[bp936]

I read a lot instructions in this forum but only get more confused, what am I doing wrong? I did have a desktop and my wireless Toshiba connected with Linksys for many month, including with 2 printers connected to the desktop.
Now wireless doesn't work any more. I tried to re-install the Linksys CD program but it stalls at 90 %. Desktop says: DHCP address asigned, IP 192.168.1.100 Speed 100.0 Mbps and is hooked to VIA Rhine Fast Ethernet on desktop.
I also used the reset on Linksys before re-entering everything.
In device Manager the ethernet card shows, but nothing from Linksys. The laptop in Configfree (Toshiba's Wireless program ) shows I am connected to linksys, but the little icon on the taskbar says: it cannot repair connections, not connected.

Computers can't ping each other, same Workgroup name. Firewalls have been disabled during setup. I have Kaspersky Internet Security, should I uninstall it maybe?

I do not want wireless connections to go to the Internet, just for at home. I connect to internet individually on the computers (unfortunately) with Dial-up.

How can I undo all setting I probably screwed up on both computers, can't find anyplace to remove reference to Linksys Wireless - G WRT54G Broadbend Router
Am I networking with Linksys or the Ethernet card on the desktop and what makes a laptop wireless, what do I call that from the desktop? Sorry I am really confused because I don't remember how I managed to set wireless up the first time.
Both computers have Windows XP SP2, and Kaspersky, and Spybot

Any help would be much appreciated

[TerryNet]

Let's start with for both PCs ...

Start, Run, CMD, OK to open a command prompt:
(For Vista type CMD in the Search box after Start)

Type the following commands:

nbtstat -n

IPCONFIG /ALL

[Note that there is no space between / and ALL.]

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here.

If necessary use a text file and removable media to copy the results to a computer with internet access.

[bp936]

thanks for your reply TN,
here is number 1.) Toshiba laptop's:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\jb>nbtstat -n

Wireless Network Connection:
Node IpAddress: [0.0.0.0] Scope Id: []

No names in cache

Local Area Connection 3:
Node IpAddress: [0.0.0.0] Scope Id: []

No names in cache

execulink.com:
Node IpAddress: [209.239.5.133] Scope Id: []

No names in cache

C:\Documents and Settings\jb>IPCONFIG /ALL

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : T3
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR5006EG Wireless Network Ad
apter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-E3-8D-BD-6E

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Eth
ernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-A0-D1-57-3F-16

PPP adapter execulink.com:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 209.239.5.133
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 209.239.5.133
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 199.166.6.2
209.239.11.98
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Documents and Settings\jb>
---

now I'll go to desktop, will send note next

[bp936]

and here is the desktop :

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\jb>nbtstat -n

Local Area Connection :
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.100] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
XPLIO <00> UNIQUE Registered
MYHOUSE <00> GROUP Registered
XPLIO <1F> UNIQUE Registered
XPLIO <20> UNIQUE Registered
MYHOUSE <1E> GROUP Registered
MYHOUSE <1D> UNIQUE Registered
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

C:\Documents and Settings\jb>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : xplio
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection :

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-2A-04-0F-20
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : June 5, 2008 11:15:26 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : June 6, 2008 11:15:26 AM
----

[TerryNet]

Your desktop appears to have a good ethernet connection, using its VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter, to the router.

The laptop's wireless adapter (Atheros AR5006EG Wireless Network Adapter) appears to be not even trying.

If you go into Network Connections, right click on the icon for the wireless connection and select 'view available networks,' what happens?

If you see your network from your router try to connect to it. What happens? If you get this far please show another ipconfig /all for the laptop.

[bp936]

What does it mean: if I see network from router? I can only see Linksys name on laptop but nowhere on desktop, even so it is connected per Ethernet cable to desktop.

ON Desktop it shows: Local Network: mydocs only from desktop and Network Connections shows: "connected" but nothing else.
No workgroup name shows anywhere on desktop except in "My Computer""Properties
-----

ON Toshiba laptop there is nothing in Network Places. It does have a spot to "View Workgroup Computers" but nothing is there, Even so workgroup name is in the Address Bar.
IS "Network"name the same as "workgroup" name?
On laptop under Available Wireless Networks: it shows Linksys - automatic- Security enabled WPA
then there is just a button to ":connect" Then it asks for a network key. but something is already there ***** so I click it,
Now Windows says to wait - trying to connect to Linksys Network. Never happens
goes back to previous screen
Icon on taskbar shows "wireless network unavailable"
and here is today's laptop ipconfig

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\jb>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : T3
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR5006EG Wireless Network Ad
apter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-E3-8D-BD-6E

PPP adapter execulink.com:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 209.239.5.122
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 209.239.5.122
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 199.166.6.2
209.239.11.98
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled


-----------

I noticed that on the desktop's ipconfig DHCP is enabled and Netbios is enabled

[JohnWill]

Try disabling the security on the router, delete ALL the stored wireless network profiles, and do a new connection. When you get that working, then add encryption to the router, and make SURE you use the same key. I recommend WPA or WPA2 if both ends support it. If you use WEP, use only the hex key option do not use the passphrase option.

[bp936]

thanks JW, I will do all you said, might take me a while to figure out where everything is again. I think the WEP keys are different because I downloaded Linksys setup program, CD wouldn't re-install.

[TerryNet]

Copy the router's user manual from the CD or from the web and then use the CD as a frisbee or coaster.

Use your desktop to login to the router (address 192.168.1.1) and disable encryption. While not necessary, if the SSID is still the default ("Linksys"?) change it to something more unique and meaningful to you.

That SSID, or wireless network name, is what is used to distinguish your network from the many others that could be detected (e.g., if you are in a crowded apartment building). Your desktop PC, as long as it has no wireless adapter, is never going to see that name. And since an ethernet cable can connect to only one router at a time there is no need to name the ethernet connection.

As I mentioned earlier, your desktop is connected to the router. As soon as you get the laptop connected to it, they will be on the same network and ready to communicate.

Workgroup name is a Microsoft concept to make file sharing a little easier when all PCs have that same name.

You can get back and forth between Network Connections and My Network Places, but they are not the same thing.

[bp936]

I'll print out every suggestion from here and from CD, you are correct TerryN, that would help.
I was not as confused a year ago, as I am now, I read too much and try to change things that might not needed it. Last year I just followed all instructions and it worked for quite a while.
I think when I changed from AVG free to paid Kaspersky on both computers, I must have ruined settings.
..now upstairs to the printer with the usb stick to print out this (Desktop only gets less than half the speed than laptop for Internet,)

[bp936]

thanks to you guys again, I followed all your advise, reset or deleted everything regarding networking. gave a new workgroup name, did the pinging and other things under Dos (run), Disabled Firewalls, Kaspersky (had to do it in msconfig, wouldn't stay away long enough to set up wireless again).
AND then: a Miracle, computers showed up connected,
I read tons of (especially from you 2) postings to others, when I didn't understood something.
I was at no time connected to the internet even so Linksys insisted to know my ISP, what it did not asks me 6 months ago when I first succeeded to setup wireless.
Anyway, now the only problem I have, is it won't show me my printer wirelessly even so I did say on the desktop (where it is installed and connected too)to share.
So I tried to put a shortcut to the printer on the desktop into the shared folder.. AND now it shows up on the laptop.

My remaining question is this: The first time I had the printer(s) installed also on the laptop, but not now, since I don't really want those big programs taking up the little space I have left, do I HAVE to install the drivers on both computers?
thanks again in advance
/jb

[TerryNet]

The printer driver must be installed on the laptop in order for the laptop to print to the printer, no matter where the printer actually is or how the print jobs get to the printer.

Without knowing your printer or what big programs you're talking about we can't really say much more.

[bp936]

many thanks Terry and John,
Connections work now, I can see files from both ends.

Regarding the printers, I followed Terry's advise and re-installed the printers.
Now it works, after I search for them with the ADD PRINTER wizard.

FYI; the big programs I meant is the Canon Navigator with scanning options and Webprinting plus OCR and Adobe reader on disk, this time I chose what to install,
Also the Epson printer driver is now installed, Both take up a lot of space on the 50 GB drive.
Epson has excellent picture printing qualities, while the Canon I use for letters and instruction printing.
I use several external USB drives for backup of different type files so I did not buy big computer drives. (I lost files too often when I had to re-install XP.)

For anyone else's info, I found above advise from you guys the easiest way to fix my networking problems.