Can't get IP on secured WiFi network

[Rich Pasco]

I'm helping my friends set up a wireless LAN at their home office.
They have two laptops running Windows XP and a Linksys WRT54G router.

The network works OK in unsecured mode, but they would like to secure
it against unauthorized access.

I set up the router and both laptops with these parameters:

Authentication: WPA PSK
Encryption: TKIP

I set the same 10-letter passphrase on the router and in both laptops.
One of the laptops connects reliably. The other one says it has
excellent signal strength and is "Connected" but with "Limited or
no access". According to IPCONFIG, it did not get an IP address.
I tried IPCONFIG/Release and /Renew and got "No response from DHCP
server." Meanwhile the first laptop connects reliably amy time I
boot it up.

I think the settings are the same for both laptops. Can anyone suggest
what might be wrong with the second machine?

BTW I checked the router's setup, where there are 50 IP addresses in
the DHCP pool (it assigns 192.168.20.101 to the first laptop) and no
restrictions based on MAC address.

If I turn off the authentication and encryption and try again, then both
computers connect right away. If I turn them on, then only the one
machine can connect.

Can anyone suggest what might be going on and how to fix it?

- Rich

 

[Glen]

What happens if you manually assign the ip to the laptop? If there are only
two computers there is no reason to use dhcp.

Glen P

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I'm helping my friends set up a wireless LAN at their home office.
They have two laptops running Windows XP and a Linksys WRT54G router.

The network works OK in unsecured mode, but they would like to secure
it against unauthorized access.

I set up the router and both laptops with these parameters:

Authentication: WPA PSK
Encryption: TKIP

I set the same 10-letter passphrase on the router and in both laptops.
One of the laptops connects reliably. The other one says it has
excellent signal strength and is "Connected" but with "Limited or
no access". According to IPCONFIG, it did not get an IP address.
I tried IPCONFIG/Release and /Renew and got "No response from DHCP
server." Meanwhile the first laptop connects reliably amy time I
boot it up.

I think the settings are the same for both laptops. Can anyone suggest
what might be wrong with the second machine?

BTW I checked the router's setup, where there are 50 IP addresses in
the DHCP pool (it assigns 192.168.20.101 to the first laptop) and no
restrictions based on MAC address.

If I turn off the authentication and encryption and try again, then both
computers connect right away. If I turn them on, then only the one
machine can connect.

Can anyone suggest what might be going on and how to fix it?

- Rich

Upgrading the device driver and/or firmware for the wireless network
adapter on the second machine might solve the problem. Upgrading the
router's firmware might help, too.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Rich Pasco]

What happens if you manually assign the ip to the laptop? If there are only
two computers there is no reason to use dhcp.

We use DHCP so that when additional guests come to stay they can get IP
addresses automatically.

- Rich

 

[Rich Pasco]

Upgrading the device driver and/or firmware for the wireless network
adapter on the second machine might solve the problem. Upgrading the
router's firmware might help, too.

Thanks, I'll see what I can find.

- Rich