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I'm connected to the 'net but my DSL line ISN'T plugged in!

E

edprush

Platinum Member
I couldn't get on a web page so I checked all my modem and router connections. They seemed fine then I decide to turn everything off then back on...still nothing.

I waited a little while then I tried to get back on the 'net. I was able to get on....then I noticed that I didn't plug in my DSL cable into the phone jack! Does that mean I'm getting my internet from some other router in my apartment building?!

I wonder if this is the way I have been getting internet service for the last months. I fully connected my DSL modem and router and am still getting on the 'net.

How do I tell if I'm using MY dsl?

 
Most likely yes. See what SSID you are connecting to. Is it yours? If your not sure and you are still using the manufacturer's default SSID name (linksys, default, etc) then I would change it to somethine else that way you can always tell which wireless network connection is yours.
 
To make ?Wireless Live? easy and more informative (Assuming that you are using WinXP SP2).

Log to Windows Control Panel, click on the Wireless Network Connection, Right click on the connection Icon and choose Properties, click Wireless Networks.

You should see this Screen, http://www.ezlan.net/network/Wireless1.jpg

Check the two boxes at the button.

Doing so would put a Network Icon on your Tray Bar.

Close the Opened Windows and double click on the Network Tray Bar Icon.

You should see this, http://www.ezlan.net/network/Wireless2.jpg

Click on View available Network.

You should see this, http://www.ezlan.net/network/Wireless3.jpg

It shows you all the Networks around and which one you are connected to.

Otherwise, down load and install Netstumbler Run it and it would provide similar information. Http://www.netstumbler.com

:sun:
 
JackMDS, I am using WinXP Pro (SP1)...I am afraid to update to SP2, should I be?

I can't believe I may have been on someone else's signal for months!



 
Originally posted by: edprush
JackMDS, I am using WinXP Pro (SP1)...I am afraid to update to SP2, should I be?

I can't believe I may have been on someone else's signal for months!
Click to expand...
No, you should not be. It makes wireless much much cleaner.

And this is exactly why everyone needs to configure their routers properly. No default SSIDs with no encryption!
 
I finally upgraded to SP2.

When I click "View Wireless Networks" the next screen says,
"Windows cannot configure this wireless connection. If you have enabled another program to manage this wireless connection, use that software. If you want Windows to configure this connection, start the Wireless Zero Configuration (WCZ) service. For information about startng the "WCZ" service, see article 87122 in the Microsoft Knolwedge Base on the microsft.com Web site.
Click to expand...

I am able to connect to the router/modem because I can see the other PC on my network but I can't configure the wireless connection.

How would I go about disabling the 'other' program to manage this wireless connection? I am not sure if it's the router/modem or the U.S. Robotics wireless card in my laptop that has the software that needs to be disabled.
 
Your wireless network adapter is being controlled by a third party program. If at all possible, I advise using WinXP Wireless Zero.

We will need to know more about your wireless hardware: is this a laptop with built in wireless (if so, who it the manufacturer), or is this an add-on card (and again, who is the manufacturer)?

You will need to disable a startup program and probably a service too, but can't know exactly which one untill we know who the manufacturer is.

edit: ah, us robotics. I haven't run into one of those wireless cards yet. If you post a hijackthis log, I can probably point out which stuff to disable. But there should be an icon in the system tray that is the US Robotics wireless configuration program. You may just want to use that instead.
 
Originally posted by: Guild
Your wireless network adapter is being controlled by a third party program. If at all possible, I advise using WinXP Wireless Zero.

We will need to know more about your wireless hardware: is this a laptop with built in wireless (if so, who it the manufacturer), or is this an add-on card (and again, who is the manufacturer)?

You will need to disable a startup program and probably a service too, but can't know exactly which one untill we know who the manufacturer is.

edit: ah, us robotics. I haven't run into one of those wireless cards yet. If you post a hijackthis log, I can probably point out which stuff to disable. But there should be an icon in the system tray that is the US Robotics wireless configuration program. You may just want to use that instead.
Click to expand...

What happens when I disable the US Robotics wireless config in the system tray? Will the WinXP WIreless Zero Config automatically kick into action?

Also, would I need to disable/change anything with my router configuration?

Thanks.
 
Windows will automatically take over, but you'ld probably have to enter the WEP/WPA key again, if you are even using any security. Nothing needs to be changed on the router.

Some wireless adapters work better with the third party software, some do better with WZC. Very few do not work at all with WZC. You can disable and re-enable the USR software via msconfig (startup and services.) Just test out which seems to work better for your situation.
 
I couldn't find anything in msconfig>services related to the USR software.

In msconfig>Startup I found usrsta.exe. Is that for the U.S. Robotics? Googling it neve specified it was for the USR, just that it was wireless card controller. Is this what I want to disable?

I don't think I can disable the software from the system tray. It looks like what I can disable from the system tray is the USR wireless card itself.

 
do a ctrl-alt-del to open task manager. On the "processes" tab, highlight usrsta.exe and end task. Then click View Wireless Networks again. What happens?

Remember, usrsta.exe will be re-started on next the reboot.
 
I've found that sometimes just restarting WZC from Adminstrative Tools>Services and setting it to Automatic will override 3rd party utilities. They'll still run, but they don't interfere.

Of course, I've also had that backfire. I've never tried it with US Robotics.
 
Originally posted by: Kibbo86
I've found that sometimes just restarting WZC from Adminstrative Tools>Services and setting it to Automatic will override 3rd party utilities. They'll still run, but they don't interfere.

Of course, I've also had that backfire. I've never tried it with US Robotics.
Click to expand...

What happened when it backfired? Any near-irreversible problems?

Thanks.
 
I tried to start the WZC (Wireless Zero Configuration) from "Could not start the WZC service on Local Computer. Error 1058: the service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it."

Any idea what I should do so I can use WZC?
 
Try enabling/starting from the services.msc console. Just go to start|run and type services.msc, then just scroll down to the WZC service, double click on it, select "Auto" from the dropdown and click start. Then click OK and close the services console. You should be able to use Windows to control the wireless connection.

Oh, btw, what's wrong with using the USR software?
 
Originally posted by: Raduque
Try enabling/starting from the services.msc console. Just go to start|run and type services.msc, then just scroll down to the WZC service, double click on it, select "Auto" from the dropdown and click start. Then click OK and close the services console. You should be able to use Windows to control the wireless connection.

Oh, btw, what's wrong with using the USR software?
Click to expand...

I have tried this numerous times. See my post in this thread dated 02/04/2006 02:12 PM.

I don't know if there is anything wrong with the USR software. I just can't figure out how to 'choose' a wireless connection with it. I'm just connected to a signal and I don't know how to 'identify' it or choose other signals if they are available.
 
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