SECOND Acer 3680 that won't connect wirelessly.

[Me]

I am now on my second Acer 3680 Vista basic laptop. First one went back as
it would not connect to the wireless router. I tried everything suggested by
the newsgroups, with no success.

System - Router - DI-514 D-link which is running wide open - no security at
all.

This system connects with 3 other laptops in the house including an Acer
5610 that is running Vista premium. It connected with all of these first
crack out of the box. No need to configure, tear the router apart, or enter
settings into the 3680.

I have seen MANY others in the NG with similar problems. It is a damn shame
that MS released this OS without proper support available. it is my sense
this is a configuration problem and there is a single setting keeping this
from commecting

Router log shows the following - dhcpc_input: pLeaseId NULL

The wireless will show a network available, however the computer refuses to
connect - says the network is hidden and unable to connect.

Acer help tried to work me through this with no success.

Any thoughts?? I really wanna keep this machine

Bill

 

[Barb Bowman]

Can you please list what you have tried? In particular what settings
on the computer and what firmware is on the DI-514. Failure to get
an IP via DHCP could be explained by
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233

I am now on my second Acer 3680 Vista basic laptop. First one went back as
it would not connect to the wireless router. I tried everything suggested by
the newsgroups, with no success.

System - Router - DI-514 D-link which is running wide open - no security at
all.

This system connects with 3 other laptops in the house including an Acer
5610 that is running Vista premium. It connected with all of these first
crack out of the box. No need to configure, tear the router apart, or enter
settings into the 3680.

I have seen MANY others in the NG with similar problems. It is a damn shame
that MS released this OS without proper support available. it is my sense
this is a configuration problem and there is a single setting keeping this
from commecting

Router log shows the following - dhcpc_input: pLeaseId NULL

The wireless will show a network available, however the computer refuses to
connect - says the network is hidden and unable to connect.

Acer help tried to work me through this with no success.

Any thoughts?? I really wanna keep this machine

Bill

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Me]

Can you please list what you have tried? In particular what settings
on the computer and what firmware is on the DI-514. Failure to get
an IP via DHCP could be explained by
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233

I did try the registry mod suggested here on my first 3680 with no effect at
all. Have not, as yet, tried it on his one.

I have atempted to manually set the IPv4 address to a static DHCP address
assigned by the DI-514 with no effect.

I have disabled the IPV6 with no difference, thinking it may have been the
issue.

I have compared the settings on this machine's networking to the Aspire 5610
with Vista premium. They appear identical, and the 5610 connected the first
time out of the box. >

Per Acer support, I shut down the whole network and rebooted it, with no
effect other than having the lady of the house complain cuz I interrupted
her game =)

The 5610 has a Broadcom Wireless adapter, the 3680 has an Atheros adapter.

Both the firewalls on the 3680 are turned Off.

The 3680 will work Just Fine with a cable from the router.

I was thnking about a different router, but if the DI-514 sees Vista Premium
on the 5610, it sure should see Vista on the 3680, or could there be a
difference in the 2 OS' that would account for this?? I have looked thru
archives of this group as well as searched online using various of the error
messages. It would seem this is a widespread problem, and not confined just
to Acer. MS should be embarassed as hell about this.

Bill

 

[Barb Bowman]

1. Open the network and sharing center
2. manage wireless networks (on the left)
3. right click the network and select properties, click connect
automatically
4. if you aren't broadcasting the SSID, click to
select that one as well

does this change anything? if yes:

Go to Windows Update where you should see a driver update for the
Atheros wireless (I believe it is dated 5/11/07). This should get
you the most recent driver.

Then try the wireless connection with the new driver. What happens?

I did try the registry mod suggested here on my first 3680 with no effect at
all. Have not, as yet, tried it on his one.

I have atempted to manually set the IPv4 address to a static DHCP address
assigned by the DI-514 with no effect.

I have disabled the IPV6 with no difference, thinking it may have been the
issue.

I have compared the settings on this machine's networking to the Aspire 5610
with Vista premium. They appear identical, and the 5610 connected the first
time out of the box. >

Per Acer support, I shut down the whole network and rebooted it, with no
effect other than having the lady of the house complain cuz I interrupted
her game =)

The 5610 has a Broadcom Wireless adapter, the 3680 has an Atheros adapter.

Both the firewalls on the 3680 are turned Off.

The 3680 will work Just Fine with a cable from the router.

I was thnking about a different router, but if the DI-514 sees Vista Premium
on the 5610, it sure should see Vista on the 3680, or could there be a
difference in the 2 OS' that would account for this?? I have looked thru
archives of this group as well as searched online using various of the error
messages. It would seem this is a widespread problem, and not confined just
to Acer. MS should be embarassed as hell about this.

Bill

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Me]

1. Open the network and sharing center
2. manage wireless networks (on the left)
3. right click the network and select properties, click connect
automatically

From here - it does not see the network, so nowhere to change setting. It
sees a wireless network and will attempt to conect, but that is as far as it
gets. Is there somewhere else I can change the defaults??

4. if you aren't broadcasting the SSID, click to
select that one as well

does this change anything? if yes:

Go to Windows Update where you should see a driver update for the
Atheros wireless (I believe it is dated 5/11/07). This should get
you the most recent driver.

I ran Windows update on the 3680 earlier today while it was plugged in -
log shows an Atheros update released in May, 2007. this had no effect

 

[Barb Bowman]

start
Network
Network and Sharing Center
Manage Wireless Networks

what do you see?

From here - it does not see the network, so nowhere to change setting. It
sees a wireless network and will attempt to conect, but that is as far as it
gets. Is there somewhere else I can change the defaults??

I ran Windows update on the 3680 earlier today while it was plugged in -
log shows an Atheros update released in May, 2007. this had no effect

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Me]

nothing on the screen there I can configure. It is blank

Connect to a network does offer to connect with my router, but the
connection will not complete

 

[Barb Bowman]

what is the name of the wireless network you configured on the
DI-514? is the SSID being broadcast or not?

(you've unplugged the wired connection while trying to connect
wirelessly, right?)

nothing on the screen there I can configure. It is blank

Connect to a network does offer to connect with my router, but the
connection will not complete

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Me]

Name is default. Yes, I unplugged the wired connection =) , and SSID on the
DI-514 Is broadcast. I also tried changing the channel - now using channel
11 - everything else followed, but no difference to the 3680.

Also - I did manage to get the default on the list under manage Wireless
properties - it is configured to connect automatically when in range, and
also to connect when network is no broadcasting.

I have also manually entered an IP and subnet Mask address into the IPv4
properties obtained from the DI-514, as well as the DNS server addresses. No
difference to the 3680.

I still feel that there may be a single setting causing this to happen. I
went into MSCONFIG and disabled a couple things that looked kinda like they
might be responsible, but they made no difference, so I turned everything
back on.

Does this goofy vista need a name for the connect besides default???

With all this tried, do I need to attempt the registry fix as well? I did
not as it had no effect on my other 3680.

Fascinating the the wife's Acer 5610 with Vista Premium worked first try out
of the box, isn't it??

 

[Barb Bowman]

It isn't a good idea anyway to use the manufacturers SSID names. Can
you try changing it from default to something else? Can you also
setup some kind of security and see if that makes a difference? (It
really isn't safe to run wide open as you stated you are doing.)

Name is default. Yes, I unplugged the wired connection =) , and SSID on the
DI-514 Is broadcast. I also tried changing the channel - now using channel
11 - everything else followed, but no difference to the 3680.

Also - I did manage to get the default on the list under manage Wireless
properties - it is configured to connect automatically when in range, and
also to connect when network is no broadcasting.

I have also manually entered an IP and subnet Mask address into the IPv4
properties obtained from the DI-514, as well as the DNS server addresses. No
difference to the 3680.

I still feel that there may be a single setting causing this to happen. I
went into MSCONFIG and disabled a couple things that looked kinda like they
might be responsible, but they made no difference, so I turned everything
back on.

Does this goofy vista need a name for the connect besides default???

With all this tried, do I need to attempt the registry fix as well? I did
not as it had no effect on my other 3680.

Fascinating the the wife's Acer 5610 with Vista Premium worked first try out
of the box, isn't it??

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Kerry Brown]

Fascinating the the wife's Acer 5610 with Vista Premium worked first try
out of the box, isn't it??

It has a different wireless chipset thus a different driver. You are
comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Barb Bowman]

Different wireless radio than your wife's computer. You can try the
reg fix. I thought you'd already done that.

With all this tried, do I need to attempt the registry fix as well? I did
not as it had no effect on my other 3680.

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Me]

reg Fix accomplished... also a new SSID and WEP password set.

Other Vista machine and 2 XP's both handled change without trouble once keys
were entered. However - the 3680 is still actin up... try to connect. it
says no... on trying to reconnect it tries to repair the connection.

I went back to IP4 and changed the address settings back to automatic and
rebooted also... still nothing happening

 

[Me]

Diagnosic Event viewer shows the following
Profile matches network requirements : Success
pre-association status : Success
Association status : Fail 0x00038002
Association reason code : 0x00030001

 

[Barb Bowman]

which hardware version of the DI-514 do you have and what firmware?
if you don't have the last firmware for your hardware version, you
should try to upgrade. I did ask this question before, but don't see
that you posted that info.

D-Link has declared all versions of the DI-514 end of life and
support will end in August.

If it were me, I'd replace the DI-514 and move on. I think that
there is a basic incompatibility with the Atheros radio+Vista and
this router.

Diagnosic Event viewer shows the following
Profile matches network requirements : Success
pre-association status : Success
Association status : Fail 0x00038002
Association reason code : 0x00030001

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Barb Bowman]

Glad you found a solution. Which hardware version of the DI-514 are
you using ? There are three. They have different chipsets and it is
likely that one of them has an issue. I did ask the original poster
twice what hardware Rev but never received an answer. They did
update to the newer driver but still had an issue.

"I ran Windows update on the 3680 earlier today while it was
plugged in - log shows an Atheros update released in May, 2007. this
had no effect"

I just baught an ACER laptop with the Atheros chipset as well and had
the same problems with the DI-514. I looked at the properties of the
Atheros driver on my laptop, found it was dated 2006 and then clicked on
the 'update driver' butten and let Vista search for a driver on the web.
(I connected via hardwire for this.) It took about 60 seconds but when
it found and installed the new driver, dated 2007, everything worked.
Just like that. Nobody needs to replace the DI-514 & I was also using
WEP 64 bit.

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Me]

Just a note -courtesy of Walmart and Linksys, the connectivity issue seems
to have been cured. This one now works as well as the other Vista Laptop.

Barb, thank you for all your help.


Bill

 

[Barb Bowman]

Glad you are up and surfing. Enjoy.

Just a note -courtesy of Walmart and Linksys, the connectivity issue seems
to have been cured. This one now works as well as the other Vista Laptop.

Barb, thank you for all your help.


Bill

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[Barb Bowman]

thanks for the info. the individual with the issue replaced the
router and seems very happy.

My hardware version on the DI-514 is B1 (it's printed on the sticker on
the underside of the router, for those who want to check.) It is the
latest version.

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/