Help with Wireless Connection!

peppimimi · 09-12-2005, 09:14 PM

Hi all,

We just moved to HK and have signed up with netvigator for our internet connection. We signed up for the highest speed but have found the speed to be very slow at times. Of the three laptops we have, only one seems to be able to connect on a regular basis. On another I can talk on skype but not get on IE.

This is the first time I had to set up our wireless internet (Linksys Model No.: WRT54G 2.4 GHz, 802.11g) without assistance from my brother, the technically inclined of the siblings. Good news is that I got it to work , bad news is that it doesn't work all the time AND I can't figure out how to secure the connection . Now I can't even connect directly to the router.

After reading through past feeds, I am hoping one of you kind souls out there can provide some assistance!

Hope someone out there can help me out.

Thanks!

Gillig Phantom · 09-12-2005, 10:28 PM

Wow, WRT54G, our official routers for our users to use at home.

To get it work, you must be able to access the router setting page.

Open IE, type "http://192.168.0.1", 192.168.0.1 is the most common default gateway.

To know what the default gateway is, goto Start > Run > type "cmd" > type "ipconfig /all"

You can then set how your router should function.

discobay · 09-12-2005, 10:55 PM

Can you just connect the laptop by lan cable to the back of the router to see if that improves things?
Are your laptops far from the router and how many walls are inbetween?
Are you using Windows XP's wireless connection software?
Are you running wireless encryption on the router?

peppimimi · 10-12-2005, 03:54 PM

Hi both - thanks for responding.

Gillig Phantom,

I tried opening IE by typing in what you suggested - didn't work though. My default gateway shows 192.168.1.1 and IP address shows 192.168.1.102. There's a bunch of other details that I am not sure if it is relevant.

Discobay, I'm not sure if I can answer your questions, but I'll try.

Can you just connect the laptop by lan cable to the back of the router to see if that improves things? I've tried this but there's no connection. With wireless, I can usually sign onto skype but not IE.

Are your laptops far from the router and how many walls are in between? It's all close by, within 15 feet (HK size apt) and maybe two walls.

Are you using Windows XP's wireless connection software? Yes, although the laptop I am having the most trouble with is the one that I used to install the wireless router with their CD.

Are you running wireless encryption on the router? during set up, I thought I did this but maybe I did something wrong. The connection is unsecured at the moment...

It took three tries on all three computers to get this response through. I had internet connection on my work laptop, then lost it. The only reliable connection we seem to have is with my husband's laptop. Default gateway is the same as the other laptop; the IP address is 192.168.1.100.

Laughing_Monkey · 10-12-2005, 04:09 PM

Lots of people have unsecured networks in my building. Wooo! Free internet! At least until i got Broadband installed. This could be a part of your problem. You wanna secure that network. Its very easy. Look in your routers manual and it will tell you how to get to the page 'online' that controls your router. Then you can set it to be password access only....

discobay · 10-12-2005, 05:33 PM

If Skype lets you through and IE doesn't then the configuration for IE must be corrupt. Go to IE's Tools -> Internet Options -> Connection then try and fix things up there. Report back if you get stuck.
Do you have another browser other than IE to use?

peppimimi · 10-12-2005, 09:06 PM

Laughing_monkey - The router is from Netvigator, they installed it but didn't give me a manual. When I was using a lan connection, I had to enter in my username and password. I'll try to give them a ring tomorrow, unless you know a shorter fix

Discobay - I've tried going into IE - Tools - Internet Options - Connections. It looks the same as the laptop that is working. Is there something I should be adjusting specifically? Again, IE sometimes works. First couple of days after the wireless was set up, all three laptops worked fine. Then my Toshiba stopped working for IE and two days ago my Thinkpad. IE is the only browser I have on both laptops, I think.

discobay · 10-12-2005, 09:35 PM

It sounds like your router is broadcasting on a channel that is close to another wireless router in the vicinity.

penguinsix · 10-12-2005, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by discobay:

It sounds like your router is broadcasting on a channel that is close to another wireless router in the vicinity.

That was my first guess too...

The Linksys website has a manual. In fact if you look around that incredibly popular and common router even has hacks on the net.

If you can get to the web, you may want to download a windows version of the program called "Stumbler" for one of your machines. It's pretty common on the net and free. Once installed on your pc, it will look around your house and identify ALL wireless signals (including your neighbors). This will help in the debugging as we can see if there is a conflict.