Can anyone fix my wireless router problem?

southernscouser

Sorry if this is a bit long winded. I have asked previously but I managed a 'fix' since then.

I currently have a NetGear N150 router. Connecting to that, a desktop PC via ethernet cable, and a wireless Dell laptop, which is fine when connected via ethernet cable. If I connect to the router wirelessly I only get local access.

I've had this problem from day one but now it's really annoying me. Bascially, I can't connect on the laptop wirelessy at all, unless I go to www.routerlogin.com and change Wireless Setting, Mode from Up to 150mbps to g&b. I don't understand why. But it works. Found it by fluke.

However, quite often and regularly, I lose my internet connection, and despite still being able to see the wireless device (as well as all the neighbours), I can not connect back to it. When diagnosing the problem it would say that I wasn't getting a response from it or something like that. The only way to 'fix' this is to turn the router off for 30 seconds or so, then back on. Althought it's not the end of the world, it's really sodding annoying.

I've tried rebooting the router to factory settings, presuming it's the router which is at fault! But the same thing happens.

I don't know if it's coincidence, or in my head, but the internet seems a bit slow, and don't know whether it's down to the g&b setting.

Can anyone help? Please.

GunJack

several things...

1. your router needs to be on b/g mode probably because the wifi card in the laptop will only do b and g. MAKE SURE YOU SAVE THIS SETTING IN THE ROUTER INTERFACE WHEN YOU'VE CHANGED IT.

2. you need to identify the wifi card in the lappy and make sure you've got the RIGHT drivers for it.

3. Open a command prompt and type "netsh winsock reset catalog/ " without the quotes but with the space after the backslash, and hit enter. You'll need to reboot after this.

4. on the Properties part of the wifi network connection, delete any saved networks and go from scratch once you've got the right drivers.

See how you get on. It might be an idea to give the model of lappy, op system and wifi card details

GunJack

oh, and while you're in the wifi network properties, the third tab (on XP) , tick to let windows manage your wifi connections (Windows Zero Config), as it does a better job than most third-party utilities.....

southernscouser

GunJack wrote: »

several things...

1. your router needs to be on b/g mode probably because the wifi card in the laptop will only do b and g. MAKE SURE YOU SAVE THIS SETTING IN THE ROUTER INTERFACE WHEN YOU'VE CHANGED IT.

2. you need to identify the wifi card in the lappy and make sure you've got the RIGHT drivers for it.

3. Open a command prompt and type "netsh winsock reset catalog/ " without the quotes but with the space after the backslash, and hit enter. You'll need to reboot after this.

4. on the Properties part of the wifi network connection, delete any saved networks and go from scratch once you've got the right drivers.

See how you get on. It might be an idea to give the model of lappy, op system and wifi card details

1. Is there a way of finding this out? And I know it might be a dumb question, but why didn't it detect this automatically? :undecided

2. Tried updating it from Dell but it says I have the latest drivers.

3. I did this but it said The requested operation requires elevation.

4. Do I still do this despite having the right drivers, I think.

Sorry, it's a Dell Inspiron 1720, running Vista. As for the wifi card, it's an Intel(R) Wireless Wifi Link 4965AGN

southernscouser

GunJack wrote: »

oh, and while you're in the wifi network properties, the third tab (on XP) , tick to let windows manage your wifi connections (Windows Zero Config), as it does a better job than most third-party utilities.....

Where would I find that in Vista? :undecided

GunJack

^^^^^ network and sharing centre

as for the command prompt, you need to Run as Admin

FireFox

WZC (Wireless Zero Configuration) service in XP became WLAN AutoConfig service in Vista (& W7)
http://www.home-network-help.com/wlan-autoconfig.html

GunJack

^^^ true, keep forgetting they re-named it...

GunJack

it's enabled by default unless a third party prog has switched it off. turn off the (prob dell) wifi manager but first check there isn't the option within it to use windows to manage networks. If not, look under help in networking and sharing centre and it'll give you the command prompt commands to turn it back on