Wireless Help - Dell!

beancounter1968

I have an inspiron 6400 which I have had 2 weeks or so. I am having a real problem setting up the wireless at my house and if anyone can suggest a solution I would be very grateful. Firstly, I have been a broadband user, with a modem, well over 12 months and my existing provider is orange. The software went onto the new dell without any problems at all. So far so good. My girlfriend has just installed (at her own address) a wireless connection via Aol. My laptop boots up at her house, picks up her network and internet browsing is great. Now the problem. Orange have very kindly supplied me with a livebox 1378 to enable wireless. The software seemed straightforward and I established a wired connection very quickly. The wireless is a nightmare. I have had two very long calls with orange and they have been through all the diagnostics and have come to the conclusion that it is the wireless adaptor settings that are wrong and that I must contact Dell. The firewalls have been turned off (windows and Mcafee). In my system tray I sometimes see that it is connecting to the livebox and acquiring a network address and then nothing else. The TCP/ICP protocol are set to obtain address automatically. One thing that mystifies me is that at my girlfriends house, I join her network, a name that she has chosen whereas on mine, I have not been asked to give a name to one. That may just be my lack of understanding. If anyone could help clear the fog for me and get me connected, I would be very grateful

Since I wrote this, I have managed to get a wireless connection but only when I turn off security in the livebox. Orange have said that it is a WEP security issue with the Dell laptop. Any ideas what I need to do?

Further update. Tried a belkin wirless router which had the same problem. Someone suggested that I let windows manage the WIFI and again no joy! I have just completed this update at my girlfriends with a wirless connection. It's so frustrating.

Thanks


Phil

Browntoa

I run my router with the firewall off, i prefer to rely on my software one on the PC's and laptops

albertross_2

You have to tell your laptop what the wep key is..

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471408&postcount=37

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471410&postcount=38

espresso

beancounter1968 wrote:

One thing that mystifies me is that at my girlfriends house, I join her network, a name that she has chosen whereas on mine, I have not been asked to give a name to one. That may just be my lack of understanding. If anyone could help clear the fog for me and get me connected, I would be very grateful

If you can easily connect at your girlfriends house, their wireless network is obviously not secure!

beancounter1968 wrote:

Since I wrote this, I have managed to get a wireless connection but only when I turn off security in the livebox. Orange have said that it is a WEP security issue with the Dell laptop. Any ideas what I need to do?

Why don't you simply enter the WEP encryption key into the laptop. Explained here. ignoring the first part, as you have built-in wireless.