Linksys wireless card problem

Are PCI Ethernet cards and PCI Wireless cards able to run together without problems?.
If the answer to the above question is no, read no further . If the answer is yes please read on.

I have just installed a Linksys Wireless card model: WMP54G into my W98SE desktop. This box usually connects to my Speedtouch 585 by Ethernet, but as I intend moving it to another room I installed the wireless card. With the Ethernet cable removed from the Router, I set up the Linksys via it's interface and attempt to connect to the Speedtouch. The Linksys tells me I am connected to the access point, but the internet is not available.

Looking at the Speedtouch interface there is no indication of any wireless connection other than my laptop. Yet the Linksys clearly identifies my wlan in it's list of networks and states it is connected. The Speedtouch is configured to allow new connections automatically.

Interestingly, well to my limited knowledge anyway, Netstumbler doesn't detect the Linksys, should it?.

Any suggestions greatfully appreciated

Wingco, You need to check whether:

a) You have MAC Address filtering enabled on the Router Wireless security setting. If so, you need to add the adapter MAC address to the "allowed" list

b) You have WEP or WPA Security enabled on the Router. If so, you need to set up the adapter security settings to match.

I am not clear as to which stage you are failing at. Are you getting an IP address from the Router's DHCP server?

Thanks for your thoughts.
No MAC filtering, and wpa is setup on the Linksys and it reports it is connected. It has me baffled I would have thought it should be as simple as connecting my laptop.

does the desktop get an IP address on the wireless interface ? tried rebooting, some odd things can happen if you are wired and wireless to the same thing at the same time.

Work your way down the list until it fails :-
Connect to wireless signal
Get IP address from router, check default gateway etc
Ping router
Browse to router web interface
Ping 212.58.224.36
Ping www.bbc.co.uk
Browse to www.bbc.co.uk

"does the desktop get an IP address on the wireless interface"
The IP address shown is 168.254.xx.xx The router issues IP's in the 192.168 range

The Ethernet was disconnected but rebooted computer and Speedtouch, same as above, Linksys doesn't show in the Speedtouch connections, no access to internet. Subnet mask is 255.255.0.0. Default gateway is blank as is DNS. DHCP client is enabled. Status is connected, SSID is my wlan, Wireless Mode is Infrastructure, Channel is the same as the Speedtouch, Security and authentication is correct.

There doesn't appear to be any means of manually altering any settings, however I do recall that being an option on initial setup.

Edit: further inf, unable to connect to Speedtouch interface through web browser.

Edited by wingco1 (Sat 10-Feb-07 16:07:36)

Seem to be making headway Have now got the Linksys visible on the Speedtouch. The settings mentioned above are now within the parameters of my WLAN. BUT still can't access the Speedtouch web interface or the internet A strange one

It's working! don't ask me how, fiddling with different profiles seem to do it. Also manual setup got rid of the auto 169 range IP address that appears to be the default.

:( Rebooted, back to square one!!!

169.254.nnn.yyy is the IP address that Windows (and other OSs) uses when it's set to obtain its IP address via DHCP, but can't find a DHCP server.
Try disabling your Ethernet NIC - Windows isn't always smart enough to pick the correct NIC for Internet access.
Also ensure that your router is using either 11Mb or 54Mb for the wireless signal - any other speeds are currently 'proprietary'.

Could someone remind me how to check the NIC on a W98SE machine pse

I think it's bin time. It connects to the router but can't see the internet. God knows why, my laptop has no probs. Plus it stops my computer shutting down!. Took it out, plugged in the Ethernet cable and everything works just fine.

Having worked through the FAQ's on the Linksys site, with no success. The final peice of information is:

In reply to:

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Question: I

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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
Abraham Lincoln
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)

I can't help with the RTS setting issue but I have had the problem of a NIC preventing Windows 2000 shutting down. Yes I know that you are using Windows 98SE but the drivers you are using will have code of the same vintage.

In my case, the problem suddenly disappeared after a driver update from the Microsoft Update site. Unfortunately, Microsoft have discontinued support for W98SE so you will have to Google the driver sites for updates.

Iknow it's frustrating but you may save a lot of valuable time and angst by switching to another NIC.

I may try again tomorrow and look to see if a driver update is available, but it's not looking good.

In reply to:

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Could someone remind me how to check the NIC on a W98SE machine pse

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For the settings currently active: Start, Run, winipcfg

None of that 2000/XP/Vista ipconfig in a command box. if the latter still has a command box - I treasure my innocence of Vista. Kubuntu 6.06 for me.

it sounds a bit like the OS is giving up on the DHCP before the card is ready to receive one. Usually in these situations I just re-run the site survey and select the network again, prompting it to reconnect once everything is up and running.

It gets connected to the router and assigned an IP address, but for some reason can't access the internet. When I was trying to install the card it was only about three feet away from the Speedtouch, would this make any difference?.

distance should'nt matter providing it has a connection.

When it gets an IP address what does IPCONFIG /ALL have to say ?

How far down my diagnostic list would it go, last time I looked you were still on 169 addresses.

It would just get the IP addy from the router and that's it. No ping, couldn't open the router interface nothing.