[skylights]

I bought a Belkin Wireless G Desktop Card to connect my desktop to my ZyXEL 802.11g Wireless Router. I had already successfully set up the router and established a connection with my laptop, but my desktop was a different story. I followed the instructions that Belkin provided. The adapter sees the network, but won't connect with it. The signal is adequate. I entered the same passphrase I entered when I set up the router.

I called Belkin Tech Support. When their advice didn't work, I searched for info on the internet, and when that wasn't produtive I came here.

I hope someone can walk me through establishing a connection. Please tell me what additional info you need from me. Thanks in advance for your help!

Best,

John

[TerryNet]

Welcome, skylights.

Login to your router and make sure that you did not disable the Dhcp server and that you are not using MAC Address filtering.

If the router has any turbo or speedbooster type option, turn it off.

If after fixing or allowing for the above you still can't connect, disable the encryption and try to connect. If you connect this way, then try the WPA encryption again.

[skylights]

I disabled MAC Address Filtering, and presto, a connection! Thanks for your help! Now if you could just tell me how I can use MAC address filtering without killing the connection. I'd like to use as many security features as possible. Also, another machine on my network won't connect when Network Name Broadcasting is disabled. How can I enable this and still connect?

Thanks again!

[TerryNet]

For wireless security enable WPA-PSK (or WPA2) with a passphrase of 20+ letters and numbers mixed. If WPA is not possible, use WEP (128-bit is better than 64-bit).

To add ZERO security on top of encryption and to make your network difficult to use (see your posts #1 and #3!) disable SSID broadcast, disable the Dhcp server, and enable MAC address filtering. Seems like there are a couple other difficulties you can add, but they don't come to mind right now.

[JohnWill]

Is it time for my monthly posting of The Six Dumbest Ways to Secure Your Wireless LAN? This question comes up pretty regularly here.

[skylights]

Thanks for the eye-opening posts and the article about dumb ways to secure your wireless connection. From now on I'll be using WPA only (I had already set it up with a strong passphrase) and WPA2 if possible (I hadn't heard of it before... I'm a wireless noob, learning as I go).

I asked for help in several other forums as well, but Tech Support Guy was the only one in which someone accurately diagnosed my problem, prescribed a cure and offered useful knowledge. I'll definitely make this my first stop for future tech support. Thanks again and best regards!

John

[JohnWill]

Glad we made your visit pleasant and productive.

[mark bower]

Belkin makes different versions of the F5D7001 G adapter 1000, and 1212. The 1212 worked on one of my computers, but would not work on another as you describe. Belkin could not help, wants to send a person off to microsoft. After days of screwing around I went a bot a Hawking PCI wireless adapter for $40; it installed easily in the computer where the Belkin 1212 would not work. Also, the Hawking will work in XP without any service packs.