Unable to Connect to BrightBox from Desktop PC (XP)

Hi,

I've recently had a Bright Box from EE (as had problems with my old Livebox router)

I've managed to successfully connect all of my devices to it, apart from my Desktop PC which runs on Windows XP and uses this TP-Link Wireless Adapter.

The Bright Box shows up in the list of Available Networks, however when I press Connect it just gets stuck on "Waiting for Network".

I've tried turning off the security on the Bright Box but it had no effect.

I can connect if I use an wired connection.

Any ideas?

When you say connect, do you mean it does not even get to the point of asking for the encryption key? Or that when you press a WPS key it does not work?

WPS can be flaky sometimes, so manually entering keys is sometimes the best way.

Checking drivers are the latest is one solution
http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?model=TL...

TP Link gave someone with a similar problem a little help
http://forum.tp-link.com/showthread.php?3162-TP-LINK...

In the Brightbox router under DHCP settings, have you reserved the IP address for the TP-Link wireless adapter?

http://www.home-network-help.com/set-ip.html

Example: My Windows XP computer wireless adapter card is configured with IP address 192.168.1.13

I have windows configured... Use the following IP address:

IP address 192.168.1.13
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.253 <-- my router IP address.
Use the following DNS server:
Preferred DNS server: 193.36.79.101 <-- EE/Orange DNS server address.
Alternate DNS server: 193.36.79.100

In reply to a post by E7er:

have you reserved the IP address for the TP-Link wireless adapter?

Why should he bother? The router's DHCP will auto give out an IP for the XP's wireless connection, provided that is configured to 'Obtain IP Auto'.

Sounds more an issue with the initial authentication rather than resolving the IP.

Usually happens when the signals not good enough, I've been unable to connect to wireless networks with 3 bars of signal.

Try changing the wireless channel to 1 6 and 11...
If that fails

Move the desktop next to the router temporarily, does it work? If so it's the wireless signal not reaching the desktop.

I would think the OP is using 'Obtain IP Auto' method and it don�t connect. I suggest tell the network how to connect the wireless adapter to the router with reserved IP address, which is really using a LAN static IP address, get that right first.

Use ipconfig /all to find the TP-Link wireless adapter settings and MAC address. http://oit.ncsu.edu/resnet/ipconfig

Use Brightbox intelligent wireless to connect to the best available wireless channel.
Wireless Mode: 11b+11g+11n
Channel: Auto
Channel Bandwidth: 20/40MHz

I would think that the dongle is trying to connect to the new brighbox using the old wpa key. Delete the connection and try again.

Before suggesting arbitrary solutions, the 1st thing to find out from the symptoms is what stage it can't connect. Is it that it won't connect at all or it has Limited Connectivity: Local Only or is it continually Acquiring IP Addy? You are only guessing the last. Has the OP ever presented the wireless key to the XP wireless network? From the brief description he hasn't even been invited to give that.

Sounds like the wireless signal at the XP is too weak and it won't even connect.

In reply to a post by kamelion:

I would think that the dongle is trying to connect to the new brighbox using the old wpa key. Delete the connection and try again.

My computer PCI 3Com wireless adapter card does not support WPA2 only WPA. I configure the Bright Box router wireless settings, WPA/WPA2 Mixed Mode with AUTO and wireless Password (8~63 characters), then the wireless LAN is broadcast as WPA2. clever Bright Box router.

I have the Bright Box router WPA wireless security settings�

WPA mode: WPA/WPA2 Mixed Mode
Cipher suite: AUTO
Authentication: Wireless Password
Wireless Password type: Passphrase (8~63 characters)
Wireless Password: ndkvxOehJwnhP4P2mjNBzPBdO4Qekti9xLfXmuKyvqD0LpqU21E0hCC0OoqZ1SE

https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm

http://www.speedguide.net/faq_in_q.php?qid=331

http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definiti...

http://www.darknet.org.uk/2008/12/confused-by-wep-wp...

Edited by deleted (Sat 14-Sep-13 17:29:46)