Wireless problem - help please!

Hello,

Am running a Dell Optiplex GX270 [XP Pro] with a Belkin Surf USB Wireless Adapter N150. My router is a Netgear ADSL Firewall Router DG834G v3.

By way of ethernet cable connection I have checked all the router settings by logging into 192.168 and they all look fine except under 'Router Status' where the DOMAIN NAME SERVER numbers differ to what works on my other computer.

Also, the DOWNSTREAM CONNECTION SPEED is different - should be 18951 kbps but through the Optiplex this comes out as 17812 kbps.

I can't find any window anywhere to reconfigure the Domain Name Server number. Is this what is preventing the Optiplex from going wireless please?

Many thanks,

KR

Domain Name Server is just a server that translate's a websites URL to an IP address, this won't have any effect on the speed coming into your home.

Okai, I just want to check something here as something doesn't seem to be right.

On your desktop PC which is connected with Ethernet when you view your line stats via 192.168.1.1(254) it reports a downstream speed of 18951kbps?

Then when you check again but connected wireless it shows 17812kbps?

Is this the same computer? The only real reason I can see happening is due to cache files or cookies, try clearing them and try again (I doubt this will fix it). If that doesn't fix it I'm not sure what is causing the problem.

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

Also, the DOWNSTREAM CONNECTION SPEED is different - should be 18951 kbps but through the Optiplex this comes out as 17812 kbps.

Are you confusing connection/sync speed shown by router with throughput/speedtest seen at PC?

XP often needs to be optimised to attain good performance. DNS should usually be set to "Automatically Obtained" on each machine.

Thanks, no - it's two different computers. One is right on top of the router so I keep it plugged in with the ethernet cable, but the other one is in another room, so I bought the Belkin wireless adapter for it, but I can't get the adapter to link to the router - something is blocking it.

The first pc has the 18k speed, the second pc that I want to go wireless is at 17k - they're both connected by ethernet at the moment.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

Also, the DOWNSTREAM CONNECTION SPEED is different - should be 18951 kbps but through the Optiplex this comes out as 17812 kbps.

Are you confusing connection/sync speed shown by router with throughput/speedtest seen at PC?

The figures are what appear on the Netgear page.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

XP often needs to be optimised to attain good performance. DNS should usually be set to "Automatically Obtained" on each machine.

Cool, I'll check that in the morning

May seem a daft question -

Do you see the same SSID (WiFi circuit name) at each computer, under the different connection conditions?

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

Thanks, no - it's two different computers. One is right on top of the router so I keep it plugged in with the ethernet cable, but the other one is in another room, so I bought the Belkin wireless adapter for it, but I can't get the adapter to link to the router - something is blocking it.

The first pc has the 18k speed, the second pc that I want to go wireless is at 17k - they're both connected by ethernet at the moment.

I use Windows XP Pro, have you configured the Belkin Surf USB Wireless Adapter N150 correctly with IP address 192.168.0.6

Netgear DG834G v3 router IP address 192.168.0.1

Computer Dell Optiplex GX270 [XP Pro] IP address 192.168.0.2

Computer in other room IP address 192.168.0.3

http://support.netgear.com/product/DG834Gv3

http://www.belkin.com/uk/support-product?rnId=5434

Edited by deleted (Mon 17-Jun-13 10:49:58)

The DG834G can be set to limit which MAC addresses can be connected from wireless. It is possible that a restriction has been set in the router. It could also be something incompatible with the security settings - perhaps the router has an old firmware that might have an issue with WPA or WPA2 with some network cards.

Uprading the firmware would be a good start. Cheding the mac address filtering in the router (can't remember exactly where, been a while) would also be good.

What is weird is the suggestion the router is reporting different sync rates from 2 different machines both connected by wired ethernet. This should be absolutely impossible.

In reply to a post by ian72:

What is weird is the suggestion the router is reporting different sync rates from 2 different machines both connected by wired ethernet. This should be absolutely impossible.

The only suggestion that I have, for this, is the possibility that the OP is WiFi connected to a totally different Router!

In reply to a post by johnjburness:

In reply to a post by ian72:

What is weird is the suggestion the router is reporting different sync rates from 2 different machines both connected by wired ethernet. This should be absolutely impossible.

The only suggestion that I have, for this, is the possibility that the OP is WiFi connected to a totally different Router!

Hence the reason I said based on the current information that it should not be possible. From the comments from the OP I am not even sure they have the wireless adapter plugged in. Something is going on here that is not clear from this thread - as you say it is unlikely that they are both using the same network connection despite them both being plugged in wired (or the OP is confusing sync rates from the router and possibly speed tests - but as far as we can tell the OP has confirmed they are not).

oh gosh, i'm in a pickle then - i thought this would be a straightforward thing in the router settings.

i hoard old Dells - i have a usb wireless on an Optiplex 760 and a Dimension 3000, i have wireless connectivity on a XPS laptop, all working fine, just the XP Pro will not rock & roll. Screenshot coming up - thanks for help.

This is when the wireless adapter connects

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



and when wireless fails

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



The wizard is constantly trying to connect wireless and constantly failing - it does this on about a 5 second cycle of connect - fail connect

IP Adress for the XP Pro on the computer is 192.168.0.6 so that does not match the router which is configured to 192.168.0.1

Might this have something to do with it please?

Many thanks.

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

The figures are what appear on the Netgear page.

It's impossible for the router to show different connection speeds viewed from 2 different PCs, unless you have re-synced the router in between. Have you?

Screenshots of both, over Ethernet, would help us understand.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Mon 17-Jun-13 14:23:53)

In reply to a post by eckiedoo:

Do you see the same SSID (WiFi circuit name) at each computer, under the different connection conditions?

Only 1 PC is wireless enabled, and that one won't connect over wireless, only Ethernet.

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

IP Adress for the XP Pro on the computer is 192.168.0.6 so that does not match the router which is configured to 192.168.0.1

Is that XP IP hardcoded in the XP PC? Maybe there is an IP conflict with the router. Better to let the PCs "Obtain IP Auto" and let the router dish out IPs using its DHCP.

How do you see that PC's IP of 192.168.0.6 not match with router's 192.168.0.1? They are 2 separate devices on same subnet.

The XP Pro computer cannot have the same IP address as the Belkin wireless adapter. If the XP Pro computer IP address is 192.168.0.6 make the Belkin wireless adapter 192.168.0.7

When trying to connect the XP Pro computer with wireless you will see a wireless icon on the taskbar (right click on the icon). This can also be configured from Windows XP Pro Network Connections. http://portforward.com/networking/static-xp.htm

Configure computer wireless connection..

Select Use the following IP address.
IP address: 192.168.0.7 <-- your Belkin wireless adapter IP address.
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gatway: 192.168.0.1 <-- your Netgear router IP address

Select Use the following DNS server addresses
Preferred DNS server: 64. 12. 51. 132 <-- AOL DNS Settings
Alternate DNS server: 149.174.221.8

http://www.whatsmydns.net/dns/uk/aol-broadband.html

In reply to a post by E7er:

The XP Pro computer cannot have the same IP address as the Belkin wireless adapter

You are confusing matters. The XP Pro PC is the one that has the Belkin wireless adapter fitted. So in effect the XP Pro PC does have the IP of the Belkin wireless adapter.

Perhaps your are trying to say that the XP Pro's Ethernet adapter cannot have the same IP as its Belkin wireless adapter. This is obvious! If you just get out the unhygienic habit of hardcoding IPs at the PCs and their adapters and just let the router's DHCP handle all IPs, then you wouldn't have this confusion.

Anyway OP never said that XP Pro's IP was the same as the Belkin's.

I just got in

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...

don't ask me how - it all happened so rapidly, which is always the way with computers ...

I set the new 06 address which enabled the XP Pro but disabled my (main) ethernet Win7 computer's connection. But still the Pro couldn't get the Internet, even though wireless showed and excellent connection.

So I went back into NetGear and reset the 01 address default - that re-enabled my main pc. When I went back to the Pro that was wireless enabled but also now accessing IE / the Internet. The Pro is now wireless / ethernet cable unplugged.

I have no idea what I have actually done here - there were so many options I basically went for bust, keeping a record of the settings though.

gosh

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

This is when the wireless adapter connects

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



and when wireless fails

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



The wizard is constantly trying to connect wireless and constantly failing - it does this on about a 5 second cycle of connect - fail connect

IP Adress for the XP Pro on the computer is 192.168.0.6 so that does not match the router which is configured to 192.168.0.1

Might this have something to do with it please?

Many thanks.

Yes thanks, I went for that option - I checked for auto IP address.

Thanks - for future reference, how do I get inside the Belkin please? I have never had to go into a wireless adapter before to set anything.

In reply to a post by E7er:

The XP Pro computer cannot have the same IP address as the Belkin wireless adapter. If the XP Pro computer IP address is 192.168.0.6 make the Belkin wireless adapter 192.168.0.7

When trying to connect the XP Pro computer with wireless you will see a wireless icon on the taskbar (right click on the icon). This can also be configured from Windows XP Pro Network Connections. http://portforward.com/networking/static-xp.htm

Configure computer wireless connection..

Select Use the following IP address.
IP address: 192.168.0.7 <-- your Belkin wireless adapter IP address.
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gatway: 192.168.0.1 <-- your Netgear router IP address

Select Use the following DNS server addresses
Preferred DNS server: 64. 12. 51. 132 <-- AOL DNS Settings
Alternate DNS server: 149.174.221.8

http://www.whatsmydns.net/dns/uk/aol-broadband.html

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

I just got in

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...

don't ask me how - it all happened so rapidly, which is always the way with computers ...

I set the new 06 address which enabled the XP Pro but disabled my (main) ethernet Win7 computer's connection. But still the Pro couldn't get the Internet, even though wireless showed and excellent connection.

So I went back into NetGear and reset the 01 address default - that re-enabled my main pc. When I went back to the Pro that was wireless enabled but also now accessing IE / the Internet. The Pro is now wireless / ethernet cable unplugged.

I have no idea what I have actually done here - there were so many options I basically went for bust, keeping a record of the settings though.

gosh

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

This is when the wireless adapter connects

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



and when wireless fails

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



The wizard is constantly trying to connect wireless and constantly failing - it does this on about a 5 second cycle of connect - fail connect

IP Adress for the XP Pro on the computer is 192.168.0.6 so that does not match the router which is configured to 192.168.0.1

Might this have something to do with it please?

Many thanks.

Did you have the XP Pro computer Ethernet connection 192.186.0.6 ? Then you need to make the Belkin wireless adapter 192.168.0.7

"you need to make the Belkin wireless adapter 192.168.0.7 "

Thanks - how do i get into the Belkin please?

Sorry, but this board sucks after the first few posts, it takes me hours to juggle all the posts - why can't posts just stay static in date/time order please?

The help offered is great though

In reply to a post by E7er:

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

I just got in

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...

don't ask me how - it all happened so rapidly, which is always the way with computers ...

I set the new 06 address which enabled the XP Pro but disabled my (main) ethernet Win7 computer's connection. But still the Pro couldn't get the Internet, even though wireless showed and excellent connection.

So I went back into NetGear and reset the 01 address default - that re-enabled my main pc. When I went back to the Pro that was wireless enabled but also now accessing IE / the Internet. The Pro is now wireless / ethernet cable unplugged.

I have no idea what I have actually done here - there were so many options I basically went for bust, keeping a record of the settings though.

gosh

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

This is when the wireless adapter connects

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



and when wireless fails

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/r_i_c_2007/Ro...



The wizard is constantly trying to connect wireless and constantly failing - it does this on about a 5 second cycle of connect - fail connect

IP Adress for the XP Pro on the computer is 192.168.0.6 so that does not match the router which is configured to 192.168.0.1

Might this have something to do with it please?

Many thanks.

Did you have the XP Pro computer Ethernet connection 192.186.0.6 ? Then you need to make the Belkin wireless adapter 192.168.0.7

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

Thanks - for future reference, how do I get inside the Belkin please? I have never had to go into a wireless adapter before to set anything.

It�s Windows XP Pro you configure with those settings for the Belkin wireless adapter.

Did you read my post� Did you have the XP Pro computer Ethernet connection 192.186.0.6 ? Then you need to make the Belkin wireless adapter 192.168.0.7
I think that should sort the problem.

How I quickly switch my computer connections from Ethernet to Wireless.

First at Windows Network Connections create Shortcuts one for Ethernet and one for Wireless, place these shortcuts at lower right corner of computer screen, name them Ethernet and Wireless. You can now Quickly Enable and Disable the connections as required.

You've got the board in threaded mode. Within your profile you can set it to flat or towards the top of each post you will find a "Flat" button. That way all posts will be in chronological order (but be careful when you respond that you are replying to the right post).

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

Thanks - how do i get into the Belkin please?

You don't! Leave it at "Obtain IP Auto" that you said you are already using and let the router's DHCP take care of all IPs and save yourself the headache.

In reply to a post by kr236rk:

When I went back to the Pro that was wireless enabled but also now accessing IE / the Internet.

I notice here that when you connect the XP by wireless successfully there is no Internet Gateway Network Connection, whereas earlier when the wireless failed there was an Internet Gateway.

That is caused by having a setting in the router of uPnP ON. I had a similar problem with XP whereby wireless would not always connect until I switched uPnP OFF.

I believe by turning uPnP OFF in your router will solve your problem and all this confusion and messing about with IPs is a red herring.

Just to check that you have not confused your IPs, what are the listed Connected Devices in the router and what are the IP & DNS settings of :

Network Connections (in that screenshot) / R click individually both the Wireless Network Connection & the Local Area Connection / Properties / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties ?

Thanks to all - I will try to get round to any unanswered posts.

The XP Pro is now a 'very good signal' so I can at last bundle up metres of ethernet and store it away somewhere. However, a wireless XP Basic which is even further away from the router is listed as 'weak signal' - is there any way I can boost the router's signal please?

Thanks again!