Wireless Router and Desktops

[AlMujtahid]

I am helping my friend setup a wireless router at his home. We are not doing a wireless network (I don't think). We just want the computers to connect to the internet wirelessly.

What he has: 3 desktops and one laptop.

He used to have an old wireless router hooked up to one of the desktops. He decided to upgrade the wireless router to a "stronger" one. Before we switched the wireless router, the two desktops were able to connect to the internet using the wireless service. Each desktop has a wireless card installed. The desktops are all Dell PCs running Windows XP.

Since we setup the new router only the desktop that is hardwired and the laptop can connect to the internet. The laptop is connecting wirelessly.

The other 2 desktops are not connecting. One of the desktops doesn't even recognize the new router. When I search for a list of available networks, the router doesn't show up. I tried to add it manually, but it still doesn't show up.

On the other desktop, the new wireless router shows up, but it won't connect.

Any ideas as to what to do or what the problem could be.

Could it be a driver issue, compatibility issue . . . ?

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

 

[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.

 

[AlMujtahid]

Ok JohnWill. Thank you. I will get the info later tonight and post it.

 

[AlMujtahid]

Broadband Modem: Motorola SB5120 (COMCAST)
Wireless Router: Linksys WRT150N

Desktop PC 1:
Make & Model: Sony Vaio
OS: Windows XP Home SP2
Connection: Wired
Encryption: WEP

Desktop PC2:
Make & Model: DELL Dimension 8300
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2
Connection: Wireless
Encryption: ???
DELL TrueMobile 1300 USN2.0 WLAN Card

This is from the command prompt after I ran the IPCONFIG /ALL for Desktop PC2
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

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

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : dell-dimens8300
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.il.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-F1-C8-79-CB

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.il.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Dell TrueMobile 1300 USB2.0 WLAN Car
d
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-68-F6-13
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.107
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.72.130
68.87.77.130
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, November 05, 2007 7:57:33 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, November 06, 2007 7:57:33 P
M

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>

That is the two I am working on for now. The third PC I am going to fix first. But hopefully this will give me an idea as to what the problem is.

On this PC (Desktop PC2), it does not pick up the router at all.

 

[JohnWill]

Well, this machine shows a good connection to a wireless router that is connected to Comcast. Is that your router? If so, you have a connection to it.

Try these simple tests.

Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

PING 216.109.112.135

PING yahoo.com

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.

 

[AlMujtahid]

This computer can get online, but it is picking up the wireless signal from another router. I think the neighbors. We want to pick up the router in their house.

 

[JohnWill]

I suspect that the router you're trying to connect to has the SSID broadcast disabled. First step is to check the configuration of the router.

 

[bearone2]

a "stronger router".