There is an IP provider's (Orange Livebox) box here at work. The boss's laptop connects fine via wi-fi to this. I cannot connect using my Belkin wireless dongle.
Quick history: The dongle picks up the signal fine. If I leave the computer to assign automatically an IP address there is no connection ("Windows could not assign an IP address"). If I assign the same address as on the boss's laptop, then I get "connected" but not to the Internet. Then if I connect via ethernet cable, suddenly I have a wireless connection according to the Belkin software.
Help please! Thanks in advance Paul
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Quite Often there is sufficient Security involved to prevent more than 1 Concurrent Connection from Happening this is mostly MAC Filtering, well it's the most common method anyway.
It's not sufficient to have a valid IP Address you must setup the computer to attach correctly and be accepted by the WiFi Access Point. These are normally locked down to 1 Access Point by Default and to add more you need to enter the Devices Setup and change the number of Concurrent Connections and ideally the Default Password & User Name at the same time to prevent others Hacking the WiFi network and stealing both the Companies Bandwidth and Data. Also the Device Supplied by the ISP is most likely a Router + the Modem to access the ISP and allow a WiFi Connection. Most of these modems have a Router Piggybacked/ included into them.
Here I would say that the Wireless and Wired LAN's are Bridged so that when you connect with a wire the WiFi Software suddenly see that you have a correct WiFi Connection.
This is generally through a Web Page Interface where you type in a HTTP address and then when you get the Log In Screen you enter the User Name which with most devices is Admin and the Password which is so hard to work out Password. But you'll need to read the manual for the device which should be a PDF File on the CD that comes with the thing from the ISP.
Ideally you should change these when you are in there to to something different so that you don't get someone from outside cracking the unit and adding themself as a Power User who has access to everything.
I always use a Wired Connection to setup these devices initially as it's simpler and then you need to use the Wireless Setup Wizard in XP at least which is found in the Menu under Start, All Programs, Accessories, Communications. Wireless Network Setup Wizard.
look on the modem/router, it should have some info like default access with an IP address like 192.168.1.1 (that is the default setting) and a username and password (usually admin and password respectively)
you want to type in the address, then enter the username and password (case sensitive).
once in the modem/router it may take a bit of looking around (as every router is different, but I can find MAC filtering on my router under Advanced Wireless Settings, and again it may not be called MAC filtering, it may be called Wireless Card Access List (or something like that)
keep us informed (and I hope I haven't confused you )
To determine the IP address of the router, on the boss' PC, open the command prompt (type CMD in the run text box) then type IPCONFIG in the black command window. You should see an entry for "Default Gateway" with a 4-part IP address. Enter that IP address into the address line of your browser. If you have the manual for this router, it would help. You can probably download it from the manufacturer's web site.
Bon Chance
(sorry .Martin. Based on the other posts, I thought he might need some remedial help.)
Thanks, I did run CMD and got the ip address. I deleted "automatically assign IP etc.) and entered the address. It was then I got connected - but without Internet of course. WIndows told me that the address was invalid. This is the point when the idea of throwing stuff out the window starts to appeal!
As an aside, I recall my girlfriend buying a wireless transmitter and receiver to connect her laptop to her PC. "Five minutes" the blurb said to set up. This was an outrageous lie. Hours of fiddling and swearing. We went out for beer. She finally figured it out next day - I had to walk away from it - something to do with channels. Naturally there was no mention of this in the instructions, so I had to have another rant!
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Wi-Fi - Schmi-Fi!
This time a wi-fi problem.
There is an IP provider's (Orange Livebox) box here at work. The boss's laptop connects fine via wi-fi to this. I cannot connect using my Belkin wireless dongle.
Quick history: The dongle picks up the signal fine. If I leave the computer to assign automatically an IP address there is no connection ("Windows could not assign an IP address"). If I assign the same address as on the boss's laptop, then I get "connected" but not to the Internet. Then if I connect via ethernet cable, suddenly I have a wireless connection according to the Belkin software.
Help please!
Thanks in advance
Paul