Solved: Goofy wireless network.

[wallee]

This may be long but hopefully someone can help me out.

I have 1 desktop and 2 laptops networked.

Up until a few days ago everything worked fine. Then my toshiba laptop would not print, but my dell still would.
I decided to "delete" the printer from the toshiba and then "add a new printer".

Would not work. I then realized that my other comps could not "see" the toshiba on the network but could see each other.

I decided to recreate my network with a new name. I went through the process but the results were the same except now when I connect the toshiba to the network I get a "limited or no connectivity" warning. I can connect to the internet sometimes but not the network.

I am using security, WEP, it's the only one I can use with the dell.
If I disable security the Toshiba connects to the internet fine but still not the network but without the connectivity warning and the dell connects to the internet but not the network with the connectivity warning.

I've tried to make this as clear as I can but probably didn't do the best job.

The only thing that has changed recently is that I bought a Play Station 3 and added it to my home network.

How much difference do the channels used in the wireless setting make?

They were set set the same so I'm guessing not much.

 

[jmwills]

Update the firmware on the router and drivers for the cards. WEP is not going to cut it. You need to check for MAC filtering that might be enabled on the router.
It everything fails, reset the router to defaults and add the machines back in and then add one layer at a time.

 

[wallee]

I forgot to add that when the Toshiba is having problems the other two computers operate just fine as a network and share files and the printer no problem.

The network card in the dell seems unable to use anything other than WEP.

Would windows restore do anything for the Toshiba?

 

[JohnWill]

Please supply the following info, exact make and models of the equipment please.

Make and model of the broadband modem.
Make and model of the router.
Connection type, wired or wireless.
If wireless, encryption used, (none, WEP, WPA, or WPA2)
Make/model of your computer.
Version and patch level of Windows on all affected machines, i.e. XP-Home (or XP-Pro), SP2, Vista, etc.

Also, please give an exact description of your problem symptoms, including the exact text of any error messages.




On any problem computer, I'd also like to see this:

Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

Type the following command:

IPCONFIG /ALL

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

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.

 

[wallee]

Router WRT54G ver6
Modem RCA DHG 525
Desktop is wired 2 laptops wireless. WEP encryption.
Desktop is a mix of parts but Asus motherboard.
Toshiba A100 laptop and a Dell c610 Latitude laptop.

All running windows XP home SP2. Error message from the problem computer is either limited or no connectivity once it's connected to a wireless connection or network unavailable to you when trying to view workgroup computers.

The Toshiba is the problem computer. If I right click on the wireless icon on the bottom right of the screen and tell it to connect to my wireless network it does (sort of). Excellent signal strength but then I get the limited or no connectivity notice. It will not connect to the internet or "see" any of the other comps on the network. The other computers can see each other though. If I use a wire to connect it to the modem everything is fine and all comps can "see" each other. However I cannot get the Toshiba to find the network printer. The dell does this just fine.

As I said earlier everything worked fine until a few days ago when I added the PS3 to the network.

I am currently running an online virus scan with the Toshiba wired to the internet. I'll post the ipconfig later.

Thanks for taking the time.

 

[wallee]

From IP Config of problem computer while wirelessly connected to the network.

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

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

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : YOUR-KathysComp
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Networ
k Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-02-AB-5F-E0
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.140.246
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-A0-D1-49-40-F6

 

[TerryNet]

Disable encryption on the router and try to connect the problem PC. If successful you can then re-enable encryption.

Do you have the latest driver for the Dell's wireless adapter from Dell's web site? If not, you may be missing out on the upgrade that supports WPA encryption. Use your Service Tag to make searching Dell's site less painful.

 

[wallee]

If I disable encryption the Toshiba connects OK, but still can't find a printer and the dell gives me the connectivity error.

What's a service tag? It's not a dell wireless card. It's an SMC card. The dell one crapped out and this is what they gave me.

 

[TerryNet]

The Service Tag is the "Service Tag" number on the sticker on the bottom of Dell laptops and the side of Dell desktops. It identifies your computer configuration when new. I think you can also update their database with changes. Sorry for the confusion. Look for a driver for the card on Dell's site or the card manufacturer's site.

When you change or disable the router's encryption all wireless computers will lose connection, of course. Are you saying that you cannot reconnect the Dell to an unsecured network?

If you re-enable encryption I advise to use a HEX key, not an ascii passcode because the passcode can be translated differently by different devices.

Let's see if we can get everything connected to the router first, and then tackle the printer.

 

[wallee]

Thanks for explaining that. I'll search Dell and see what happens and report back later today.

 

[wallee]

OK. So after much searching I am and was running the most up to date drivers for the Dell.
I updated the drivers for the Toshiba and it made no difference.

I decided to try a system restore on the problem (Toshiba) computer. I had downloaded the latest updates from Microsoft before the problem was noticed.

I now have...

The desktop (main comp) can "see the Dell. Not the Toshiba.Can print.

The Toshiba (problem comp) can "see" the Dell, not the desktop but cannot print to the printer it can "see".

The Dell can "see" both the desktop and the Toshiba and can print.

Still using WEP encryption.

 

[TerryNet]

OK, you now have all three PCs on the network.

Instead of "see" how about telling us who can ping whom by IP address and by Computer Name?

 

[wallee]

All 3 computers can ping all three computers.

The desktop can now see both laptops and view shared files for both.

The Dell can see both other comps and view shared files on both but it takes a little longer to access the Toshiba then the desktop. Can print.

The Toshiba can see both other comps, can view shared files on the Dell but not on the desktop.

I had tried to create a new network in hopes of that solving the problem. I now have 2 networks. Although I am accessing the same network on all comps, I'm wondering if that's not part of the problem now. I can't seem to delete a network though.

I was thinking of deleting all the networks on all the computers a starting fresh.

 

[wallee]

It appears I've solved the problem.

For some reason Zone Alarm decided sometime last week that the Toshiba needed to be added to the trusted zone.

It worked fine up until the middle of last week.

I'm not sure if the addition of the PS3 to the network would have had anything to do with this. I'll test it after the wife's done watching her show and see if all is well still.

Thanks for your help TerryNet.

 

[JohnWill]

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