can't secure wireless connection after adding older laptop

I am hoping that someone here can help me with a problem that I am having. I am fairly new to the wireless network so please bear with me.

I have a NETGEAR router for wireless/cable setup. I have had a desktop connected to cable and a 1 year old Dell connected via wireless for a year now without any issues when it comes to connection for internet.

I recently added an older laptop to this setup to be run wireless. I purchased this laptop second hand. During the initial setup I was forced to re-setup my router because for some reason my orginal setup no longer worked. After doing this quick fix, I had both laptops and my desktop all online just like I wanted on a secured network using the WEP option just because the tech rep told me to use that one. This worked for two days and then without ever having changed any settings, neither laptop would connect wireless again.

So after spending hours on the phone with yet more tech reps, a replacement router was shipped to me because they claimed that mine was not working. Ok so today I get the replacement and after everything is setup again, I still have the exact same problem. I do not want to call the tech support again because I don't feel like they know how to help me.

So after much thought today, I have determined that my laptops WILL connect wireless ONLY if it is unsecured. The second that I add security they will no longer connect. I figured that they are competing some kind of way and there must be a fix for this I am sure.

Currently my settings are that I have made a secure list of the two mac addresses that are approved to accesss my router. I know that is not enough but at this point it is the only option I can get to work.

With this current setup I am able to use them as intended without any problems. But I really want to be able to setup a secured network.

Oh and the funny thing is that over the past year I have had a few family members that come over with fairly new laptops and they can all access my secured wireless connect without flaw. It is only this laptop that I have recently added that will not connect or let my laptop connect if using a secured network.

Does anyone know what the heck is going on here? I am really at a loss of what to try next.

 

What operating system are you currently running on your computers?

 

I am running Windows Vista on my newer laptop that has been connected for a year now, Windows XP on the older laptop that we just got and when all my problems started. I am also running Windows XP on the desktop that is connected by cable.

Sorry I should have mentioned that in my original post.

 

Does your router also use WPA or WPA2? Check the router and both wireless cards for WPA compatibility. Vista comes with WPA/WPA2, but XP with SP2 needs the XP WPA hotfix in order to access a WPA secured network. WEP is junk and not recommended. Vista does not play well with WEP.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

Once you enable WPA/WPA2 on your XP laptop, you can use WPA2 with AES (not TKIP) to secure your network.

 

Thank you... I will work on this and see what I can find out and do. I will let you know what happens.

 

Made sure that Windows XP is up todate and also has service pack 2. My router is WPA, WPA2 compatible. How do I check my cards to see if they are compatible with WPA and WPA2. I am sure that the newer laptop is beings it was online wireless for a year. But I need to check the other laptop that is running Windows XP.

Anyway, after following the link that you gave me, I am still seeing the same thing any time I secure my wireless network.

Now somewhere I did read about idol mode/sleep mood or whatever it was called in that when data is not transfered over the network the connection is in some kind of idel mode, well that laptop that is running windows xp does this. It shows a connection of LOW until you click on something and then it is very strong. I can't seem to find the windows site that talked about this again but if anyone knows something about this please point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

 

Well for now I guess my secured network will be limited to just controlling what Mac addresses will be allowed to access my router. I know that this is mickey mouse security but for now that is all I have.

If anyone knows of some kind of fix for my problem I am so willing to give it a shot.

But for now with this sad setup my wireless connections are working great.

 

Could my firewall be causing any of my issues? I am now looking at my McAfee firewall. I am really grasping at straws here but any feed back would be great.

 

Just a thought but can my McAfee firewall be causing my problems? I had the laptop that is running windows xp off and saved up at the point that I opened my McAfee virus protection and was looking around. I was able to access the network connections that showed my laptop, router and internet connection. So I thought that if I brought the other laptop running windows xp online that I should be able to see that one too. Well after doing so, I tried to run the McAfee again and it only locks up on me. I have to do ctrl-alt-delete to clear things up but always end up back in the same place.

Could this be my problem? Can you tell I am so confussed by this point??? LOL

 

I FIXED IT!!!!! I FIXED IT!!!! I FIXED IT!!!!!! :smile:

Oh my god... I FIX IT!!!!

After running through the updates, settings and patches from the link above and was still having problems, I started combing through my firewall and wireless network connection settings on both the Windows XP and Vista.

What finally fixed it was making a change on the Windows XP wireless connection settings. I changed the Network authentication from open, to shared and then fianlly the right choice of "WPA-Personnal (PSK)". That choice brought everything together and I am now running a secured wireless network with two laptops running Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Just call me HAPPY at the moment!!!!
Oh, my secured router setting was set to WPA before I set that above change in Windows XP.

Whatever this all means to you, I hope this makes sence, I am just happy that I am now running the secured network that I wanted and am able to have both laptops access the internet without flaw.

Oh my.... I am so happy!!!!

 

Oh just to let you know, well those that don't know, the tech reps through customer support for the NETGEAR router never touch on any of this info. They just assumed that my router was broken and sent me a replacement only to leave me with the same problem. I tried to touch base about the different operating systems and they just ignored me. After learning that my laptops would only connect to the wireless connection unsecured, they even told me that is how I should leave it. That I did not need a secured connection. The support/help deminished after this point because they felt like they had got me to the point that I needed to be which was have both online wireless. They were not interested in helping me get it secured. I was very unsatisfied with this.

I spent hours on the phone with them that "I had to pay for" even though my router was still under warrenty. The claim that my warrenty that covers my customer support had expired... ???? go figure that they would find a way to charge you after the fact. I am so tired of arguing with them that I took it upon my self to fix my own problem. That does not say a lot for their customer service if you ask me. I will diffenetly look at a different product next time when I consider what type of customer service I want.

Thanks to those that helped me!!

 

Netgear make a good product but their support is quite different. They give you only 90 days of free phone support. They think if there is any problems it will be found in this time zone. You also get unlimited email support. I had major problems with firmware on my router and got my escelated to a level 3 tech. I took over 6 mo to get the bugs out of the firmware. The main reason I will will not become a beta tester again, unless I have direct communication to the man in charge. Which I did, and helped them debug the firmware. Now the firmware is better than any other hardware I have ever used. So would I buy another Netgear? Yes, they make solid hardware, but it will be a model that has been out for atleast a year. So someone else can debug the firmware. Of all of the MFG I have dealt with USR has by far been the best.

Glad you got it fixed.