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Laptop/Internet/Wireless help


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#1
Dave Beaste

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Okay, so I recently received my shiny new laptop, and encountered two problems. We have a wireless internet system, which the laptop can connect to. However, it neither stays connected, nor can I actually access any web pages when it is connected.

Do I need to install a sevice provider before I can actually use it? I thought that may be the problem, but I can't install AOL (our service provider) because it doesn't detect the wireless an internet connection and we have no other modems currently hooked up. Do I need to activate AOL on a seperate modem and then add the wireless as another method?

Secondly, to keep a hold on the wireless connection, is it simply because I don't have a service provider? However - when I accessed it, I put in my own security password which doesn't match the one for this PC, as we can't remember what it is. Do the passwords need to be the same?

Any help would be appreciated. I also apologise if this has been covered before on here, but my search turned nothing up.
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#2
Facedown98

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Hi. You do not need an IPS to access the internet if you have a DSL connection over a router. When you "scan" for routers in the area to tap into, does it see yours? Do you have any security settings on the home network? MAC addresses, Encrypted keys, etc?
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#3
Dave Beaste

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Yeah, mine is definately there. It connects, but then says "The wireless adaptor failed to get a valid IP address. This can be due to an authentication failure with the network, incorrect wireless security passwords (encryption keys), or because of a DHCP server malfunction". There is a password asked for as security is enabled, but the one I put in worked, despite us not knowing what the original password is, and does successfully re-boot the network when it's placed in again, which is why I thought it might have something to with the fact I haven't established a service provider yet.

On another note, the Dell Networking thingy just told me there's a problem with my Routing Table - could that have something to do with it?
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#4
Facedown98

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Perhaps... Try it. If that doesn't help, I have a utility you can use to connect. Sadly, I have not found a way for Windows to connect to a network with security features such as encrypted keys. I have a program that will let you however :whistling:
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#5
Dave Beaste

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There's a problem with that - I don't know how to fix it. At all. The laptop says it can't do it, and I would have no idea how to go about it, as all it says is there's a problem.
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#6
Facedown98

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If you click on the message it shows no "fix this now" button? I never use the Dell utility myself, but I used to.
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#7
Dave Beaste

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Nope. It just says that it can't fix it itself, and doesn't offer any more options.
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#8
Dave Beaste

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I thought I'd update - the wireless is now working, but it can't connect to my Router. Pinging them doesn't work - the request times out as if they're out of range, despite sitting beside each other. I've tried pinging from different parts of the house, no luck. Any advice?

Edited by Dave Beaste, 31 August 2006 - 01:26 PM.

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#9
Facedown98

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If you have encrypted keys set as a security feature, Windows Cannot connect to it. Download this: http://www.download....4-10455093.html ... When you try to use it it will say something about making it the default as opposed to Windows, and it might try to fix some files. Let it, and see if anything helps.
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#10
Dave Beaste

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That didn't help at all, when running on both systems. I still had to put in a WEP encryption code, which I don't know - I don't even know what that is.

Edited by Dave Beaste, 31 August 2006 - 04:16 PM.

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#11
Facedown98

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If you set the code and forgot it then you need to delete it and start it over. Sadly, I can't walk you through that part. All I can tell you is that if there is a code, Windows won't accept it, so we have to use something that does.
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#12
Dave Beaste

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Okay, thanks for all your help. I'll send more my brother to come up from Dublin tomorrow (I think he's meant to be back for the weekend anyway) to reset the codes - I dunno whose idea it was for HIM to have the codes when we can't phone him during the week.

Thanks again, I'll know where to come if I need help when I get to Uni. If I have the internet. :whistling:
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