Wireless networking?

[jmc41]

Well I'm online now with the marvel of wireless networking.

Except it's *really* giving me grief now.

After resetting the router/modem (dlink dsl-g624t) I managed to finally find I could do things like save and reboot through IE7 (but not Firefox).
I can stick in the user/pass combo and connect just fine, and I renamed it from DLINK_WIRELESS to JCHome for lack or anything better.

However, after I did a save and reboot windows now shows I have two connections, an unsecured one called JCHome which switches between "Automatic" (disconnected) and "Not connected" (which appears when I'm online).
The other is DLINK_WIRELESS which is security enabled and normally sits on Automatic. Given my normal card has only ever picked up a 2nd connection once, very briefly, I think this is the same one, except I didn't set a password...

Now, speaking of passwords.. The reason I don't set one is that every time I do I lose my connection. I select WPA, and get options for 802.1x which requires a RADIUS server, PSK Hex or PSK String. Reckoned PSK string was the easiest but tried a 63 char key, a 8 char key, and even a 8 char hex in the psk hex box but each time as soon as I reboot and lose connection, I can't get back in...

When I try to connection I'm asked for a "network key (also called a WEP key or WPA key)." I put in my password string or hex that I've tried and it just says "The network password needs to be 40bits of 104bits depending on your network configuration. This can be entered as 5 or 13 ascii characters or 10 or 26 hexadecimal characters."

I also keep being booted every 15-30 minutes I am online and have to try connecting to JCHome but normally end up doing a power off - wait 15 seconds - power on reboot to get ADSL back.

Has anyone any ideas what on earth I am doing wrong? I downloaded the 9mb manual at work today for the router - it didn't help.
I'm not normally this completely inept with computers.

[leowyatt]

Are you trying to setup wireless security?? Can you find any wireless networks with your router off?

[Kell_ee001]

Firstly you want to sort out the drop outs before playing with the security. I usually find you get drop outs with Dlinks when you have the channel set too high, try setting it on 2 or 3 and see how that works for you.

Secondly if it's seeing the 2 networks which are both your router, check in the advanced setting of the PC which you have set as your preferred network and only keep the one you want to use.

Finally, use a WEP 64 bit hex key of 10 numbers that you'll remember. Once you only have 1 prefered wireless network to auto connect to it should give you the option to save it so you don't get locked out if you have to drop. :)

[jmc41]

I have a D-Link Wireless G DWL-G510 PCI card.

Thought it'd be fine :s

I'll try setting the channel lower.

I did get WPA working this morning with a hex string 12345678.
Just tried it again with EF14256D (which is hex I believe!) and then I couldn't even find it in the wireless list and the wireless light on the router went off, just had to reboot to get back. I now show just one wireless network (DLINK_WIRELESS) but if I change the SSID I'll be back to two!

I'll also try a driver re-install, you never know?

[jmc41]

Okay, I've done some more testing...
It looks like there is a seperate network nearby called DLINK_WIRELESS (about 50% connection strength and a different mac code shown).
It looks like windows can't cope with two networks of the same name and hides it, after a reinstall of the card software I see them both after yet another reset!

However, as soon as I try to setup authentication - not even sure if I want a hex key or string and which I enter into the "WPA Passphrase" for the card - I can't even view the network from anywhere to even try connecting, I think this may be the key problem!

[jmc41]

So setup normal encryption (is the card looking for a psk-hex or psk-string though? Does length matter?) and then when it can't find it re-install the drivers and it might detect the network and let me connect properly again?

[jmc41]

Hmm, I haven't actually installed the router software, did it all via the web connection. I can't find an option anywhere post that when setting up the router on which psk type to use :s