HELLLLLLPPPPP! Paging all DU computer geeks

[KitchenWitch]

I am trying to set up wifi on our desktop computer, which is away from the router...due to the fact that the only space we have for the desk and computer are in a room that has no phone jack.

The machine is running Windows 2000. It has a DLink DWL 520+ pci card for wireless networking. I have configured it with network name and WEP code. It says it has a connection, but when I go to get on the web, it says there is no connection. I have been fighting with this for about 3 weeks, and am at my wits end.

Should I just go bite the bullet and upgrade to XP on this machine, or is there something else I can try?

[Deja Q]

1. I use Windows 2000 myself...

Albeit in an emulated form, I do not need XP nor will I give MS more money. They have plenty.

Wish I could help; I don't do wireless. :(

[spillthebeans]

2. are you using dhcp or did you enter your ip manually?

with wifi you are meaning wlan, I suppose?

[KitchenWitch]

3. I guess I am using dchp

because I do not know my IP.

[spillthebeans]

4. you can find out your ip and gateway ip by typing

ipconfig into the command prompt


edited to clarify




sometimes it doesn't work properly and you get 0.0.0.0 as IP adress


Your IP ( the first three numbers are equal to the gateway IP)

What you need is a gateway IP (this is the IP of your router)

a DNS server IP (normally the sama as gateway IP)

[KitchenWitch]

5. Okay

Can you explain to me, where I need to type those numbers in?

I am just stymied by this. The network card is supposedly getting a strong signal, but I cannot get online.

:banghead:

[spillthebeans]

6. If the router is using DHCP

they should appear automatically.


You might try to set it up without WEP, so it's easier to configure.


If you do it manually you have to know the IP of your router

192.168.2.1 for example

you have to give your computer a IP like 192.168.2.X X = from 2 to 255 I think

Gateway 192.168.2.1

Subnet 255.255.255.0

DNS 192.168.2.1


That should work if the router is comnnected properly to the internet

[KitchenWitch]

7. Unfortunetely we have to use WEP

It is a dsl modem/router unit.

[spillthebeans]

8. normally wep

is just a security function. Wired Equivalent Privacy.

Did you find out if you have a IP?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

14. Yeah, what beans said is right, you don't "have" to use encryption at all, it's

merely advisable to help your network be secure.

All WEP and other encryptions are are systems to encode all the data going back and forth in your wireless network, so that the systems have to use the correct code in order to decode the information properly.

It's not advisable to run your network over the long haul without encryption, but since encryption can be a source of communication problem (if the code was entered incorrectly, one letter or number off, for example), you can disable WEP or other encryption briefly to see if you machine and network are detecting each other properly in absence of encryption.

It's just one more step in a troubleshooting process.

[KitchenWitch]

16. Not true

With this Modem/Router, I do need to use WEP.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

17. I stand corrected then, I guess....

[spillthebeans]

19. OK

It would be good to find out if you have a IP


click on Start than on RUN

type cmd




than type ipconfig





and we will see



An other problem could be that your Router uses MAC Adress Filtering and if this feature is on you'll have to type the MAC Adress of your network card into the Router menu

[WhollyHeretic]

9. It sounds like the router and modem aren't communicating right

since you get a connection but no internet. If you are using DSL you have to put the username and password into the router in the PPPOE settings. If you are using a cable modem then often you have to hit the reset on the cable modem (a small button inside the modem that you have to push with a pen or something)

[KitchenWitch]

10. The router and modem are the same piece of equipment

I am able to connect with 2 xp machines, just not able to connect with the 2000 machine.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. This sounds like a configuring or encryption problem much more so than an operating system problem.

Your odds of getting this solved to your satisfaction would seem greater if you can get a computer/wireless network savvy friend to physically go over there and help you, I'd suspect.

Who set up the network that the XP machines are using? :shrug:

To get an idea if your wireless card in your desktop is working, does it "see" any other wireless networks in your neighborhood when searching for a connection?

[KitchenWitch]

13. I set up the network on the xp machines..

Had no problems whatsoever.

[Gold Metal Flake]

12. Have you made a trip throught the Home Networking Wizard?

Windows being windows will want to be set up for all this. Look for My Network and start there.

When I set up an Air Dash wireless adapter in my 2Wire system I had to jump through hoops, too.

[KitchenWitch]

15. There is no networking "wizard" in Windows 2000

:banghead:

I have the 2WIRE system too.

[Gold Metal Flake]

21. Are you using SBC/Yahoo or ATT DSL as an ISP?

[KitchenWitch]

22. Why, yes I am!

[Gold Metal Flake]

23. I find that you must use the Yahoo/ATT install CD.

Gotta remove the stuff and uninstall anything, then reboot, insert the install CD and follow the directions. It will tell you when to plug in the wireless adapter, when to type in the serial number of the base unit etc. Best way to do it.

Give it a try?

Trying to get third party stuff to work with the 2Wire parts was difficult.

[KitchenWitch]

24. So should I install the pci network adapter, then run the sbc disk?

[Gold Metal Flake]

25. No. My experience has shown that you must uninstall any adapters...

...reboot and then run the install disk and only hook up the adapter when the install program asks for it.

[KitchenWitch]

26. Got it!

[Gold Metal Flake]

28. Hazzah!

Great! PITA, ain't it? Gotta do it juuust the right way of nothing works.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

18. Do the XP machines have the same type of wireless network adapters as

the Win2000 machine? If not, could you consider briefly swapping out the wireless adapter from one of them into the Win2000 machine to see if that is the issue?

[KitchenWitch]

20. Unfortunetely no.

One of the adapters that works is a USB adapter, and the other is an internal adapter for a laptop. Cannot swap it out at this point.

I could see if the teenager will let me borrow the USB adapter... :hide:

[KitchenWitch]

27. UPDATE: I have lift off!

I broke down and upgraded to Windows 2000 for one thing. The other thing is, the pci card somehow got zorched in the cross country move, so I am using a USB network adapter. The desktop machine is up and running on the network (much to my husband's delight - "honey, when are you going to get that fixed?").

That said...sometimes I really hate computers.