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Wifi not working on laptop- Please help!

Wifi

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#1
TommyBK

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I am having problems connecting to a network. The network is set up with a dell home computer that is running windows xp. That computer is connected to the internet with no problems; through wires not wirelessly. That network is connected to a wireless wifi router. However, when I use my Macbook pro laptop to sign into the wifi it will not let me sign in. My laptop shows the network and it also shows that it has full bars. Every time I enter the password it will not connect me. I also went on the Windows XP and tried setting up a wireless network to no avail. I've read that I may have to create a wireless hotspot; but I am looking for a clear step by step solution to this problem. Thanks for your time and response. 


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#2
RKinner

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Which encryption are you using on the wireless router?  WEP. WPA, WPA2?


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#3
TommyBK

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Thanks for the reply. I am not sure which encryption is being used. The windows xp computer that the network is set up with is connected to the wireless router through an ethernet cable. On my macbook pro it says that the thunderbolt ethernet is connected with a green circle. I was wondering if maybe I have to to change the configure ipv4 to manual to change the ip address?
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#4
RKinner

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No it should be automatic.  What is the make and model number of the router?


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#5
TommyBK

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Medialink wireless 300W router
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#6
RKinner

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Newer Macbooks do not support WEP as it is not considered secure enough.  I expect the router is set to offer WEP.

 

Is this your router:

 

http://m.setuprouter...manual-1740.pdf

 

How does it connect to your ISP?  Is there another box (cable modem or similar) that it plugs into if so what is its make & model and is it cable or dsl?   

 

 

 

 

 

Is there anything else using the current wireless settings? 

 

Log on from the XP by opening a browser and typing in: 192.168.8.1 and hit Enter.

 

You will be prompted to Login. The Default Username is “admin” and the Default Password is “admin” as well. Click Apply to enter the router’s GUI.

 

Click on Wireless Settings then on Wireless Security.  Here you can change the SSID if you like or leave it as it is.  Change the

Security Mode to:  WPA-PSK,

WPA Algorythm: AES

and Key to whatever password you want.  Has to be 8 or more characters.  You can probably reuse the one you currently have.

 

When done hit Apply.  Generally a router will reboot when you do this and it will take about 30 seconds to come back.  If your PC has trouble connecting after a minute or so just disconnect the cable to it and then reconnect.  

 

The macbook should now be able to connect.


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#7
TommyBK

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Yeah it's a cable modem-Time warner cable. There isn't anything using the wireless settings. There is a wifi signal because it shows the network name when I search on my macbook for wifi networks.

That screen you said would pop up on the xp popped up on my macbook pro when I tried for a search. When I tried on the xp is says alert the operation timed out when attempting to contact. So I did everything you said through the macbook instead. The settings were already set to the ones you said. It said it was succesful. However, safari can't connect to the server. It seems like I am almost there but it didn't work. Do I have to enable the wps settings on the bottom because it is currently on disabled.
The windows xp still has a connection and searches work.
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#8
TommyBK

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Another thing- on the system status under advanced settings is says Connection status - connected.
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#9
RKinner

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So you can talk to the router from the Mac but the XP can't?  Sounds like your cabling is wrong.  There should be a cable from the cable modem to the router.  It should be plugged into the WAN jack on the router.  There should be another cable plugged into one of the other jacks labeled 1 thru 4 on the router.  Doesn't matter which.  This cable should go to the XP.   Can you verify that that is the case?


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