Wireless network help needed

[Jeff Monson]

I wanted a computer in my shop, so I took an older one from work to my shop. I mainly want it for a couple of simple cabinet programs, but I'd also like to get the internet going.

Here are my questions,

How do I know if this computer has a "wireless card" inside? It used to be on a network at work, but was cabled into the network. If it does not, do they make a usb
wireless card or what do I need to get this going?

I do have a wireless network setup in my office, my shop is attached to the house, so will I need a booster? The office is on the second story, not sure if that matters.

I do know my routers password, as I have a tablet and laptop that we use off of it, connecting to the router seemed pretty easy. With a desktop is the process the same, once I get my wireless accessed? Or do I have to setup a network on that particular computer?

The computer is about 6 years old of so, I do know its a Pentium processor, with 2 gig of ram, running windows xp.

Thanks!!

[Mike Henderson]

I wanted a computer in my shop, so I took an older one from work to my shop. I mainly want it for a couple of simple cabinet programs, but I'd also like to get the internet going.

Here are my questions,

How do I know if this computer has a "wireless card" inside? It used to be on a network at work, but was cabled into the network. If it does not, do they make a usb
wireless card or what do I need to get this going?

I do have a wireless network setup in my office, my shop is attached to the house, so will I need a booster? The office is on the second story, not sure if that matters.

I do know my routers password, as I have a tablet and laptop that we use off of it, connecting to the router seemed pretty easy. With a desktop is the process the same, once I get my wireless accessed? Or do I have to setup a network on that particular computer?

The computer is about 6 years old of so, I do know its a Pentium processor, with 2 gig of ram, running windows xp.

Thanks!!

To check if you have wireless in your computer, just set it up close to your wireless router and see if you can connect. If it's a desktop, you probably don't have wireless built in but you can purchase a USB dongle wireless device.

As an alternative, look at HomePlug devices which use your home electrical wiring to make the connection. You buy two devices and run Ethernet to the one at your router and Ethernet to your computer. I did that for my shop, but I put a wireless router in my shop so I can also have WiFi to my phone. Here's (http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Powerline-Mbps-Adapter-XAVB2101/dp/B006OOKT3Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376500096&sr=8-1&keywords=netgear+homeplug) the HomePlug device I bought.

Mike

[Jerome Stanek]

Will your tablet connect in your shop. That will tell you if you need a booster. Most desktops will not have a wireless card in them if they were wired. You can get a USB adapter and If you get a USB cable you could position the adapter for the best reception.

[David G Baker]

Download Belaric Adviser, it will let you know everything you have on your computers as well as the keys and things that may not be working.

[Jerome Stanek]

You should be able to see it in device manager under network adapters.

[Jeff Monson]

Ok, I didnt have a card, so I went to BB and got a usb adapter. I installed the driver and got logged into my router, but I can't connect to the internet. The progress bar on the netgear adapter shows green from my cpu to the router, but a red "x" from my cpu to the internet. Great advice so far, I think I must have a setting wrong. Being this cpu was wired into a network previous is there something I should look for?

[Tom Fischer]

Not a geek here, but a 6 year old computer is pretty old. Cool to re-use, but low RAM, USB1, etc.
I have never had a computer that old. Dust always kills mine.
***
I always have a computer in the shop as well.
Recently bought a refurbished Dell from Wallmart.com (Win 7)
Here's one for $138 (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-Refurbished-Black-GX520-Desktop-PC-with-Intel-Pentium-4-Processor-160GB-Hard-Drive-and-Windows-7-Home-Premium/20678958) (no monitor)
No deliver charge if you pick up at your local Wally.
Probably just need to plug in your USB wireless adapter and off you go.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Forgive me since I'm going from memory here - I'm running Win 7 not XP so I can't verify what I'm suggesting...

It sounds like a DNS issue since you have partial connectivity. If you connect to the internal network (PC to Router) and go no further, then it's one of only a couple of things.

Shell out to a command prompt - goo to start.-> run -> type cmd and hit enter.
Once there, type in - ipconfig /flushdns and hit return.
Next type in - ping 8.8.8.8. (that's the internet IP address of a public DNS server - one of google's top level DNS servers IIRC)
It should return some sort of reply. If not, then don't worry about it @ this point if it says something like timed out.
All we want to do is establish roughly that there's an active network device that the TCP/IP protocol is bound to.

Next, type in - ping www.google.com (http://www.google.com) and hit return
It should say something like this:
Pinging www.google.com (http://www.google.com) [12.216.80.25] with 32 bits of data:
Reply from - yada, yada, yada.

@ this point, I don't care if there's a reply or not.
All I want to know is does it resolve the name www.google.com (http://www.google.com) to an IP address. The actual IP address isn't critical right now & it may be different than the one I listed above.

Next type in - exactly as it's written here with no spaces:
ipconfig/all>ipfig.txt
That will create a text file named ipfig.txt.
The file will be located at the root folder of where you cmd prompt is.
(Sorry - with XP I don't recall where that is. With Win 7, the cmd prompt puts me at c:\users\rengelhardt)
You can copy the file off to another computer, open it up in notepad then copy and paste the contents to a post here.
That will give us all the basic info we need to find out exactly where the problem is.

[Jeff Monson]

Forgive me since I'm going from memory here - I'm running Win 7 not XP so I can't verify what I'm suggesting...

It sounds like a DNS issue since you have partial connectivity. If you connect to the internal network (PC to Router) and go no further, then it's one of only a couple of things.

Shell out to a command prompt - goo to start.-> run -> type cmd and hit enter.
Once there, type in - ipconfig /flushdns and hit return.
Next type in - ping 8.8.8.8. (that's the internet IP address of a public DNS server - one of google's top level DNS servers IIRC)
It should return some sort of reply. If not, then don't worry about it @ this point if it says something like timed out.
All we want to do is establish roughly that there's an active network device that the TCP/IP protocol is bound to.

Next, type in - ping www.google.com (http://www.google.com) and hit return
It should say something like this:
Pinging www.google.com (http://www.google.com) [12.216.80.25] with 32 bits of data:
Reply from - yada, yada, yada.

@ this point, I don't care if there's a reply or not.
All I want to know is does it resolve the name www.google.com (http://www.google.com) to an IP address. The actual IP address isn't critical right now & it may be different than the one I listed above.

Next type in - exactly as it's written here with no spaces:
ipconfig/all>ipfig.txt
That will create a text file named ipfig.txt.
The file will be located at the root folder of where you cmd prompt is.
(Sorry - with XP I don't recall where that is. With Win 7, the cmd prompt puts me at c:\users\rengelhardt)
You can copy the file off to another computer, open it up in notepad then copy and paste the contents to a post here.
That will give us all the basic info we need to find out exactly where the problem is.

I will do that tonight when I get home an let you know Rich, Thanks!!

[Bill Huber]

If this came from the office and was on a network the network setting may still be there from work.

Go to the Control Panel, Start, slide to Control Panel, in the right column.
Then open the Network Connection.
Right click on the Wireless connection and slide to properties, now find the IP Protocol in the list and click on it and then click on Properties.
The radio button for Obtain and IP address automatically should be check.
The radio button for Obtain DNS server automatically should be check.
Click on the Alternate Configuration tab and Automatic should be checked.

I would do this for both Wireless and Network connections.

[Jeff Monson]

Rich, I followed your instructions, here is what the ipfig file contains,

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : WKS2

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR WNA3100 N300 Wireless USB Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 28-C6-8E-5F-83-32

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.137.55

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

BTW, if I hover over the network connection icon in the lower right of the screen, it does say "validating identity" as part of the wording, not sure if that helps.

Bill, I did check the settings as you described, they were all "obtain automatically" in the wireless, and I switched them to that in the network area. Still no worky :confused:

[Rich Engelhardt]

Jeff,
The good news is that the computer sees the wireless adapter.
The wireless connector doesn't see the wireless router though.
The IP address of 169.xxx.xxx.xxx is what Windows defaults to when it can't obtain an IP address from a DHCP server.

Where is the computer located now in relation to the wireless router?
It might simply be unable to make a connection due to range or some type of interference.

It might also be a security issue. If security is enabled on the wireless, which it should be, then the wireless card may be being denied a connection and is denied access to a valid IP address. I'm a little rusty here since it's been a few years since I worked on an XP connectivity issue.

Ok - did a little checking and came up with this "how to". Which is a good step by step to follow:
http://www.tp-link.us/article/?id=290

[Bill Huber]

Type CMD in the search box and when the command box opens type ipconfig /release press enter.
The in the same command box type ipconfig /renew

You say you can get to your router so make sure the router is set to give more IPs then what you were using.

If you can get the PC close to the router and plug in a cable and see if it will get an IP from the wire.

[Jeff Monson]

Ok Rich, I followed the link your provided, but now its asking for a network key. The message I'm getting is as follows

268645

I have entered my network key that I use for the tablet and phones, and it keeps coming up with this. I also found another network key that
was about 10 numbers and letters in my network settings on my main computer, so I tried that one with no avail?

Bill I will try that this evening thanks.

[Dave Sheldrake]

192.168.0.1 from your web browser

Login:admin
Pass: password

(unless you have ever changed the above)

Adavanced settings

Set access list

Check to see if you have wireless access list enabled.

The router will check attemped connections against that list if it is running and will prevent access by any terminal that isn't listed.

Hardline (direct cable links) connections bypass network security protocols on the Belkin and Netgear routers.

cheers

Dave

http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/13112/~/securing-your-wireless-network%3A-access-control-list-(older-netgear-routers)

If the router uses the newer Genie type of authentication it's the same but just *looks* differerent

http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/23289/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzc2NjY3NjcyL3NpZC9xcTQ3OVd4bA%3D% 3D

[Rich Engelhardt]

Dave is offering some sound and up to date advice.
I'll defer to him on this.

[Maurice Hood]

There could be several issues here. For one thing are you surethat you are connecting to “YOUR” wireless network? If there are other homesnearby you then you could be attempting to connect to one of them. Secondly Idoubt that your wireless router is giving out a 169 dot anything address(169.???.???.???). Just a few things youmight want to check. Hope this helps.

[Dave Sheldrake]

169 dot anything address(169.???.???.???).

169.0.0.1 to 169.254.0.0 is the Iana reserved Link Local block for auto configuration of internal single links that are unable to access a DHCP server.(for obvious reasons an IPv4 link like this cannot be forwarded by the router)

cheers

Dave

[Jerome Stanek]

You could even be trying to connect to you tablet or laptop

[Dave Sheldrake]

I have entered my network key that I use for the tablet and phones, and it keeps coming up with this.

That particular error message means either your key length is wrong for the protocol or it has been incorrectly entered (they are also case sensitive)

cheers

Dave