[kusama]

Good day to everyone,

My Dad just came back from overseas and he brought his office laptop with him.

I switched on the wireless lan switch for the laptop, expecting that I could connect through the internet by just going through the wireless connection wizard.

When I got to the window where I would choose a wireless network to connect on to, I saw that our home network was not on the list. I then refreshed the list countless times until it appeared.

The wireless network was set to manually connect to the router and has WPA enabled. I then tried connecting on to the network. When I was prompted to enter the WPA password, I entered it slowly and surely. It tried connecting again, and then stopped saying that it could not connect to the network. I tried connecting again and this time it got to the "Acquiring IP Address" part, but then disconnected after a minute or so. The wireless network is now set to automatically connect to the router.

After failing to get past the acquiring ip address part a couple of times I tried googling out how to troubleshoot this, and I found a lot of solutions to it.

So what I've tried so far is:
1) Checking if the laptop is set to obtain an IP address automatically (Enabled)
2) Checking if the laptop is set to obtain DNS server address automatically (Enabled)
3) Checking if DHCP is enabled on the router (Yes it is)
4) Resetting WINSOCK to installation defaults
5) Resetting TCP/IP to installation defaults
6) Flushing out the DNS (?)*

*I forgot if the DNS was the one that I flushed out. I just saw this fix on one site and tried it out. The fix goes something like run cmd and then ipconfig/flush something I totally forgot sorry! It just yielded to the same results i.e. cannot get accross acquiring ip address message

We currently have 1 desktop computer and 3 laptops in our home.

The modem for the DSL is connected to the router which in turn is connected to the desktop computer (Windows XP SP3).

My laptop (Windows XP SP2) and my sibling's laptop (Windows XP SP3) is connected via the router and I am trying to connect my pop's laptop to the router.

The maximum amount of IP addresses that the router can give out was set to six.

The router's model is linksys WRT54G ver. 7; firmware v. 7.0.0.

My pop's laptop is a lenovo thinkpad r61 running Windows XP SP3.

I cannot think of what else to do, please help us.

Thank you very much for reading this. Take Care.

[JohnWill]

Stop restricting the DHCP pool like that, it's a nonsense security measure and may be causing some of the issue.

Remove all the stored wireless profiles on the machine and try to connect.

Are you using WZC or a 3rd party wireless client?

[Parsons123]

Have you tried setting a static ip address, i've had this problem before and doing this has solved it.

Go start > run > cmd

Type in ipconfig /all


Once you've got the information for your internet connection, set your static ip to something similar to your current one.


Post back with results.

[TerryNet]

Stop restricting the DHCP pool like that, it's a nonsense security measure and may be causing some of the issue.

And make sure MAC Address filtering is disabled.

[kusama]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

Stop restricting the DHCP pool like that, it's a nonsense security measure and may be causing some of the issue.

Remove all the stored wireless profiles on the machine and try to connect.

Are you using WZC or a 3rd party wireless client?

Sir, What should I put so that I would not restrict it? 100? And is it really nonesense? And what are stored wireless profiles? how could I remove them? I am really new to this. Also what are WZC and 3rd party wireless clients? I'm really sorry if I can't understand your questions sir.

Originally Posted by TerryNet

And make sure MAC Address filtering is disabled.

I just searched the router's setup page sir and found out that MAC address filtering is indeed disabled.

Originally Posted by Parsons123

Have you tried setting a static ip address, i've had this problem before and doing this has solved it.

Go start > run > cmd

Type in ipconfig /all


Once you've got the information for your internet connection, set your static ip to something similar to your current one.


Post back with results.

Sir, I haven't tried setting up static ip addresses, but I have read about them. I tried setting up one but my mom scolded at me telling me that I may break down the router and their internet connection. That got me irritated cause she dosen't trust me. She's so conservative when it comes to these things. And I don't know how to set up static IPs, but I know there are set up manuals found on the net.



@ ALL:
I'm sorry if it's just now that I have replied, I was out of the house the whole day and it's just now that I have returned. I'm deeply sorry.

[TerryNet]

Hi, kusama. No problem on the reply delay--we all have other things to do.

Usually routers default to having about 100 IP addresses for their Dhcp server, so that would be a fine number to use. Some people think that restricting the address range will keep the bad guys (and gals) out, but they know how to defeat that easily, so all it really does is sit there as a potential issue for the legitimate users. That's why John called it nonsense security.

Once in a very great while setting a static IP address will solve a connection problem, and will be the only solution, but for wireless it almost always just masks the real problem and does not solve anything. Please do not try a static IP address until we've examined this more closely.

Windows XP has a built in wireless utility called Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC). A 3rd party wireless client is one provided by the wireless adapter manufacturer or the laptop manufacturer. For example, if the wireless card is made by Intel you could be using the Intel Proset wireless utility. If there is no icon in the Notification Area (System Tray) for Intel, or IBM or Thinkpad, etc., you are probably using WZC.

Profiles are definitions of the wireless networks to be connected to automatically. How to view/edit/delete them depends on the wireless utility used.

[kusama]

Originally Posted by TerryNet

Hi, kusama. No problem on the reply delay--we all have other things to do.

Usually routers default to having about 100 IP addresses for their Dhcp server, so that would be a fine number to use. Some people think that restricting the address range will keep the bad guys (and gals) out, but they know how to defeat that easily, so all it really does is sit there as a potential issue for the legitimate users. That's why John called it nonsense security.

Once in a very great while setting a static IP address will solve a connection problem, and will be the only solution, but for wireless it almost always just masks the real problem and does not solve anything. Please do not try a static IP address until we've examined this more closely.

Windows XP has a built in wireless utility called Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC). A 3rd party wireless client is one provided by the wireless adapter manufacturer or the laptop manufacturer. For example, if the wireless card is made by Intel you could be using the Intel Proset wireless utility. If there is no icon in the Notification Area (System Tray) for Intel, or IBM or Thinkpad, etc., you are probably using WZC.

Profiles are definitions of the wireless networks to be connected to automatically. How to view/edit/delete them depends on the wireless utility used.

Thank you very much for the reply sir, so I won't be setting up any static ip addresses then. Should I really set the number of ip addresses that the DHCP server hands out to 100? My mom wants it set just to six, it's hard arguing with her. But if it really is nonesense and may help getting my pop's laptop to connect to the router I'll do it.

I think the laptop has a 3rd party wireless client. There is a "ThinkVantage Access Connections" icon on the system tray and when I doubled clicked it it said:

"Welcome to Access Connections!"
"Connect to available wireless networks by clicking find in the toolbar"
"Configure and save connection settings for the locations where you use your Think Pad computer by clicking create."

If you want screen shots of the gui of the program I'll provide ones on my next post.

Profiles are definitions of the wireless networks to be connected to automatically. How to view/edit/delete them depends on the wireless utility used.

Can this be found on the Wireless network connections utility of windows? Where in you could set up wireless networks for a home or small offices? Or is this found on the router's setup page?

Thank you very much for your reply sir!

[TerryNet]

Having multiple clients running at the same time can cause various problems. If you are using the ThinkVantage one look in Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services and check Wireless Zero Configuration. If it is Started, stop it and change its Startup Type to disabled. If you are using WZC then figure out what needs to be done to make ThinkVantage not run.

If you reset the router (NOT reset to factory default settings) or just unplug it for a moment that will refresh the Dhcp client list and give your dad's laptop a chance to get one of those 6 available addresses. Or maybe your mother will compromise on raising the limit to 8 or 10.

Here is an article your mother may want to read. Note that it says even with Dhcp disabled (zero addresses in the list!) there is not protection. The six dumbest ways to secure a wireless LAN makes the same points.

And please tell your mother that I said she raised you to be extremely well mannered. But you needn't call us "sir" here.

[JohnWill]

If you reset the router, you need to turn off ALL the connected devices to avoid possible duplicate IP address issues. Resetting the router causes it to forget all the DHCP assignments.

[kusama]

Originally Posted by TerryNet

Having multiple clients running at the same time can cause various problems. If you are using the ThinkVantage one look in Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services and check Wireless Zero Configuration. If it is Started, stop it and change its Startup Type to disabled. If you are using WZC then figure out what needs to be done to make ThinkVantage not run.

If you reset the router (NOT reset to factory default settings) or just unplug it for a moment that will refresh the Dhcp client list and give your dad's laptop a chance to get one of those 6 available addresses. Or maybe your mother will compromise on raising the limit to 8 or 10.

Here is an article your mother may want to read. Note that it says even with Dhcp disabled (zero addresses in the list!) there is not protection. The six dumbest ways to secure a wireless LAN makes the same points.

And please tell your mother that I said she raised you to be extremely well mannered. But you needn't call us "sir" here.

Thank you very much for the compliment and information sir. I'd rather be calling the people helping me sirs rather than just mister or by their username. I will surely show these articles to my mother tomorrow. I have tried the resetting of the router before I made this thread by unplugging it. But even if I did unplug it my Dad's laptop just couldn't get through the "Acquiring ip Address" part. But I would try sir JohnWill's suggestion though.

My dad is currently using the laptop but once the laptop is not in use I will try setting up the WCZ. Thank you very much again sir!

Originally Posted by JohnWill

If you reset the router, you need to turn off ALL the connected devices to avoid possible duplicate IP address issues. Resetting the router causes it to forget all the DHCP assignments.

Yes sir will note that! Thank you very much!

[Courtneyc]

If you set the router to only hand out 6 addresses, did you also reduce the lease time. On most home routers, it's set from 30 days to 1 year. (If I remember correctly, ours is 180 days.) If you are going to set such a small number, you need to reduce the DHCP lease time also.

Reducing DHCP addresses offers absolutely ZERO protection for your network. While it may reduce the number of addresses handed out, the router will route ANY traffic on the network, regardless of where the IP address came from. That's why setting a manual address works (and won't mess up your router).

Your router hands out addresses in the range of 192.168.0.100/199 by default. Set your IP address to 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0, gateway 192.168.0.1 and leave the DNS alone. If it works, your router needs to be reset.

Courtney

[Gr3iz]

The problem, especially in this case, with setting a static IP address is that his father's laptop is an office laptop. With a static address, he may not be able to connect to his LAN at work!

[kusama]

Originally Posted by TerryNet

Having multiple clients running at the same time can cause various problems. If you are using the ThinkVantage one look in Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services and check Wireless Zero Configuration. If it is Started, stop it and change its Startup Type to disabled. If you are using WZC then figure out what needs to be done to make ThinkVantage not run.

If you reset the router (NOT reset to factory default settings) or just unplug it for a moment that will refresh the Dhcp client list and give your dad's laptop a chance to get one of those 6 available addresses. Or maybe your mother will compromise on raising the limit to 8 or 10.

Here is an article your mother may want to read. Note that it says even with Dhcp disabled (zero addresses in the list!) there is not protection. The six dumbest ways to secure a wireless LAN makes the same points.

And please tell your mother that I said she raised you to be extremely well mannered. But you needn't call us "sir" here.

I set the start up type to disabled now sir, will this jeopardize my pop's wlan connection when he gets back to his office?

I also cannot think of a way to disable ThinkVantage Access Connections, but I am pretty sure now that ThinkVantage is used to handle the thinkpad's connections.

The wireless network connection explorer window cannot configure the wireless connection after I disabled WZC. I know it's obvious that once you disable something you can't use it. But is this really okay? I don't want my pop scolding me and stuff that he can't connect to his office's network.

Originally Posted by JohnWill

If you reset the router, you need to turn off ALL the connected devices to avoid possible duplicate IP address issues. Resetting the router causes it to forget all the DHCP assignments.

Tried shutting down all machines and then booted up my pop's, but I still got only up to the acquiring ip address part

Originally Posted by Courtneyc

If you set the router to only hand out 6 addresses, did you also reduce the lease time. On most home routers, it's set from 30 days to 1 year. (If I remember correctly, ours is 180 days.) If you are going to set such a small number, you need to reduce the DHCP lease time also.

Reducing DHCP addresses offers absolutely ZERO protection for your network. While it may reduce the number of addresses handed out, the router will route ANY traffic on the network, regardless of where the IP address came from. That's why setting a manual address works (and won't mess up your router).

Your router hands out addresses in the range of 192.168.0.100/199 by default. Set your IP address to 192.168.0.2, subnet 255.255.255.0, gateway 192.168.0.1 and leave the DNS alone. If it works, your router needs to be reset.

Courtney

How do I edit out the lease time for the ip addresses? and now that I am really thinking about setting the DHCP ip address offer up to 15, what would be the best lease time to use here? And ma'm may I ask what you mean by setting up a manual address for each machine? Do you mean setting up static ips for them? Thank you for the help ma'm.

Originally Posted by Gr3iz

The problem, especially in this case, with setting a static IP address is that his father's laptop is an office laptop. With a static address, he may not be able to connect to his LAN at work!

You have a point here sir. A very good point.

@ all:

I AM REALLY SORRY for having to reply just now, since my pop's just got home from overseas we haven't spent a lot of time here at home that's why it's only now that I have tried sir TerryNet's suggestions and read your responses. I am really sorry!

[kusama]

I'll wait for your replies sirs, thank you very much.

[TerryNet]

I set the start up type to disabled now sir, will this jeopardize my pop's wlan connection when he gets back to his office?

That depends on whether he is using WZC or ThinkVantage Access Connections to manage that network. Show him how to change the Startup Type back to Automatic or Manual to guard against that becoming an issue.

Now that you are using ThinkVantage (only) have you deleted any profiles or network definitions or whatever they call them (as John advised)? Do you detect your wireless network? Still can't get an IP address when you try to connect?