networking problem

[wslctrc]

I did a search and found no results that solved my problem. I help others and hope others will help me this time. I gave a 604 d-link I had for my network to friends for a firewall and went to buy a new one. Turns out the wireless router was only $10 more so I bought it. I have a wired home with 4 towers and a laptop all on xp pro. The laptop has a wireless card as well which is why I bought the wireless router. All went well until I set up the encryption for the laptop and then I lost the network. Not knowing what to do I went back and got another 604. Still have no network. Asked knowledgeable friends but no luck. I've tried - network wizard till blue in the face, Norton is my utilities but firewall not running , xp firewall not enabled, manually tried setting up IP addresses on all, I can ping all comps from all comps. I just did start/run/ipconfig/all but remember what the settings should be or how to change them, mine are: IP routing enabled...no,WINS Proxy enabled...no,DHcp enabled...yes , Autoconfiguration enabled...yes, NetBIOS over Tcpip...disabled. Help!

[tsehou]

What operating system is the laptop using?

And what type of security did you enable from the router?

[wslctrc]

Xp pro on all machines, security on the router?

[Exmortis]

Yes, security. If you don't secure your wireless router, anyone in your neighborhood will be able to use your Internet connection to surf around. And you can't set encryption on your laptop without setting the same on the router. Without that, how is your router supposed to know how to decrypt what's coming from your laptop and vice-versa? Also, I strongly suggest you activate MAC address filtering on the router with your laptop's MAC address. This will ensure ONLY your laptop will connect, not Joe Blow from across the street.

One other thing to do is disable SSID broadcasting so your router don't advertise to everyone in the area that you have a wireless network. It should be all explained in the router's manual.

[wslctrc]

The reason why I say security? is that I don't have the wireless anymore. In the fourth line of my post I mentioned I went back and got another 604. My house is wired and I just thought the wireless would be a novelty for my laptop. Hope this helps thanks.

[tsehou]

So then your problem is that you can't network all the computers?

And if you aren't using the wireless on the router, then disable it, otherwise other people will just use the wireless signal and use your internet, as Exmortis has pointed out.

[Mischief007]

Guys. He just has a wired 604 now. He got rid of the wireless 604.

I'd say reset all settings on all the computers and reset the 604 as well.

[tsehou]

Oh, so the problem is that you can't network the computers.

Well to accomplish that you need to make sure every computer is in the same workgroup and has different names. Then share a folder on each computer and see if you can see it from all the others after restarting the computers.

Changing the computer name and workgroup can be done in system properties. Access this by pressing the windows and pause key or right clicking on my computer in the start menu and choosing properties. Then click the Computer Name tab and click the change button.

[wslctrc]

Oh, so the problem is that you can't network the computers.

Well to accomplish that you need to make sure every computer is in the same workgroup and has different names. Then share a folder on each computer and see if you can see it from all the others after restarting the computers.

Changing the computer name and workgroup can be done in system properties. Access this by pressing the windows and pause key or right clicking on my computer in the start menu and choosing properties. Then click the Computer Name tab and click the change button.


I thank you for the info but as mentioned I am able to set up networks, I've had one for some time, learned how from the good people at TCM. Problem is I set up a wireless and encryption, yanked it out and put back the wired setup. I can surf the net but no network. Is XP the culprit? Is the router? I checked for firewalls , encryption, manual/auto IP's . My question is -are the settings I have in my first post the right ones for ipconfig and if not how do I change them again? I've done so many things and don't want to resort to formatting 5 computers. Thanks.

[networkguy]

Enable netbios over TCPIP, this will allow you to browse all the pc's in network neighbourhood, assuming they all belong ot the same workgroup. Also, make sure firewalls are turned off, or if you prefer to leave them on, ensure that file and print sharing are allowed through the firewalls.

NG

[sybil]

And after doing all networkguy's suggestions, you could also try releasing and renewing the ip's on each comp (ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew).

[wslctrc]

And after doing all networkguy's suggestions, you could also try releasing and renewing the ip's on each comp (ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew).



Tried all, thank you for the help but I don't understand why I still have no network, set it up many times over the years and never had this problem. I guess it's format time.

[wslctrc]

Thanks to all who have tried to help. After talking to IT's till blue in the face including D-link second level tech and also my provider I figured it out. I have a back up drive in both comps and when my provider was trying to get us online ( lost internet for three days) he said I was uploading at the limit. Turns out I must have had a bug in one of the slave drives. I formatted twice before realizing it and when I formatted both comps without the slaves connected-got network right away. Didn't think slaves got infected that easy. Oh well we're up and running.