Wireless Network Won't Connect

[The Merg]

A client of mine has a Netgear WGT624v2 Super-G Router. I took an old desktop running Windows XP-SP3 which had been connected via a LAN cable and tried to hook it up wirelessly using a LinkSys USB Wireless-G Adapter. When trying to connect to the network, it would only connect with limited connectivity and with one of the APIP addresses of 169.xxx.

I understand that the APIP addressing occurs when it cannot find the DHCP server on the router. However, she has a Dell Laptop with Vista that has a built-in Wireless-G adapter and it is connecting fine. I took a Panasonic Toughbook with a built-in Wireless-G adapter and started getting the limited connectivity issue. If I hooked up the Toughbook with the LAN cable, it connected to the network fine.

I also tried using a Belkin PCI Wireless-G card in the desktop with the same results. I have verified that the firmware on the router is up-to-date and tried turning it off completely and back on to no avail. If I set the IP address manually, it will connect to the Access Point, but not the internet and then it reverts back to trying via Automatic DHCP assignment the next time the computer is rebooted. I have also tried to ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew to no avail as well.

Anyone have any ideas as to why I cannot get this computer to connect wirelessly or what I need to do to resolve this problem?

Thanks,
Merg

 

[spidey07]

This is almost always a mismatch of security settings or a security key isn't right on the client. Make absolutely sure the security settings on the router match the client, exactly...including the key. It's easy to mistype the key.

 

[The Merg]

I'll hafta look into that, but I am fairly certain that I had the settings the same on each of the computers that were having the issues. I am 100% positive I was entering in the security key correctly since when I did have a typo it wouldn't connect at all.

One interesting thing I noted was that from the desktop, when I connected it prompted me for the security key in HEX format, whereas, the laptop would allow me to enter in the passkey in straight text.

I won't be back there till sometime next week. Does anyone else have any ideas that I can try when I'm there?

Thanks,
Merg

 

[Brainonska511]

You didn't have the key in caps on the router and enter in lower case, did you?

Is the router set to give out enough IP addresses?

Try rebooting the router? I had a similar issue at home with my FiOS router when I went home for break - it would take forever to connect or not connect at all through a WRT54G (as a wireless access point; DHCP was the actiontec router they provided); turning off the power to the setup and turning it all back on fixed the problem. No idea what was causing it...

 

[The Merg]

I did trying turing off the router and turning it back on. I might revert to just doing a complete reset of the router and see if that has an effect. As for the passphrase, I was entering it in correctly as when I didn't (due to a typo), I was immediately told it was incorrect.

- Merg

 

[Jamsan]

Any MAC filtering enabled on the router?

 

[The Merg]

Nope. No MAC filtering and the IP address range for the DHCP addressing is the default 192.168.0.2 - 192.168.0.254. Basically, everything is the default setting except for the SSID and passphrase.

Keep 'em coming people! Thanks!

- Merg

 

[Zstream]

Are you sure confusion between passphrase and key?

 

[The Merg]

Sorry, I was using the terms interchangeably although I guess I shouldn't have. I am using the correct key to logon onto the wireless network. As I stated, if I happen to type it in incorrectly, it immediately tells me that it is incorrect. When I do type it in correctly, it connects and then sits there trying to Acquire a Network Address for a bit before reverting to APIP and telling me I have Limited Connectivity.

- Merg