My cousin has just phoned with a connection issue. Her router is a Netgear with a Netgear wireless dongle, and the computer states there is no wireless connection. The wireless, and all other lights, are up on the router, which appears to be connected to the network, so I immediately thought that the fault much be with the dongle, but the dongle is picking up surrounding networks, yet won't pick up their own. Any suggestions?
Reboot the router
I can't think of a better piece of advice. ;)
She's tried that. :(
Delete the connection from the laptop and then get it to refresh the connection list.
OK, the connection is set up via the Netgear software (it's a desktop, btw), and this claims there is no wireless connection. She has rescanned, and it finds other networks, but not their own. In Network Connections, LAN is correctly disabled, but so is the Wireless Network, and there doesn't seem to be an option to enable it, just Repair, which she has done.
Try deleting and starting from scratch.
Delete the wireless connection from Network Connections? She wouldn't be able to set it up again, so it would mean a trip up to London for me, as I'm not good at giving instructions over the phone. This would mean connecting the router with a cable, and doing all that stuff, yes?
No, it shouldn't do, it's just a matter of running the New Connection Wizard, or should be.
So, it makes no difference that the Netgear software is being used, rather than Windows? She's going to need the WEP key, isn't she?
It might, actually, I'm not familiar with the Netgear app. Isn't there something similar in that?
Sorry, I meant WPA. :red:
Yes, there probably is, but I'm not familiar with it either. When I last did one of these for a friend, we used the Windows software. I'll get back to her and see what we can sort out.
The Windows version should work fine.
Does she have a wired connection at all?
If so get her to install logmein so you can do it remotely
Unfortunately, she doesn't, Glenn.
Could she get a cable?
That looks like an interesting app, though, Glenn.
Quote from: Rik on Mar 21, 2010, 12:09:48
Could she get a cable?
Possibly. But she thinks she has the WPA key saved, so hopefully won't need it.
She can just set a new one at the router with a cable... It doesn't even have to be Vince. ;D
OK, we created a new connection, which works, but the connection to the router won't stay 'live' for long enough to even set the password for the wireless security. I'm thinking that the wireless output from the router may have broken down. :dunno:
Oh, and having changed the SSID on the router, the wireless software still comes up with the old SSID, and won't detect the new one.
Weird. The router does sound suspect, but I think you're going to have to go 'hands on'. :(
Thank goodness I've forgotten all this >:D However I find it a bit odd she's not seeing the SSID,my worry is there's 2 pieces of software trying to do the same job
The odd thing is that she can connect to the router initially, but the connection keeps 'timing out' whenever she tries to do anything, like change the SSID, so we don't know if the change has been accepted or not. I have suggested she finds the Ethernet cable, so that we can set up the router while wired, and then try the wireless side. I have also suggested that they bring the router closer to the PC, but there isn't another phone point in the house, which is near a power point, hence the need for the wireless set up in the first place.
:hairpull:
Is she connecting or is that just a cached page in the browser.
Check in Services, to see if the WirelessZeroConfiguration service is turned off, it should be if you are not using Windows to configure the wireless.
is there an Attached devices list set up, is the dongle on that
Quote from: Glenn on Mar 21, 2010, 14:00:46
Check in Services, to see if the WirelessZeroConfiguration service is turned off, it should be if you are not using Windows to configure the wireless.
On the router, Glenn, yes?
They have now moved the router upstairs, so it is closer to the PC, and have established a wireless connection to the PC. They have managed to secure the connection with WPA, but now, in a different phone socket, there is no DSL light on the router, so they are now moving it back downstairs to the other phone socket.
It would have been bloody easier if I had just driven up there! :mad:
On the PC, From what you have just posted, it sounds like the router has lost it's wireless power output as it needs to be closer to establish a connection.
might not help but I remember when my son had his set up with a dongle and it did keep dropping and also the initial set up also with a netgear,took a while for his computer to find the signal.I think we went through it a few times thinking it wasnt working,got sick and left it a while and when we got back it had picked it up
Quote from: Glenn on Mar 21, 2010, 14:32:56
On the PC, From what you have just posted, it sounds like the router has lost it's wireless power output as it needs to be closer to establish a connection.
I think you're right, Glenn.
Quote from: Baz on Mar 21, 2010, 14:35:00
might not help but I remember when my son had his set up with a dongle and it did keep dropping and also the initial set up also with a netgear,took a while for his computer to find the signal.I think we went through it a few times thinking it wasnt working,got sick and left it a while and when we got back it had picked it up
It was working, then it wasn't, Baz, which leads me to believe the router wireless output has died.
yeah that used to happen too with his.we had to find just the right place for the dongle and it had a usb lead too,ended up under the desk on the floor,if it ever got moved by accident the connection dropped.can they try the wireless with a laptop maybe
They could, but they haven't got a laptop. ;D
I've now ordered a new DG834G for them off Amazon
Let's hope the remote diagnosis is right. ;)
I doubt it! :bawl:
Its always a good idea to change the wireless channel when you're getting an intermittant wireless dropout problem. If its on auto, set it to 1, 6, or 11. Worth a try.
Thanks, Ted. I think, though, that it might prove impossible to do with no wired connection and a failing wireless one. :(
Quote from: Rik on Mar 21, 2010, 16:59:36
Thanks, Ted. I think, though, that it might prove impossible to do with no wired connection and a failing wireless one. :(
Simon was saying that they can get a connection but with no internet if they move the router closer to the PC. Could also be a dodgy wireless nic\dongle?
They have now moved the router back to it's original location, and say that all the lights are back on (the ADSL light wasn't on where they moved it to). When I asked if it was now working, the reply was that they haven't switched the computer back on yet. ::)
Quote from: Ted on Mar 21, 2010, 17:13:38
Simon was saying that they can get a connection but with no internet if they move the router closer to the PC. Could also be a dodgy wireless nic\dongle?
Indeed, that's true, Ted, but it seems odd that they can pick up nearby networks, with the wireless dongle, but not their own router. :-\
Quote from: Simon on Mar 21, 2010, 17:15:27
They have now moved the router back to it's original location, and say that all the lights are back on (the ADSL light wasn't on where they moved it to). When I asked if it was now working, the reply was that they haven't switched the computer back on yet. ::)
Indeed, that's true, Ted, but it seems odd that they can pick up nearby networks, with the wireless dongle, but not their own router. :-\
This is also true!
I was considering sending them one of my spare 2700s, but I fear it would just be a complete drama, especially if the thing updated to v6 one night. I just have to keep everything at 'dummy' level (which isn't hard for me anyway!), and if it doesn't work out of the box, there's little hope.
Time for a house call. ;)
Quote from: Simon on Mar 21, 2010, 17:21:17
I was considering sending them one of my spare 2700s, but I fear it would just be a complete drama, especially if the thing updated to v6 one night. I just have to keep everything at 'dummy' level (which isn't hard for me anyway!), and if it doesn't work out of the box, there's little hope.
I can sympathize there, I find the most common issue is when you ask people for their username\password for the router, you get that glazed expression, followed by "er, I
THINK I have it somewhere". Then you have to go through, the dog's name, birthdays, favourite colours etc.
:sigh:
Quote from: Rik on Mar 21, 2010, 17:22:33
Time for a house call. ;)
That's the trouble, I haven't got time for a house call.
Quote from: Ted on Mar 21, 2010, 17:31:26
I can sympathize there, I find the most common issue is when you ask people for their username\password for the router, you get that glazed expression, followed by "er, I THINK I have it somewhere". Then you have to go through, the dog's name, birthdays, favourite colours etc.
:sigh:
As it happens, it's the cat's name. ;D
Pussy? :o
Quote from: Ted on Mar 21, 2010, 17:31:26
I can sympathize there, I find the most common issue is when you ask people for their username\password for the router, you get that glazed expression, followed by "er, I THINK I have it somewhere". Then you have to go through, the dog's name, birthdays, favourite colours etc.
:sigh:
If I get the glazed expression, I tend to find out what the defaults are and 9 times out of 10 they work!
If only we could do that with the rest of life. :)
;D
I had this problem using a netgear usb dongle on my DG834PN with the WPN111 dongle.. it worked fine for a few weeks and then suddenly kept loosing wireless connection with the router.. even when the router was right next to it, never could get it working 100% again, so I've stopped using all netgear wireless usb dongles, they are nothing but a pain in the arse!
You're not meant to use them as suppositories, Paul. :whistle: ;D
Quote from: Rik on Mar 21, 2010, 18:46:38
You're not meant to use them as suppositories, Paul. :whistle: ;D
Damn that's where I've been going wrong! :rant2:
;D
hehe
;D
Well, I'm hoping it's the router which is the problem, and not the dongle, as she has a new router on the way. The fact that the dongle was picking up other networks would indicate it's the router though, wouldn't it? :-\
Probably... ;)
Maybe? ;D
Possibly?
::)
We like this fence. ;D
I don't.
We'll all have ideas on what went wrong if it doesn't work, and they'll be a rush of suggestions for mains networking. ;)
Quote from: Rik on Mar 22, 2010, 12:34:30
mains networking. ;)
Or do what I done, trace cables around the house and put RJ45 access points in! It is a pain at first but worth it in the end.
I have 3 Netgear routers and they all drop the wireless connection from time to time. Sometimes I can get it back by resubmitting the wireless settings from another device on the LAN, sometimes I can't. When this happens I swap out the router.
My gut feeling guestimate (and that's all it is) is that the router stops broadcasting for reasons unknown and stores dodgy information somewhere which only gets reset after the power has been completely discharged. I'm not convinced rebooting the router will do this, I think you may need to leave it off for some time.
I realise this is of little help but it does to some extent confirm what other have said, there's something not quite right about the wireless side of Netgear routers.
It does help, in that it points more to the router being at fault, than the dongle, Zap, which is what I want to hear. :)
Quote from: Simon on Mar 22, 2010, 16:43:46
It does help, in that it points more to the router being at fault, than the dongle, Zap, which is what I want to hear. :)
I'm pretty sure its the dongle Simon............. :evil:
:out:
hehe ;D
:evil:
Stirrer. ;D
Are you two sure Simon stirs with his dongle?
He has a reputation for it, allegedly... :whistle:
Hope its not hot when he does :eek4:
The dongle? :angel: