return the Belkin to PC World...

Well after leaving everything off for an hour (Laptops not router) my Laptop would not connect to the Internet
It's really doing my head in this. I've had to reboot the router to get connected. Surely I shouldn't have to do this each time.
Belkin support seem to have run out of ideas.
I think I'll leave the Linksys connect for a day or 2, and see what happens.
Please keep the ideas coming - I'll try anything, and I'll keep updating these posts

Well I persevered after writing the above, (I can't let it beat me can I!) Now I have the Belkin connected and all seems to be OK. but again I'll keep posting

Thanx - Dave

Dave do you have SP1 installed on both of these Laptops ?

AND ...... you know when you boot them up and look at the icons in system tray .... the "globe" that sits over the two little icons of monitors ..... well sometimes that "globe" doesn't always instantly appear on the vista pc that we have connecting wirelessly.

In fact we actually load the IE browser to test for a connection and then the icon suddenly shows correctly.
It's like Vista is slow on realising it does infact have a connection ... I have to tell my son not to go by the icon down by the clock or he could end up sitting there for ages waiting for a sign of connection when it already is connected anyway ..... that make sense lol

Just thought I should point it out anyway.


Internet icon:




PS, Dave ... the adapter ... did it come free supplied with the router?

We got a free adapter with our Netgear router, the box to the router says its for Windows Vista .. that's fine and it works ok with all of our pc's.
However, the adapter would not install on a vista pc .... it's not compatible with vista maybe yours isn't too.

Hi Anne,
Yes all the Vista PC's have SP1 installed, and yes I had noticed the globe being slow to arrive, but it usually appears within a minute or 2 if it's going to.
The problem seems to be slowly sorting itself, I have the Belkin connected now, and am going to keep an eye on it for a few days.
As regards the USB adapter, I have not persevered as A) the laptops are now connecting (and as old fogy mentioned, it's unlikely to be both wireless adaptors faulty at the same time.
However it DID come free
, the router was "on offer" at PC world, and it is SO much faster than my Linksys was.

One other thing; I contacted Belkin via email (as I was hitting a brick wall on the phone) and have had a mail back from them, (I can't access it from the pc I'm curently on) but the gist was to do a "Firmware update". I've always been frightened of these in the past - should I go ahead and "bite the bullet"? They have given me step by step instructions....

Onbe thing that really puzzles me, is that on my Linksys, the Wireless light was always lit, but on the Belkin, the wireless light only lights when I log on one of the Laptops. I have queried this with Belkin support twice, and they insist it is correct, but on the occasions I have trouble getting an Internet (as opposed to a Local) connection, it hasn't lit at all, unless I "Disconnect from "MYSSID"" and "Reconenect to "MYSSID" - then it lights up. Wierd - but as I say, I'll run it for a few days and see what happens -

Thanks - Dave

Just a quick reply for now, have to go out:

I found this from a review about a slightly different model of a Belkin router, it mentions wireless light off when nothing connected;

Ok, now the blue lights on the front of the modem. First is the Security light that indicates whether or not you have functioning security and its either lit or unlit. The Wireless icon that is lit solid blue when connected properly to a compatible wireless device, unlit when nothing is there, and blinking pink (also known as amber to Belkin) when something is incorrect in the wireless connection ( this also occurs when other people near my townhome are pinging it with laptops or whatever.) The Wired icon shows a PC that is connected via a hard wire to the modem, constant blue or blinking pink if there is a connection issue. The Router Power/Status icon flashes blue when powering on, then solid when the router is fully booted, next to it are three consecutively larger crescent shapes that represent radio wave and they indicate whether the wireless function is turned on or off. Next is the Modem status which is solid blue if connected properly, off if not connected and flashing pink if there is a problem. Lastly is the globe, Internet, icon that indicates blue for connected, flashing pink when trying to connect to the internet, and off when no connection is present.

Just one little concern.

Did this problem start by any chance just after trying to install the printer server, as in your other thread?

http://mgmcc.forumotion.net/printing-scanning-f11/setting-up-belkin-f1up0002-print-server-t173.htm

Only I am wondering if it may be a driver confusion issue.