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Connect Windows XP to wireless Internet

I have a new windows XP laptop. I can't get a wireless internet connection to work. I have broadband internet and a cable modem and then a switch. A pc and a wireless access point are both connected to the switch. The Windows 2000 PC works fine, but I just can't get the laptop to connect to the wireless access point and the internet.

Can anyone give me the step by step of what I need to do or some things I can look for?

To clarify what I have. Comcast Broadband Internet going through the Comcast provided cable modem which did go directly to my windows 2000 PC. It worked just fine. I bought a windows xp laptop with wireless Internet capability built-in and ready to go. In order to share the single internet connection, I installed a D-Link switch between the cable modem and the PC. The Internet connection on the PC continues to work as it always did, but only through the switch. I also connected a wireless access point to the switch to receive the wireless transmission from the laptop. I configured the access point device as described with the installation instructions. So it is sitting there waiting for the laptop to establish a connection.

My question is, as much as possible, can someone give me a step-by-step set of instructions as to what needs to be done with the windows xp laptop to establish that wireless connection with the acess point device that is installed?
Tags: windows
17th Nov 2004

Answers (8)

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Follow the directions here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_02april08.mspx

If you get totally and helplessly lost, try here:
http://www.geeksquad.com/main.asp
17th Nov 2004

Replies

Thank you anyway, but those directions were for configuring the wireless through a host computer. I don't want to do that. I want to configure it directly to the D-Link wireless access point device. Geeksquad? Do they do windows too?
GSfromWS 17th Nov 2004
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Tell us what router model you have, and the model of your wireless enabled laptop.

Make sure you have the same TCP/IP connection settings on your laptop as you do for your desktop. Is the laptop getting IP through DHCP? Turn off Windows firewall for the time being on the laptop. You will need to specify the IP address of the AP in the same range as your desktop, laptop, and switch. Depends on your switch or router. You can use 192.168.0.x1 ... 192.168.1.x3 Make sure that you don't use internet connection sharing, the connection properties should be just blank. Gateway will be your switch IP address.

Post a comment back with models and go from there.
17th Nov 2004

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That should be 192.168.0.x1 ... 192.168.0.x3
dustyD 17th Nov 2004
I'm not using a router. I'm using an Access Point, a D-Link DWL-2100AP. My laptop is a Sony Vaio model PCG-K23 as it says under the screen, or PCG-9RFL as it says on the bottom
GSfromWS 17th Nov 2004
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I'm not using a router. I'm using an Access Point, a D-Link DWL-2100AP. My laptop is a Sony Vaio model PCG-K23 as it says under the screen, or PCG-9RFL as it says on the bottom
17th Nov 2004
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Your best, cheapest, and most effective solution is to purchase a wireless router. Routers allow 2 or more computers to share 1 broadband connection, switches and access points do not. To use a wireless AP, you need a router, so may as well go ahead and get a wireless router.

Since routers and APs cost about the same, why are you trying to use an AP?

Dalton
17th Nov 2004

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As I stated, if you want to connect more than 1 PC at a time, you need a router. For info on connecting your notebook to internet using AP, see link below.

http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=1132&question=DWL-1000AP%20/%20DWL-900AP%20/%20DWL-900AP+%20/%20DWL-5000AP%20/%20DWL-6000AP%20/%20DWL-1000AP+%20/%20DWL-800AP+

Dalton
willcomp 18th Nov 2004
Poster rated this answer.
GSfromWS 26th Nov 2004
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Your access point also acts as a router, as it has a builtin dhcp server which can supply you with private ip address ranges. Is the dhcp server part of that AP turned on?
Connect your Desktop PC to the access point as well, a lot of ISP providers only give you one client connection (1 ip address), so if your desktop is connected to the inet your laptop won't be able to connect. The routing function of your AP will be able to connect more pc's to the inet.

When you open your control panel and enter start "system", then have a look at your hardware, is everything OK (no yellow exclamation marks, etc)? Can you see your wlan interface? is it set to active?

Have you also inspected the case of your notebook? Some have a small slider or switch with which you can turn Wireless adpaters on or off, and this switch is usually difficult to find!
18th Nov 2004

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Poster rated this answer.
GSfromWS 26th Nov 2004
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well goodness dear, there are so many things it could be. can you ping the ap? what is your current ip address, subnet mask and gateway? same for ap? if you do not know, start there. what model laptop? have seen sonys with slide switch to turn off/on wireless. what wireless card you got? does it have lights and are they on. you probably also have ethernet port. can you get things working with that for starters? we will need details to help. model numbers and what you have tried. but you always start with ping. if you can ping but no internet you look at dns problem. you check quick for that by attempting to surf by ip address numbers. so you want to try this you go to comnmand prompt and type ping www.nfl.com and write down the ip numbers then you enter those in browser address. if that works you got dns problem and post back for help with that include the model numbers of everything
18th Nov 2004

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Poster rated this answer.
GSfromWS 26th Nov 2004
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This question was closed by the author
26th Nov 2004
0 Votes
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Can't hook up my wireless
My question is, as much as possible, can someone give me a step-by-step set of instructions as to what needs to be done with the windows xp laptop to establish that wireless connection with the acess point device that is installed?
30th May 2009
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