ACER mini won't connect to wireless!!!

Hi everyone!
I've had an oooold Dell Latitude for several years now, and I haven't had any problems at all, until now; The battery is dead.
So i got this new Acer mini for Christmas (it's just windows xp, like my Dell), but at my flat it refuses to conncet with the wireless internet!
I try to click on my network, and then it tries to log on, and after a while when I'm supposed to use the network-key, this "warning" pops up, and says that my network might not be available anymore, and that I should refresh my network list and bla-bla-bla... But this isn't true!! 'Cause on my Dell everything is fine! It's the one I'm using now!
HOW CAN I FIX THIS?

I allso have a relatively new HP laptop that's supposed to be really good.. That one operates with Vista, but the same "warning" comes up there.

WHY!?
I neeeeeed to be able to use my new laptops, but mainly my Mini!

Please help!

 

Maybe sounds like your router is not handing out IPs. Since both laptops are doing it you can suspect the router as the problem, unless both laptops are messed up, but unlikely.
Anyway, your router may need to be reset. Pull the power plug and reinsert. I've found routers can "hang" if there was a power outage or a brown out. It should be plugged into a battery backup or surge arrest at minimum.
After plugging the router back in give it a few minutes to boot. You may want to reboot your laptops too.

Be sure DHCP is enabled if in fact you are using dynamic IPs (not static). Also make sure your router is password protected. If the router has the default password, someone may have gained access to it and disabled settings.

Also make sure you have no 2.4GHz cordless phones around. They can wreak havoc on the wireless signal.

Be sure your typing the correct WEP, WPA etc key. They are case sensitive.

-Karnaugh

 

no-no-no!
I actually have 3 laptops; The old Dell, new HP, new ACER.

The dell works, I'm using it right now. The two others, on the other hand don't connect.

At my moms and dads we have wireless without network-key, and all of them work there, same thing at school (where there's allso no network-key).
BUT here, at my flat... The old dell is the only one that works; The two new ones dosen't.

How is that??... They work everywhere else I've tried using them (on the train for instance), but here... no sign of it! ..

You know when you're logging in, and you're about to write the network-key well.. there's the problem; the dialoge box you're supposed to write them in never appears 'cause of that stupid "warning message"!!...

Have a clue??

(sorry for my bad English btw, I'm from Norway).

 

I got you. Thought none of the laptops would connect.

Ok, well, I'm not sure. I wonder if it has to do with the wireless card drivers?
I had a problem with XP where it would not accept the encryption key but that was way back before and service packs. I had to get a specific update from Microsoft make it work but it sounds like you may have a driver problem.

If you can get connection at another location check ACERs website for that particular mini. See if there is a newer/updated driver version. Also try running windows update and see if there are any driver updates for the wireless card.

One more thing. Are you using the native Windows wireless management application or are you using the card specific manager like Intel ProSet Connection Utility?
Try to connect through both, one at a time, if you have them. Generally you have to tell the windows one to stop. In XP it was a checkbox to disable it. Then you can try connecting with the card specific utility.

-K

 

I've tried all that, nothing works...
I think it might be something 'bout the networkcards? Maybe the new laptops actually has a networkcard that's too new, for the router??

 

I've seen a network card that's too old to support certain encryption features on newer routers. Not sure about a card that is too new. Never seen that.
Makes no sense. It should connect. Should be backward compatible with the router. You could always try a different type of encryption. Wep is old but seems to be most common. I run WPA2 at home. See what else the router offers.

May try a firmware update for the router.
Just be careful to read all update instructions and backup the router first.

-K