Wireless - what have I done wrong?!

Ximian

Can you try changing the wireless mode to see if that makes a difference? Should be under wireless > mode and then try setting 801.11b/g instead of the default.
Lastly, what firmware are you running?

zerodashzero

Ximian wrote: »

Can you try changing the wireless mode to see if that makes a difference? Should be under wireless > mode and then try setting 801.11b/g instead of the default.
Lastly, what firmware are you running?

Sorry, I'm utterly useless with computers -
Where should I look to change the wireless mode?
What do you mean by firmware?

asbokid

zerodashzero wrote: »

Thank you - The security key / password is already saved in there. The encryption type is AES, is that correct?

Are you sure you entered the correct security key/password in Windows.

AES is another name for WPA2, so both the router and Windows must be configured to use the same wireless encryption protocol.

I'm not entirely sure how to knock off all the security, and in such a high traffic area would that be a good idea?

I think they mean you to temporarily disable encryption to eliminate that as a possible cause of the problem.

Or wouldn't it matter as I'm using the cable?

Yes, disabling encryption does matter. You must have wireless encryption during normal use.

Ximian

You should be able to change the mode as below:

To manually configure the wireless settings:
1. Log in to the wireless modem router at its default LAN address of http://192.168.0.1 with its
default user name of admin and default password of password, or using whatever LAN
address and password you have set up.
2. Select Wireless Settings in the main menu. The Wireless Settings screen displays.



Try setting the mode on the lowest setting and see if you can connect via WiFi. You can also try using a low security setting such as WEP.

zerodashzero

Thank you! Excellent instructions and screenshots? Very helpful for a novice like me!

But no, that didn't work either... I had a look at the firewall, which is a good thing as it was turned off... Now on.

Any other ideas? Would it be worth restoring factory settings on the router & trying again from the start?

asbokid

zerodashzero wrote: »

Thank you! Excellent instructions and screenshots? Very helpful for a novice like me! But no, that didn't work either..

you are definitely trying to connect to your wireless access point?

You wrote...

zerodashzero wrote: »

The wireless is automatically enabled. When I click on the icon it shows all the nearby networks (a lot because I live in an apartment). Mine is at the top of the list at full strength. If I click on my one it attempts to connect but then says "windows cannot connect".

How do you know that the wireless network that you have selected is your one?

Just because Windows says it has established a wireless connection to "NETGEAR" doesn't mean that it's YOUR netgear router!

"NETGEAR" is the wireless network name that all netgear routers are given by default, so you could be trying to connect to your neighbour's... hence the failed authentication, if that's what it is!

toastydave

it sounds like windows is trying to connect to a router it thinks it already knows.

Connect your laptop via ethernet to the router

open up internet explorer and enter 192.168.0.1 in the address bar, enter your usr name and password

click on wireless settings on the lefthand side on the screen

look at the part "Name (SSID):" change the name to zerodashzero or something unique

turn off the security for the moment.

click apply at the bottom of the page.

cycle power to the router and disconnect the ethernet cable

Scan again for networks and see if you can find the one you have just made,

click connect

if it works post back and then we can set up security

Spank

I have that router, used the setup wizard, & under wireless have the security set to: wireless WPA2-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 with Pre-Shared Key).

On the laptop (running win7) just had to find it & enter the password it it.

It connects fine, so I doubt it's the setting on your router.

toastydave

its not the router that may be the problem, but the laptop as it might think it knows this wireless network and offer the wrong password, then fail to connect.

If you change the SSID of the router the laptop will know its a new network and start the connection wizard again.

I asked to turn off the password to avoid complications, once the laptop has successfully connected to the router, you can look at implementing security

free4440273

agreed/ don't leave the ssid to 'netgear' /change to something bespoke /