Wireless connection issue

Hi Guys, hoping you might be able to help

I have just formatted a laptop for my sister in-law a Dell Inspiron 1000 (gee its slow) I have one problem it uses a Linksys adapter to connect to a wireless network a WPC54G version 4. When the laptop boots up it connects to the network but with limited connectivity and has the yellow traingle on its icon (no internet). If I open the view viewless networks window and disconnect and then reconnect it back up it works fine, I dont have to put the WEP code, it just connects and works properly.

Is there a answer to this as my sister in-law would not be able to this each time the laptop is switched on

Cheers

limited connectivity and has the yellow traingle

Check the IP address that gets assigned in this condition - if it's a self assigned (169.254.*) then it can be connected but not authenticated on the network and this usually means the wrong/no key or an access point which uses MAC address security.

uses a Linksys adapter

If the adapter comes with its own utility software, that might be trying to connect on boot up. When you bring up view viewless networks (is this the built-in XP / Vista thing) and reconnect from there it uses the correct key saved by Windows.

In most cases it's easier to install only the driver (or uninstall the utility software afterwards) so that the keys and preferred networks are stored consistently in one place.

You can test this by removing any saved profiles and preferred networks from both places then reconnect just just using the built-in thing.

put the WEP code

(Unless this is a typo) WEP is both less friendly (different dialogs want either a hex or decimal key it's not always clear) and less secure. Whereas with WPA it's always a passphrase you type (the key is generated).

Edit: strictly the 169.254.* is because it did not get a response from DHCP but that can stil be caused by
* not getting authenticated to the network
* marginal signal
* sluggish DHCP server

Edited by prlzx (Sat 06-Jun-09 16:08:33)

If the adapter comes with its own utility software, that might be trying to connect on boot up. When you bring up view viewless networks (is this the built-in XP / Vista thing) and reconnect from there it uses the correct key saved by Windows.

In most cases it's easier to install only the driver (or uninstall the utility software afterwards) so that the keys and preferred networks are stored consistently in one place.

You can test this by removing any saved profiles and preferred networks from both places then reconnect just just using the built-in thing.

This is how i have been doing it, using the windows xp built in wireless connection window. I'm not going to worry too much now until Sunday when I take the laptop back to Derby, you never know things might improve there as it will connect to a linksys access point, where as I have a BT hub

Thanks anyway