[mo713]

This is a similar question to another current pending topic on this board. I am using a Sprint wireless 4g LTE hotspot to connect to the internet. It is a Franklin R850 model. It only has wifi connections- there is no wired, ethernet, or USB allowed. I am able to use this with all kinds of devices and it connects every time. But now with only ONE particular mini laptop, it will not connect.

 

About this problem laptop:

 

* it previously did connect but now won't

* it has windows xp installed, but I now dual-boot with a usb linux stick

* when I boot with linux the wireless requests an IP address, and connects fine

* when I boot with windows XP, it hangs on requesting IP address, then says "limited connectivity", then switches to "connected", but does not ping any address

* If I bridge the LTE hotspot to a router and use the ethernet cable OR the wireless connection to the router, the connection works

* if I connect to any other wifi signal it works

* when it gets the bad connection, it shows a local IP address, but I cannot even connect to the local hotspot settings page

 

At the present time, I have multiple android devices, multiple pc's with xp all able to connect to this hotspot via wifi, and this exact pc will connect if I boot under linux. It is the same wireless adapter (with the same MAC id), which I think might be part of the problem.

 

It appears the R850 hotspot is not assigning an IP address to this device when it connects in windows xp. Only this ONE DEVICE !!! And only under windows! And only for a direct connection, no problem thru an external router! Clearly this hotspot does not "like" this machine (under windows xp) for some reason.

[Advertisements]

I expect the problem is the encryption.  Some XP Wireless can only do WEP and from what I can see in the online manual 

http://shop.sprint.c...hostspot_ug.pdf

Page 35 WEP is not offered on your Franklin R850.  When you boot Linux the driver is probably WPA capable.  Perhaps a newer driver for your XP WiFi will offer WPA?  Or you could use one of the mini Wifi adapters for USB like:

Edimax EW-7811Un 150Mbps 11n Wi-Fi USB Adapter, Nano Size Lets You Plug it and Forget it, Ideal for Raspberry Pi / Pi2, Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux (Black/Gold)

Amazon $8.97

I bought one of them for my neighbor who had a similar problem.  Worked quite well but it does tie up a USB port.

 

Perhaps the Franklin was set up to Open (no encryption) previously or perhaps they updated the software and dropped the WEP option.

[RKinner]

I expect the problem is the encryption.  Some XP Wireless can only do WEP and from what I can see in the online manual 

http://shop.sprint.c...hostspot_ug.pdf

Page 35 WEP is not offered on your Franklin R850.  When you boot Linux the driver is probably WPA capable.  Perhaps a newer driver for your XP WiFi will offer WPA?  Or you could use one of the mini Wifi adapters for USB like:

Edimax EW-7811Un 150Mbps 11n Wi-Fi USB Adapter, Nano Size Lets You Plug it and Forget it, Ideal for Raspberry Pi / Pi2, Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux (Black/Gold)

Amazon $8.97

I bought one of them for my neighbor who had a similar problem.  Worked quite well but it does tie up a USB port.

 

Perhaps the Franklin was set up to Open (no encryption) previously or perhaps they updated the software and dropped the WEP option.

[mo713]

Best Answer

It turns out you were on the right track, but not 100% accurate. The problem is now solved, and the catalyst that got it to work was to install an updated wireless driver.

 

It wasn't the WEP though, because this driver on this pc has been connecting to WPA/WPA2 routers for years in many different locations and many different styles and brands. I suspect it did have something to do with the authentication, but perhaps due to new protocols or something that the old driver just didn't understand or know how to handle properly.

 

It still baffles me that every router up to now had no problems connecting this machine, but this one not only failed, but also failed to give a hard error or clear indication.

 

I had already tried refreshing the adapter in device manager, changing the mac address, doing a factory reset on the hotspot, multiple power cycles, entering static ip, etc. The driver itself was the key.

[RKinner]

Glad you got it.  

[buddywiser]

I expect the problem is the encryption.  Some XP Wireless can only do WEP and from what I can see in the online manual 

http://shop.sprint.c...hostspot_ug.pdf

Page 35 WEP is not offered on your Franklin R850.  When you boot Linux the driver is probably WPA capable.  Perhaps a newer driver for your XP WiFi will offer WPA?  Or you could use one of the mini Wifi adapters for USB like:

Edimax EW-7811Un 150Mbps 11n Wi-Fi USB Adapter, Nano Size Lets You Plug it and Forget it, Ideal for Raspberry Pi / Pi2, Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux (Black/Gold)

Amazon $8.97

I bought one of them for my neighbor who had a similar problem.  Worked quite well but it does tie up a USB port.

 

Perhaps the Franklin was set up to Open (no encryption) previously or perhaps they updated the software and dropped the WEP option.

 

 

 

This is very helpful for me too. Thanks!

[samira zamani]

Thank you for information about wifi  hotspot and connecting