Wireless connections

[trumps2burn]

I have two PCs and one laptop computer. I am connected to broadband
through the principal computer through a Belkin ADSL+2 modem with
wireless router. I run Windows XP on the principal computer.

My laptop has built-in wireless and connects to the internet through
the principal computer. I run Windows Vista on the laptop. I never
have a problem connecting to the Internet using the laptop anywhere in
the house!

My secondary computer runs XP and I have recently purchased a Belkin
Wireless USB adapter that is compatible to the Belkin modem with
wireless router mentioned above.

I initially managed to connect the secondary PC and laptop
successfully to the network. The computers are not far apart and the
signal registers as excellent. However, the wireless connection
tends to be intermittent - and I find that when I turn off the
secondary computer off and reboot, I sometimes have to use the repair
option in order to connect to the network. Sometimes it connects ok.
Once it is connected it stays connected until I turn the computer off.

I find this frustrating. I am wondering if someone can assist me
with this problem. The global Belkin support was hopeless and the
technician(?) in India gave up and told me there was nothing more he
could do. I don't find this satisfactory.

I don't know whether this is a Microsoft problem or a Belkin one. I
need help though.

Thanks




The Golfer's Wife

 

[PizzaFoundry]

I have two PCs and one laptop computer. I am connected to broadband
through the principal computer through a Belkin ADSL+2 modem with
wireless router. I run Windows XP on the principal computer.

My laptop has built-in wireless and connects to the internet through
the principal computer. I run Windows Vista on the laptop. I never
have a problem connecting to the Internet using the laptop anywhere in
the house!

My secondary computer runs XP and I have recently purchased a Belkin
Wireless USB adapter that is compatible to the Belkin modem with
wireless router mentioned above.

I initially managed to connect the secondary PC and laptop
successfully to the network. The computers are not far apart and the
signal registers as excellent. However, the wireless connection
tends to be intermittent - and I find that when I turn off the
secondary computer off and reboot, I sometimes have to use the repair
option in order to connect to the network. Sometimes it connects ok.
Once it is connected it stays connected until I turn the computer off.

I find this frustrating. I am wondering if someone can assist me
with this problem. The global Belkin support was hopeless and the
technician(?) in India gave up and told me there was nothing more he
could do. I don't find this satisfactory.

I don't know whether this is a Microsoft problem or a Belkin one. I
need help though.

Thanks

The Golfer's Wife

My experience has been that most Belkin stuff is junk. Hate to be so
blunt but that's my opinion. If I were you, I'd take it back and get
your money back, and then go get a Netgear product that will work for
you. In the long run, you'll be way ahead time wise and frustration
wise.

 

[trumps2burn]

My experience has been that most Belkin stuff is junk. Hate to be so
blunt but that's my opinion. If I were you, I'd take it back and get
your money back, and then go get a Netgear product that will work for
you. In the long run, you'll be way ahead time wise and frustration
wise.

I didnt find this response very helpful. Other people with whom I
have made contact about such things rate Belkin very highly. However,
I find their global helpdesk quite awful, but then Hewlett-Packard
global helpdesk was equally useless when I needed to solve a problem.
Perhaps it is the outsourcing to third world countries that is the
problem - I dont know but I believe there are many complaints about
this new (to save expenses) problem.
I am in New Zealand and have never heard of Netgear.

My computer tells me the device is working properly, and I have a
feeling the problem lies in my settings. If you know something about
wireless adapter settings I would be glad to know.

Thank you.


The Golfer's Wife

 

[Ace]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in 4ax.com:

I didnt find this response very helpful. Other people with whom I
have made contact about such things rate Belkin very highly. However,
I find their global helpdesk quite awful, but then Hewlett-Packard
global helpdesk was equally useless when I needed to solve a problem.
Perhaps it is the outsourcing to third world countries that is the
problem - I dont know but I believe there are many complaints about
this new (to save expenses) problem.
I am in New Zealand and have never heard of Netgear.

My computer tells me the device is working properly, and I have a
feeling the problem lies in my settings. If you know something about
wireless adapter settings I would be glad to know.

Thank you.


The Golfer's Wife

FWIW, neither Belkin or NetGear make it to any of my top 100 products.
Your description of your network setup seems vague; you state:

WiFi capable Router <-> desktop <-> laptop

In which the laptop depends on the desktop to be ON and running before
any internet connectivity on the laptop can be possible, in which case
you are using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on the desktop to
'publish' the internet to other machines connecting to the desktop.
Please correct that picture if it is wrong.

A more common setup is:

WiFi capable Router <-> desktop
<-> laptop

In which both desktop and laptop connect to the router using their own
network connection (either wired or wireless, does not matter) and
neither machine depends on the other to be ON and running to be able to
access the router and through that, the internet. No ICS is involved here
except pure router functions from the router itself.

There have been people whom had terrible trouble with Windows Vista (any
version) messing up the network connection (any type) either in home or
business situations.
The core cause for this was pinpointed to be IPv6, which is turned ON by
default in Windows Vista on all network adapters, alongside of IPv4.
Some networks (read: network equipment) does not like this, and network
faillure was the result; faillure to obtain IP lease, inability to share
folders/files, inability to access media streams, etc.
The solution is to disable IPv6 in Windows Vista - IPv6 is not yet widely
in use/supported, and it's implementation in Windows Vista is broken.

You should also be aware of another feature in Windows Vista.
Windows Vista actively supports (and uses) UPnP (Universal Plug and
Play), known to some as Plug and Pray.
At present, UPnP is a security risk with a recent trojan going around the
web trying to compromise routers through websites utilising Flash media,
which attempt to access your router via UPnP and alter it's internal
workings to create a dragnet to lure you onto falsified banking sites and
the likes in an attempt to steal your login credentials.
The solution to this is to turn OFF UPnP on your router.
Turning UPnP off will also prevent Windows Vista from mucking up your
router configuration (Some have lost their configuration that was set
manually by their ISP, for example); another gripe of Windows Vista
users.
Currently the only service/device I am aware of that 'requires' UPnP, is
Microsoft's XBox 360 in combination with an XBox Live subscription.

As for the basic operability of your network:
You should reset the router, and your laptop's wireless configuration.
Test the wireless connectivity without encryption keys and without MAC
address filters turned on.
If you cannot keep a steady connection in this basic state, your
equipment is faulty and should be replaced - blame the router first, and
try again with another model if you can borrow one.
Add back security settings one by one to determine which one (if any) is
at fault, and act appropriately.
Depending on the age of your router you may just wish to replace it if a
firmware update is not available or does not solve any issues - note the
UPnP vulnerability which exists in all routers, it is not a sale point.

Note that you should keep your firewalls and virus scanners in check
while you perform the unencrypted test on both machines - open wireless
accesspoints are attractive entry points for people seeking free access
to do their thing if they happen to be in your neighborhood.

 

[smlunatick]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in 4ax.com:









FWIW, neither Belkin or NetGear make it to any of my top 100 products.
Your description of your network setup seems vague; you state:

WiFi capable Router <-> desktop <-> laptop

In which the laptop depends on the desktop to be ON and running before
any internet connectivity on the laptop can be possible, in which case
you are using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on the desktop to
'publish' the internet to other machines connecting to the desktop.
Please correct that picture if it is wrong.

A more common setup is:

WiFi capable Router     <-> desktop
                                        <-> laptop

In which both desktop and laptop connect to the router using their own
network connection (either wired or wireless, does not matter) and
neither machine depends on the other to be ON and running to be able to
access the router and through that, the internet. No ICS is involved here
except pure router functions from the router itself.

There have been people whom had terrible trouble with Windows Vista (any
version) messing up the network connection (any type) either in home or
business situations.
The core cause for this was pinpointed to be IPv6, which is turned ON by
default in Windows Vista on all network adapters, alongside of IPv4.
Some networks (read: network equipment) does not like this, and network
faillure was the result; faillure to obtain IP lease, inability to share
folders/files, inability to access media streams, etc.
The solution is to disable IPv6 in Windows Vista - IPv6 is not yet widely
in use/supported, and it's implementation in Windows Vista is broken.

You should also be aware of another feature in Windows Vista.
Windows Vista actively supports (and uses) UPnP (Universal Plug and
Play), known to some as Plug and Pray.
At present, UPnP is a security risk with a recent trojan going around the
web trying to compromise routers through websites utilising Flash media,
which attempt to access your router via UPnP and alter it's internal
workings to create a dragnet to lure you onto falsified banking sites and
the likes in an attempt to steal your login credentials.
The solution to this is to turn OFF UPnP on your router.
Turning UPnP off will also prevent Windows Vista from mucking up your
router configuration (Some have lost their configuration that was set
manually by their ISP, for example); another gripe of Windows Vista
users.
Currently the only service/device I am aware of that 'requires' UPnP, is
Microsoft's XBox 360 in combination with an XBox Live subscription.

As for the basic operability of your network:
You should reset the router, and your laptop's wireless configuration.
Test the wireless connectivity without encryption keys and without MAC
address filters turned on.
If you cannot keep a steady connection in this basic state, your
equipment is faulty and should be replaced - blame the router first, and
try again with another model if you can borrow one.
Add back security settings one by one to determine which one (if any) is
at fault, and act appropriately.
Depending on the age of your router you may just wish to replace it if a
firmware update is not available or does not solve any issues - note the
UPnP vulnerability which exists in all routers, it is not a sale point.

Note that you should keep your firewalls and virus scanners in check
while you perform the unencrypted test on both machines - open wireless
accesspoints are attractive entry points for people seeking free access
to do their thing if they happen to be in your neighborhood.

--
*Reply to newsgroup please.
*Your mileage may vary.
*Spelling/Grammar errors free of charge.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I've experienced the excat same problem. My wireless USB "dongles"
kept losing the wireless networks access (to mine or eany other in the
area.) Turned out to be a USB port problem. I had added a separate
PCI USB 2.0 card that was based on ALi USB controller chip. All my
other USB 2.0 devices were working fine and never thought to check the
USB 2.0 card. Then, May 2007, my main boot drvie crashed and I
replaced it. Then, get many problems booting my PC. I then decided
to replace the "old" ALi PCI USB 2.0 card with one from Belkin (http://
catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=107412) and all
is working fine.