Problems with Wireless Adapters

[Woofmeister]

OK, this one has baffled me and various manufacturer's tech support for months. I have been trying to get a wireless network adapter up and running on my kids' computer. I first tried using a Netgear WG121. That's a USB 2.0 adapter. I downloaded the latest drivers and firmware and installed it, but the Adapter would constantly lose the network signal and have to be reconnected or have the connection repaired using the Microsoft wireless wizard. After serveral calls to Netgear, it was established that the drivers for the WG121 are incompatible with Windows Service Pack 2 and that I should only use the Microsoft wireless wizard. Fine, a little better, but still the adapter will continuely lose the wireless signal and need to be repaired or the computer restarted.

Thinking that it was time to abandon the USB wireless adapter route, I then went out and bought a Belkin F5D7000 Wireless Desktop Network Card. I downloaded the latest drivers, installed the card and it was unable to even detect my wireless network. It just kept scanning. I had my wireless notebook on at the same time, and it was able to access the wireless network no problem. Device manager also showed the card to be working properly. After several fruitless reinstalls I assumed the card was defective and exchanged it for a Netgear WG311 Wireless PCI Adapter. After installing the latest drivers, I installed the card. It also had a hard time detecting my network but eventually found it. Then it could not connect. An hour with Netgear tech support and several reinstalations latter produced no solution. Again, another wireless laptop I brought from the office was immediately able to log on to the network at the same time so again, not my network. I then installed the WG311 into another desktop computer and, wouldn't you know, it immediately logged into the network.

I'm now back to my old Netgear Wireless USB adapter on the affected computer and have done a competely fresh install of Windows XP with service pack 2. The same problems as before--the card can't stay connected to my wireless network.

I have disabled WEP and do not require a specific MAC address to log onto the network. Any stranger can login (and has), just not this computer. I am running the latest drivers and BIOS on the motherboad. I've also changed wireless routers at least once during this process and it made no difference.

Any ideas?

Edited 05/24/05 at 5:40 PM EDT Oh, by the way, the affected computer is this one.

 

[Yomicron]

It's possible that you have the desktop placed somewhere where it doesn't get a good signal.
How far away is the desktop from the access point?
Is the desktop in the corner of the room or around a lot of metal?

 

[Woofmeister]

Oops sorry, I forgot to mention that wireless laptops placed in the same position as the affected computer show a "very good" to "excellent" signal strength. Even now when the USB adapter manages to connect it is showing "very good" to "excellent."

And yes, I did remember to screw on the antennas when I tried installing both PCI wireless adapters.

 

[The Pentium Guy]

My old USB adapter did that, althought not as frequently. Once a week maybe. Don't even bother trusting the "Very Good" / "Excellent" crap that the windows thing gives you. My adapter went from "Excellent" to "Poor" every time i restarted, and vice versa.

Here. Try moving the access point / router closer to the computer. Just give it a shot and let us know if it still does that. It's most likeley a range problem and not a software compatibility issue

-The Pentium Guy

 

[Smitty308]

I have had similar experience with both a USB adapter and a wireless PCI card. I had them on a computer in a different room and they both showed good connection and signal strength. That was a year ago. So, last week, I put them in the same room as the router and still no go. They are all different brands and someone said that may be the problem. I have a different wireless PCI card coming tomorrow and will see what happens with that.

Smitty

 

[Smitty308]

I received the new MSI wireless adapter, got it installed and was online with it through my Netgear router in no time. I guess that there incompatibility problems with some brands.

Smitty