Network Adapter not working?

Margaret_Skinner

I've had major problems with connecting for months now and whilst trying to get to the bottom of it I've been connecting with my laptop through a wireless hotspot (BT Fon). For various reasons this wasn't too convenient so I bought a USB network adapter for the desktop so that it could connect wirelessly. No problem.

This last week I can't connect to BT Fon at all and thought it was just issues with them but as time went on I realised it couldn't be and tried it on the laptop again. No problem.

Have uninstalled and reinstalled the network adaptor and tried a different USB port - still having problems.

When our own broadband connection is working I can connect wirelessly so if it wasn't working wouldn't that mean I couldn't connect at all?

I haven't installed anything recently and nothing's changed as far as I'm aware - Device Manager says it's working properly.

Anyone shed any light?

victor2

Maybe the BT Fon point you were using has gone offline? They are outside of your control, so convenient if available, but not guaranteed.

Margaret_Skinner

victor2 wrote: »

Maybe the BT Fon point you were using has gone offline? They are outside of your control, so convenient if available, but not guaranteed.

But then I wouldn't get connected with them with the laptop would I?

victor2

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

But then I wouldn't get connected with them with the laptop would I?

Fair point. Sorry, didn't read your post well enough.
I'm not familiar with BT Fon and how a device is authorised on it. But I would have thought both your laptop and desktop should see the access point. Maybe the USB adapter is not able to see the BT Fon point - have you tried it in the laptop?

penrhyn

Try using an extension cable with your USB dongle, you maybe in a dead spot and it can't see your neighbours hub.

You could download iSSIDer onto the PC and do a scan to see whats around.

Margaret_Skinner

penrhyn wrote: »

Try using an extension cable with your USB dongle, you maybe in a dead spot and it can't see your neighbours hub.

You could download iSSIDer onto the PC and do a scan to see whats around.

But why would it change when nothing else has? Why would it work for weeks on end then suddenly not? And why would my laptop connect perfectly to BT Fon right beside the desktop?

stilltheone

Perhaps you need to change the connection security level via the web interface of the network adapter connection software to match that of BT FON. e.g. WEP/WPA/WPA2/WPA-PSK etc

When you write that you can't connect, do you mean that you can't see it or that you can but it doesn't acquire a Network address?

Have you tried the Network adapter in another machine?

More detail please.

victor2

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

But why would it change when nothing else has? Why would it work for weeks on end then suddenly not? And why would my laptop connect perfectly to BT Fon right beside the desktop?

Maybe the wireless router you have been connecting to has moved and your laptop has a more powerful adapter in it. As penrhyn suggests, download inSSIDer and run it on the desktop and laptop. It will show what wireless routers each machine can see and what their signal strength is. Won't solve the problem, but may give a pointer to where the problem lies.