Hanslow

Anybody got any idea why my work laptop cannot see my wireless network at home? Bit of background..... had some trouble with the network a while back where home laptop couldn't see it either, reinstalled network card driver and all was well. However, it could see the network, just not connect. PS3 connects fine, as does the wii, as does the desktop machine upstairs.

The work laptop doesn't even see the wireless network when using either the bespoke wireless utility (broadcom one) or the windows zero config. What's even weirder, is that I can (on and off, due to signal strength being so low) see two of the neighbours networks, I just never see my own.

Have used netstumbler and the like and that doesnt find it either, but does on my home laptop. I've just reinstalled my whole work laptop (boy was that fun) but it still can't see the network. Ran out of ideas so turning to those that might be of more help

scoobz72

sounds like the IP range is different.

EG your home network router is 192.168.1.1 and your work is 192.168.0.1

Just renew the IP address when at home. Either that or change your home router address to your work laptop.

Hanslow

The work laptop doesn't have a static IP, it picks one up via DHCP so should be ok (or so I think). Wouldn't it still see the wireless network being broadcast (SSID broadcast is enabled) regardless of its current IP address setting?

scoobz72

yes if wireless is enabled it will see the SSID but wont connect to it if DHCP is not managed by your router.
When trying to connect do you have a 169.254.xxx.xxx IP address??

Hanslow

Problem is I'm not seeing the wireless connection at all

DHCP is enabled on the router, and all other networked machines pick up their IPs dynamically. If I do an ipconfig /all, there are no IPs listed as I'm not connected to anything. If I connect via wired connection to the router I get a 192.168.1.3 address, subnet mask 255.255.255.0. Default gateway and DHCP server report correctly as 192.168.1.1.

Wouldn't mind if I could see the wireless connection, but it's just not visible at all on my work lappy Network card appears to be working properly, and passes all diagnostic tests, and as mentioned, sees the damn neighbours networks. I've even changed the broadcast channel from 11 (which both neighbour networks are on) to 6, but that didn't help at all

scoobz72

Hmmm have you marked your home network as safe?
Some internet security lets you do this, if you dont it will block most activity.
Are you in a position to change your driver settings, possibly from 802.11b to g for example.

This could have an effect.

Hanslow

Don't know about the marking of network as safe? Any more info on that? I'm not aware of having done anything like that, or that any other machines on the network needed anything more than seeing the connection and connecting to it. I've tried (again) fiddling with the settings forcing g rather than g/b but it can still only see the neighbours

Appreciate your help dude

Sonic'

Not having an IP address wont make a blind bit of difference to whether you can connect or see the wireless or not, seems strange that even netstumbler doesnt see it, unless you are trying to run it under Vista

What is your Wireless Router, and what is your Wireless Card?

Try disabling any power save mode on the advanced properties of the network card driver, ESPECIALLY if you are using any form of Encryption

Also make sure the router is set to match your Wireless Card, ie a/b/g chances are if its new then it will or rather should be set to b/g and make sure your wireless card is also set to match ie b/g

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Have you got MAC filtering switched on, on the router?

Also called Wireless Access List... if so, your router will be blocking the wireless adapter from seeing the network

Hanslow

Running under good old XP SP2 at the moment, so no Vista here. Wireless router is a Netgear DG834G, wireless card is a some broadcom 4318 based one (in an acer laptop). Just comes up as broadcom wireless 54g card in the device manager.

All power save is off and I've taken all encryption off at the mo. Tried it on both b/g and g only, to no avail

MAC filtering is enabled on the router, with correct MAC address entered. Turned MAC filtering off, so completely open for all and sundry to use () and still didn't see the damn thing.

I'm going to go to Argos tomorrow and buy a new router. Bought a Buffalo one but wasn't impressed with it, so switched back to my Netgear. I'll exchange the Buffalo for a newer Netgear one (mines about 2 years old) and see how it goes from there. Will report back tomorrow

Popped over to a friend 6 houses up to try my work lappy at his place (has same router) and I could see his fine, so suspect something is up with my router. It had given me some grief before (hence buying the buffalo) but seemed to settle down again. Suspect something is still not quite right with it.

Thanks again for the suggestions and help guys

Sonic'

MAC filtering like no ip addresses wont stop you seeing the Wireless, MAC filtering in many cases even still lets you connect, it just wont ever give you an IP address or if you use a static then it wont allow network communications

My guess is the wireless side of your router is dead, has it been powered up without the aerial fitted, thats a good way of killing wireless

Having said all of that, its a Netgear so not built to last

Supercue

iTrader: (1)

Is this Acer an 5220?
I've had two recently that would connect in the workshop but when in the customers they wouldnt. Took ages to work out.
Firstly if you have the Acer net management tool go in and configure that to do the job for you. It hates being disabled!
Secondly make sure there is absolutely nothing interfering with your signal. i.e. Sky sender units etc. If there is it will hide your router as the signal is so strong.
Also have you tried re-seating the wireless card in the lappy?
I doubt changing your router is the answer.
Also if you go to Start run and type cmd
then type ipconfig /release
followed by ipconfig /renew
This may be the kickstart the card needs.

Good luck

Hanslow

Router's been powered up with aerial fitted, I've even tried swapping the aerial with one from an old wireless card but that didn't help either. Sonic, is this the point you recommend me getting a Draytek one? It's been considered, but apart from this sudden issue, been happy with my cheap plastic Netgear

The work lappy is an Acer Ferrari 4000. I've removed and reseated the wireless module, which unfortunately didn't help. I don't think the eNet management was ever on the lappy and it used to work fine in the past. The ipconfig /renew doesn't help as it's not been assigned an IP yet (tried it again anyway )

Nothing's changed in the house that I can think of that would interfere with the wireless. No new techy gadgets have been bought for a while, so it's all a bit of a mystery. Having already shelled out for the Buffalo, which I wasn't impressed with, swapping for a new Netgear won't leave me any more out of pocket, so will get that done today, and fiddle with it tonight and report back. Worst case, I end up with a second router with the same problem, but one I'm familiar with and generally have been happy with. I'm sure someone else in the family could use it if it is no better for me

Hanslow

As mentioned before, what's really weird is 5 other devices in the house connect to it fine, the work lappy just doesn't see it at all, despite being able to see other networks. Maybe work don't like me putting in extra hours from home

Shark Man

Check what channel your router is on.

Some built in Wi-Fi cards only have capeability of working up to channel 10 IIRC (USA spec card). Whilst others will go right up to channel 13...

As I found out with my Tosh laptop when it wouldn't see the works network (channel 12), even when sat right next to the router. Change the channel on the router to a lower one (8 in my case) and away it went.

scoobz72

Only thing left is to uninstall and reinstall the card using just windows wireless, not the naff software which comes bundled.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

access the router settings and check the dhcp settings to firstly make sure more than 5 addresses can be allocated (this in itself wont prevent you from seein gthe network)

Check other settings as well like broadcast ssid, it may be that you have it set up not to broadcast the network name, also check a setting similar to something like allow new devices to connect (again wont prevent you from seeing it though)

Good luck, wireless is great when it works, but troubleshooting it at times can be a right pita

Hanslow

One new DG834Gv4 later (old one was a v2 that's been pretty much on for the last 2-3 years) and everything is working hunky dory

I guess something has crapped out in my old v2 router. Why I bothered buying the Buffalo one I don't know, but everything is now connected, working fine and the work laptop can attach with no problems at all. If I get bored at any point, I might dissect the old v2 router and see if anything looks pooped inside.

Thanks all for the help and advice. It covered a lot of what I had already done (you weren't to know that, and I tried every suggestion again, just in case I'd been a donkey ).

I guess cheap Chinese electronics do wear out over time What happened to the good old days of things lasting 20 years eh? Missus'll be happy as well, as the upstairs PC is getting a solid connection so she can play WoW and Conan to her hearts content now

Thanks again all

scoobz72

Glad you got sorted bud