CNET: How To Advanced Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips.
Molly Wood: Hi, I'm Molly Wood from CNET here with some advanced Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips that I hope can help you out of a wireless jam. Because wireless networking is still ridiculously hard and trying to figure out what's wrong in the mess of BG and 2.4 GHz channels power outlet settings WEP and WPA can kind of make you want to kill someone. So hopefully one of these tips can help you out when you just can't connect.
First let's find out what's going on with Windows, can you actually see any hot spots at all, if not your wireless adapter software might be getting in the way. In Windows XP and above you want to make sure the wireless zero configuration service is running and that Windows is set to manage your wireless networking. Here is how you do that.
First right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and choose manage. Expand the Services and Applications menu and click Services. Now scroll all the way down to Wireless Zero Configuration, make sure it started and set to automatic. If it isn't started click start and then double click the listing here under startup type select automatic and click Okay. Now go to My Network Places and click View Network Connections, right click the Wireless Network Connection and choose properties. Now choose the wireless networks tab. Check the box next to use windows to configure my wireless network settings, now you should see the pop up that says wireless networks are detected and you should be able to click on one and connect normally.
Now let's say you can see the wireless networks but you can't connect, sometimes XP has problems connecting to networks that are protected by web. You might try it manually adding the hot spot and typing in the web key that way, so in that same network connection style log as before right click the wireless connection, choose properties and click the wireless networks tab. Click add and type in the SSID that's the name of the network that you want to connect to and then choose the authentication type uncheck the box next to the key has provided for me automatically and type in the web key that came with your router or the one that you setup when you configure to your network.
And come to think of it, WEP could be your problem across the board like lets say you have error that says you have limited or no connectivity even if you have an excellent connection to the wireless network that could be your router having a problem with web security. Plus WEP doesn't always work with Windows Vista and its not quite as secure as WPA, so it just might be time to upgrade. Now lets assume though that all the computers and wireless bridges on your network can support WPA or WPA2 and also note that there are several varieties of WPA and WPA2 security.
It shouldn't matter what you choose as long as all the devices on your network can support them. Now if you run into trouble try to search for the specific device that's malfunctioning and then something like WPA problems. For example it turns out that windows vista doesn't always play nice with WPA and you might need to turn off Ipv6 support you know little stuff like that because remember that these are just a few of the million or so troubleshooting options out there with Wi-Fi. If you try these and everything else and none of it works you might have to do what I recently did buy a new router.
These house routers that you get from your cable or DSL company notoriously flecky so check CNET reviews for the latest recommendations, now I recommend getting a dual band router if you have a lot of 2.4 GHz interference I like the Linksys WRT610N right now and then of course if none of that works just pray to the Wi-Fi gods, they are fecal, fecal creatures. For cnet.com How To, I am Molly Wood and good luck.
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