How can built-in network adapter be "Not Connected" ???

[riprap1951]

Hello, All
[WLAN w/ 3 WinXP units; Linksys WRT54G as gateway + 2 laptops as
clients] After months of near-faultless wireless network function,
suddenly neither one of the client machines can access the internet on
the network. Steps I've taken:
1) Done a hard reset on router to default values
2) Left all security (temporarily!) disabled
3) Ensured that the SSID name in router setup window and the workgroup
name on client machines are identical.
4) Turned off & disabled any Windows firewalls on all units....
What's really got me confused is that, on both of the client units,
when I go into Network Connections, the network adapters are listed as
Not Connected. On one of the laptops the wireless capability is
built-in (i.e., no card/adapter needed or used). How in the Sam Hill
can a built-in adapter be "Not Connected"?
Also, the router's firmware ver = SVEASOFT Satori-4.0 v2.07.1.7sv.
At any rate, could anyone help with this? Thanks in advance!
riprap
evans, co.

 

[Robert L [MS-MVP]]

what are the IP addresses? or post the result of ipconfig /all here.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
Hello, All
[WLAN w/ 3 WinXP units; Linksys WRT54G as gateway + 2 laptops as
clients] After months of near-faultless wireless network function,
suddenly neither one of the client machines can access the internet on
the network. Steps I've taken:
1) Done a hard reset on router to default values
2) Left all security (temporarily!) disabled
3) Ensured that the SSID name in router setup window and the workgroup
name on client machines are identical.
4) Turned off & disabled any Windows firewalls on all units....
What's really got me confused is that, on both of the client units,
when I go into Network Connections, the network adapters are listed as
Not Connected. On one of the laptops the wireless capability is
built-in (i.e., no card/adapter needed or used). How in the Sam Hill
can a built-in adapter be "Not Connected"?
Also, the router's firmware ver = SVEASOFT Satori-4.0 v2.07.1.7sv.
At any rate, could anyone help with this? Thanks in advance!
riprap
evans, co.

 

[riprap1951]

Hello, Robert
Thanks for taking the time....
Since the above post I replaced [for diagnostic/experimental
purposes] the first wireless router [Linksys WRT54G] w/ a D-Link
DI-624. The results are pretty much the same. I can access the internet
with the host/desktop unit, but not with the laptops.
Here's the ipconfig /all results from the desktop ["powertool"] and a
laptop ["multitool1"]

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : powertool
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI
Fast Ethernet NIC #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-05-35-E0-8D
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, February 09, 2006
11:09:16 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, February 16, 2006
11:09:16 PM

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name.........................: multitool1
Primary Dns Suffix................:
Node Type.........................: Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled................: No
WINS Proxy Enabled................: No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Media State.......................: Media Disconnected
Description.......................: Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller
Physical Address..................: 00-0F-1F-0D-7D-63

Ethernet adapter multi_adapter:

Media State.......................: Media Disconnected
Description.......................: Wireless-G Notebook Adapter
v.2.0
Physical Address..................: 00-0F-66-A2-45-23

As you can see, the router is set as DHCP server; and I've made sure
that the laptop's adapter TCP/IP properties are set to 'obtain IP
addresses automatically.' I have gone thru the settings on the
laptop's notebook adapter and confirmed that both machines show that
they're on the same workgroup, & share the same WPA key....For now I'm
stumped.....Any ideas?
thanks in advance [
riprap

 

[jimbo]

Hello, Robert
Thanks for taking the time....
Since the above post I replaced [for diagnostic/experimental
purposes] the first wireless router [Linksys WRT54G] w/ a D-Link
DI-624. The results are pretty much the same. I can access the internet
with the host/desktop unit, but not with the laptops.
Here's the ipconfig /all results from the desktop ["powertool"] and a
laptop ["multitool1"]

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : powertool
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI
Fast Ethernet NIC #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-05-35-E0-8D
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, February 09, 2006
11:09:16 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, February 16, 2006
11:09:16 PM

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name.........................: multitool1
Primary Dns Suffix................:
Node Type.........................: Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled................: No
WINS Proxy Enabled................: No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Media State.......................: Media Disconnected
Description.......................: Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller
Physical Address..................: 00-0F-1F-0D-7D-63

Ethernet adapter multi_adapter:

Media State.......................: Media Disconnected
Description.......................: Wireless-G Notebook Adapter
v.2.0
Physical Address..................: 00-0F-66-A2-45-23

As you can see, the router is set as DHCP server; and I've made sure
that the laptop's adapter TCP/IP properties are set to 'obtain IP
addresses automatically.' I have gone thru the settings on the
laptop's notebook adapter and confirmed that both machines show that
they're on the same workgroup, & share the same WPA key....For now I'm
stumped.....Any ideas?
thanks in advance [
riprap

My wireless laptop shows the same ipconfig output when it is not
connected to any network. Go to Control Panel > Network Connections.
Find the wireless adapter for your laptop. Double click to bring up
the screen that shows wireless networks in range. Highlight your
network and click on "connect".

Good luck, jimbo

 

[riprap1951]

Hello, jimbo
I appreciate your reply....actually, I got the WLAN working, finally.
[Changed all units frm WPA/PSK encryption to WEP, turned the Wireless
Zero Configuration service to Automatic instead of Disabled, and ran
MSoft's wireless config utility frm Network Connections > Network Tasks
on the laptops.]
It's still a freakin mystery why the network ran smooth for months &
then suddenly went down...Somewhere the Computer Gods are huddled
around their digital fire giggling like the fickle fools they are.
Thanks for your time!

riprap