Regarding the prior post...
I was sort of able to get online with my desktop computer last night. I had to use the router's guest account, so it's still not right.
The problem is apparently something in the wireless router's security. I have a Linksys/Cisco E3000 router and apparently every computer needs to be added to it. I vaguely remembered seeing something about adding computers to the network, so I opened the router's software and tried to add my desktop to the network. It wouldn't allow me to do that. I tried several different ways of doing it, but it still didn't work.
The error I came up with seems to have something to do with WEP vs WPA security on my network. This router had a very simple setup process, all automated, and it apparently set itself up with WPA security. My computer is telling me that my wireless adapter card (Linksys/Cisco WMP54G) doesn't support WPA. I have no idea why and haven't had time to look into it more fully, but the product features listed on that link for my card specifically state "WPA encryption technology provides powerful privacy protection".
Prior to the new video card, it had connected without adding it, and my son was also able to use his computer on the wireless network when I gave him the password, so I have no idea why it wouldn't change AFTER the installation of the video card.
Sign me confused. But at least I have a work-around in my confusion. That seems to be the story of most of my life lately!
4 comments:
Just a thought - can you lower the security level on the router just as a test to see if something changes? So when using your Admin logon - you don't even see the network?
No that's not the problem. My desktop system automatically finds the network, but says it is WEP. And it's actually WPA. I assume that's why it won't connect to the internet, but does connect to the router, but I'm not sure.
I'll keep messing with it and figure it out eventually... I'm just tired of the hassle so it's easier to just use the guess access.
My youngest daughter and husband were struggling to get their blu-ray player to connect with their router/wireless access point. Router is setup with WEP (don't remember the other selections). Apparently there is some kind of protected mode going on, where the router won't accept the 'normal' passcode connection. I ended up having to register the blu-ray players PIN with the router, and then let the two 'find each other. Now works like a charm. Never had to do anything nearly as complex with the lower security WPA. See if your desktop card has any kind of pin you can register with the router/wireless access point before attempting to connect.
Registering the computer with the router sounds like what it is wanting me to do... but when I try it doesn't work due to the WEP/WPA issue. There wasn't a PIN... you just had to tell it the specs of what you were adding. As an alternative, the router software even allows me to set up a USB key with an exe file that is supposed to make it all seamless... but that didn't work either.
Since it's a 9 year old computer, I have just settled for using guest mode for now, until I feel less frustrated!
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