Wireless Internet Acess and File Sharing, Help..

Hello,

Some Background:
I received my new Dell E1505 notebook over the weekend. I already had a Wireless Belkin Pre-N router set up so I could connect my two Desktops. A 5 yr old Gateway running Window 98 SE and a 1 Yr old Dell 8400 with XP Prof.

I could never get my 5 year old Windows 98 Desktop to conect to the Internet over WiFi. I just gave up. And I could only transfer files from my old desktop to my new 1 yr old Dell 8400 Desktop with XP while sitting at my new computer. This wasn't so bad as I was able to move over the data I wanted.

Now I have my lovely new Laptop and I want things to work right (there not).

I am only able to connect to the Internet on my Laptop when I turn off security on the Router. I tried WEP and WPA. The moment I turn it on , no more Internet.

I am also not able to access the Shared folders on my Dell 8400 Desktop from my Laptop. It tells me I don;t have the rights to access it. I can see it under Workgroups, but can't get at the goodies. I think I set up File Sharing on my Desktop, though I do not know if I did it correctly. When sitting on my Desktop and looking at my Networks it tells me that the folders I wanted to share are shared.

Help????


Peter.

 

did you enter the key in your notebook's wifi card config utility?

 

Hello,

Yes, with both WPA and WEP. I will try it again when I get home.

But even without security I can't access the Desktops files. Are these totaly seperate issues? Or can the same problem be causing both?

 

Try go thru this thread. It may give you some guidance/hints regarding the file sharing part.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=47936

 

same problem causing both, methinks. if you don't have the proper WPA or WEP key entered in the laptop, it won't connect to the router, even if you have a great signal.

I would recommend you just create a NEW WPA key in the router, and then change both the desktop and new laptop at the same time.

 

Hello,

Thanks for the replies. I have not had time this week to try anything out.

For now I can get internet access as long as I don't turn on security.

What would stop me from getting access to the desk top files without WEP or WPA turned on? The folders appear to be set up as shared. I saw the other thread where a shorter Work Group name was able to help. Mine is just called Workgroup. Is that too long?

 

Hello,

I was able to do two things today, but things are still not right.


I was able to turn on WPA and I can now keep a internet connection. The Problem is it is slow to the point of being unusable. The moment I turn off security its fast as can be again..

I was also able to get my Desktop to be able to see the shared folders on my Laptop. I can not get my Laptop to see the shared folders on my Desktop. I tried turning off my Norton Firewall. It didn't help.

Another thing I noticed is that when I look in my Dell Wireless Lan Card Utility there is a Diagnostic tab. When I run the test it keeps saying the Memory Failed. I am guessing this is not normal?? THe rest of the listing all pass.

My biggest concern is the Security and the internet speed... Any Ideas??

 

you might try updating your router's firmware and make sure that you have the latest drivers for your wireless cards. you'll want to directly plug in to the router to do that, since wireless will probably be disabled after you do the firmware upgrade.

for the sharing, can you at least see the desktop computer? When you go in My Network Places on the XP laptops, click on "View workgroup computers" on the left side. You should be able to see all three computers listed there.

Actually, could you make a complete list of what computers you have and what you've gotten to work and what's still wrong.

 

Hello,

I have a Dell 8400 Desktop and a Dell E1505 Laptop. I can see the Desk top (and the Laptop) from the Laptop. When I click on it It says I don't have the rights, to contact the Admin.....

When I sit at the Desktop I can see the Laptop and its files just fine. I was able to do this today when I made my Workgroup name shorter... Or it could be just luck...

I will try to update the Router and Wireless Driver this week end. For now I turned off security. I am not brodcasting so I hope that makes me a bit safer...

Do I need to call Dell about the Failed Memory Wireless Card test??? Could that be the problem? But it does work just fine without security

 

Here's how I get XP home (or media) to work with XP Pro. My home workgroup is behind a router, so I disable ICF on all computers. I create identical accounts on all machines. Remember to use passwords. Make sure the guest accounts are enabled in the XP home machines. Disable simple file sharing. And viola, you can share files and printers.

 

or you can just enable simple file sharing on the xp pro box and be done with it

 

True, you could do that (but you'll still have issues sharing files and printers), but who would actually enable simple file sharing in XP Pro? It comes enabled by default, and only by disabling it can you use the permissions system. Perhaps if you have absolutely no need for permissions, but if that's the case, why have Pro at all? By configuring the systems like I described, XP home systems can also use domain resources (as long as the domain and workgroup share the same name.) Since more and more people are running true home networks, this advice will help more than just workgroup users.

 

Hello,

I waas just reading a review of a few Wireless Routers in Maximum PC. They were talking about how the routers they were testing were taking a 20% performance hit whenever they turn on WPA (compared to unsecure) as the Dirvers were not optomized for it.

I am taking more like a 80% hit.... )

I will try to update the Router and the Dell Wireless card this weekend. But being a brand new Laptop, wouldn't the Dell Wireless card already have newer drivers that can optimally support WPA?. The router is a Belkin Pre-N that says it supports WPA but its a year old . I will look on the Belkin site for update drivers....

Also, If I don;t end up figureing this out, how likely is it someone can get on my Wireless connection? If I do not broadcast my SSID, who will know it is there? No? When I go into my wireles card I can see about 5 other wireless networks beside mine. Only 2 are secured. The fact that I can see them means that they are broadcasting their SSID, correct?