Jo-Anne wrote:
"Paul" wrote in message
...
Jo-Anne wrote:
"Paul" wrote in message
...
Jo-Anne wrote:
I'm using Windows XP, fully updated. For a while I've been unable to
connect my laptop wirelessly to my network (I have a wireless router).
However, it works when plugged in to the router. I recently discovered
that my netbook, which appeared to connect wirelessly, was actually
using someone else's unsecured network. My local ISP suggested that I
unplug the modem, unplug the router, wait 30 seconds, plug in the
modem, and then, after the DSL light came on, plug in the router. I did
all that, but the situation remains the same.

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Jo-Anne
So don't you have to be "pro-active", go into the netbook,
find the application that controls which network you connect
to wirelessly, find *your* router, and connect to that ?

How is unplugging the other equipment, going to cause a
"miracle" on the netbook ?

You need to take control. You're supposed to be "steering"
the netbook, not letting it drive :-) If your Wifi network
is secured, it should be taking some extra work on your
part, on the netbook, to get it connected. (I.e. keys
or passwords to enter)

Now, if you've tried to connect to your own wireless
network, using some application on the netbook, then
you should phrase the question that way. Indicate
what tool you would normally use on the netbook to
set up Wifi (like Zeroconf or some proprietary
tool provided with the netbook), and ask a question
about the specifics of that.

The reason you don't want to connect to a stranger's
Wifi network, is they can "sniff" your packets,
extract bank passwords or credit card numbers and
so on. That is also one of the reasons, it isn't wise
to connect to "free" proxy sites you sometimes
see advertised in newsgroups. Such proxy servers
can be the tools of evil minds - bent on stealing
"WOW gold" or the like.

Paul
With your prodding, I tried again to get at least the laptop connected
wirelessly--and I succeeded. (I needed to input some numbers from the
bottom of the router. Why, I don't know, since it had been working
properly til around mid-November.)

However, I still can't connect with the netbook. What's happening at this
point is that although I appear to be connected to my own wireless
network, I'm stuck at "Acquiring network address." I opened Network
Connections, double-clicked on Wireless Network Connection, and the
Status is always the above. Packets are being sent and received, but I'm
not connected. Any idea of what I should try next?

Thank you!

Jo-Anne
You could work through some of the ideas here.

http://www.wirelessforums.org/networ...blem-5153.html

Before reading that, my initial impression, is the DHCP server didn't have
an address to give. Some DHCP servers have an address range value - I used
to keep mine set at 4 for example, so my DHCP server in the router, would
cycle through a fairly small pool of 4 addresses. But it looks like that
error message
is more indicative that it simply isn't getting through all the way.
That's
why the first suggestion is to change the SSID (which will likely screw up
the
other machines), and try to set it up again.

If packets really were getting through, and weren't being rejected, then
it couid be a setting on the router for DHCP that isn't quite right.

Paul


Thank you again, Paul! This is going to require more work, I'm afraid. I
read the ideas on the forum, but I'll have to gear myself up to trying them.
I had no idea wireless connections could get so complicated. I guess I
should start with my router's manual. Time to learn what I'm up against.

Jo-Anne



They mention a Network Diagnostic tool on this page.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...agnostics.mspx

About 75% down the page, there is a section on wireless.

"its real strength is in wireless networking, an area that
still causes more network problems than any other"

"Network Diagnostic tool"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914440/en-us

There is no guarantee it's going to help, but it might
give you some ideas.

Paul