Acquiring IP Address --- But Never Does

I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel 3945ABG
wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I have a
LinkSys router.

The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength, so
Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a minute
of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.

My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and setting
works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
firmware and still no luck.

Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?

Thanks!!

John wrote:
> I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel 3945ABG
> wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I have a
> LinkSys router.
>
> The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength, so
> Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a minute
> of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.
>
> My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and setting
> works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
> firmware and still no luck.
>
> Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?
>
> Thanks!!
"The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal
strength," -- the "signal strength" indicated on your laptop does NOT
mean that you have, in fact, connected to the router. The fact that you
don't have an IP address means that you are NOT connected to the router.

"I know the SSID & WEP key are entered properly." -- Did you enter the
WEP key (why aren't you using WPA-PSK?) in HEX in the laptop's
configuration, or did you use the "password" that was used in the router
to create the WEP key?

--
Lem MS MVP -- Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

Signal strength has NOTHING to do with security. Because you've got an
"excellent" signal strength, doesn't mean that you've enter the correct
password, or are in the correct security mode. In fact often the cause of
never acquiring an IP address is a failure of security protocols. I suggest
that you look at the password again, and are you using a mac address filter
in your router?

--
David Hettel

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

DISCLAIMER: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights


"John" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:5376C257-A3B5-489C-B0DE-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel
> 3945ABG
> wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I
> have a
> LinkSys router.
>
> The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength,
> so
> Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a
> minute
> of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.
>
> My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and
> setting
> works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
> firmware and still no luck.
>
> Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?
>
> Thanks!!

> John wrote:
> > I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel 3945ABG
> > wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I have a
> > LinkSys router.
> >
> > The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength, so
> > Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a minute
> > of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.
> >
> > My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and setting
> > works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
> > firmware and still no luck.
> >
> > Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?
> >
> > Thanks!!
> "The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal
> strength," -- the "signal strength" indicated on your laptop does NOT
> mean that you have, in fact, connected to the router. The fact that you
> don't have an IP address means that you are NOT connected to the router.
>
> "I know the SSID & WEP key are entered properly." -- Did you enter the
> WEP key (why aren't you using WPA-PSK?) in HEX in the laptop's
> configuration, or did you use the "password" that was used in the router
> to create the WEP key?
>
> --
> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
>
> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
>

The reason I believe the security info is correct is that if I intentionally
enter incorrect information, I don't connect at all.

I've tried both the hex and password entries with the same result.

I'm not familiar with WPA-PSK.

There is no MAC address filter in the router...that's one of the first things
I checked.

I'm using the Intel ProSet utility, which tells me (for what it's worth),
that I'm connected to the network.


"David Hettel" wrote:

> Signal strength has NOTHING to do with security. Because you've got an
> "excellent" signal strength, doesn't mean that you've enter the correct
> password, or are in the correct security mode. In fact often the cause of
> never acquiring an IP address is a failure of security protocols. I suggest
> that you look at the password again, and are you using a mac address filter
> in your router?
>
> --
> David Hettel
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>
> DISCLAIMER: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
> confers no rights
>
>
> "John" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:5376C257-A3B5-489C-B0DE-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel
> > 3945ABG
> > wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I
> > have a
> > LinkSys router.
> >
> > The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength,
> > so
> > Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a
> > minute
> > of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.
> >
> > My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and
> > setting
> > works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
> > firmware and still no luck.
> >
> > Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?
> >
> > Thanks!!
>
>
>

John wrote:
>> John wrote:
>>> I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel 3945ABG
>>> wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I have a
>>> LinkSys router.
>>>
>>> The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength, so
>>> Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a minute
>>> of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.
>>>
>>> My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and setting
>>> works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
>>> firmware and still no luck.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?
>>>
>>> Thanks!!
>> "The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal
>> strength," -- the "signal strength" indicated on your laptop does NOT
>> mean that you have, in fact, connected to the router. The fact that you
>> don't have an IP address means that you are NOT connected to the router.
>>
>> "I know the SSID & WEP key are entered properly." -- Did you enter the
>> WEP key (why aren't you using WPA-PSK?) in HEX in the laptop's
>> configuration, or did you use the "password" that was used in the router
>> to create the WEP key?
>>
>> --
>> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
>>
>> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
>>
>
> The reason I believe the security info is correct is that if I intentionally
> enter incorrect information, I don't connect at all.
>
> I've tried both the hex and password entries with the same result.
>
> I'm not familiar with WPA-PSK.

What's the error you get? After you think you are connected, open a
command prompt and type "ipconfig /all" (no quotes) and let us know what
you get for:
Dhcp enabled
Autoconfiguration enabled
IP address
Subnet mask
Default Gateway
DHCP Server
DNS Servers

WEP is an obsolete form of encryption used for wireless networks. WPA
(and subsequently WPA2) are considerably more robust. WPA can either be
used in the "enterprise" mode, which requires a special server to handle
authentication, or in the "home" mode, which relies on "Pre-Shared
Keys." See, for example,
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u.../wireless.mspx

Most Linksys routers (unless they are more than 2 or 3 years old and
haven't had their firmware updated) support WPA-PSK. I don't know, but
suspect, that your Intel 3945ABG will as well, although it might need a
driver update to do so.

--
Lem MS MVP -- Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

"Lem" wrote:

> John wrote:
> >> John wrote:
> >>> I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel 3945ABG
> >>> wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I have a
> >>> LinkSys router.
> >>>
> >>> The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength, so
> >>> Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a minute
> >>> of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.
> >>>
> >>> My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and setting
> >>> works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
> >>> firmware and still no luck.
> >>>
> >>> Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks!!
> >> "The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal
> >> strength," -- the "signal strength" indicated on your laptop does NOT
> >> mean that you have, in fact, connected to the router. The fact that you
> >> don't have an IP address means that you are NOT connected to the router.
> >>
> >> "I know the SSID & WEP key are entered properly." -- Did you enter the
> >> WEP key (why aren't you using WPA-PSK?) in HEX in the laptop's
> >> configuration, or did you use the "password" that was used in the router
> >> to create the WEP key?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
> >>
> >> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
> >>
> >
> > The reason I believe the security info is correct is that if I intentionally
> > enter incorrect information, I don't connect at all.
> >
> > I've tried both the hex and password entries with the same result.
> >
> > I'm not familiar with WPA-PSK.
>
> What's the error you get? After you think you are connected, open a
> command prompt and type "ipconfig /all" (no quotes) and let us know what
> you get for:
> Dhcp enabled
> Autoconfiguration enabled
> IP address
> Subnet mask
> Default Gateway
> DHCP Server
> DNS Servers
>
> WEP is an obsolete form of encryption used for wireless networks. WPA
> (and subsequently WPA2) are considerably more robust. WPA can either be
> used in the "enterprise" mode, which requires a special server to handle
> authentication, or in the "home" mode, which relies on "Pre-Shared
> Keys." See, for example,
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u.../wireless.mspx
>
> Most Linksys routers (unless they are more than 2 or 3 years old and
> haven't had their firmware updated) support WPA-PSK. I don't know, but
> suspect, that your Intel 3945ABG will as well, although it might need a
> driver update to do so.
>
> --
> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
>
> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
>

Well, I switched to WPA encryption last night and now it works fine. I have
no idea why but to confirm, I switched back to WEP and it stopeed
working....strange.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

John wrote:
>
> "Lem" wrote:
>
>> John wrote:
>>>> John wrote:
>>>>> I'm setting up a Dell Latitude d520 notebook with an integrated Intel 3945ABG
>>>>> wireless adapter. The wireless works fine at work but not at home. I have a
>>>>> LinkSys router.
>>>>>
>>>>> The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal strength, so
>>>>> Iknow the SSID & WEP key are entered properly. However, after about a minute
>>>>> of "Acquiring IP Address", I get an error.
>>>>>
>>>>> My daughter's Dell notebook, which has the same wireless adapter and setting
>>>>> works fine. I've updated the adpater's driver as well as the routers
>>>>> firmware and still no luck.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any suggestions before I go and buy a wireless PCMCIA card?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks!!
>>>> "The notebook connects to the router fine, with excellent signal
>>>> strength," -- the "signal strength" indicated on your laptop does NOT
>>>> mean that you have, in fact, connected to the router. The fact that you
>>>> don't have an IP address means that you are NOT connected to the router.
>>>>
>>>> "I know the SSID & WEP key are entered properly." -- Did you enter the
>>>> WEP key (why aren't you using WPA-PSK?) in HEX in the laptop's
>>>> configuration, or did you use the "password" that was used in the router
>>>> to create the WEP key?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
>>>>
>>>> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
>>>>
>>> The reason I believe the security info is correct is that if I intentionally
>>> enter incorrect information, I don't connect at all.
>>>
>>> I've tried both the hex and password entries with the same result.
>>>
>>> I'm not familiar with WPA-PSK.
>> What's the error you get? After you think you are connected, open a
>> command prompt and type "ipconfig /all" (no quotes) and let us know what
>> you get for:
>> Dhcp enabled
>> Autoconfiguration enabled
>> IP address
>> Subnet mask
>> Default Gateway
>> DHCP Server
>> DNS Servers
>>
>> WEP is an obsolete form of encryption used for wireless networks. WPA
>> (and subsequently WPA2) are considerably more robust. WPA can either be
>> used in the "enterprise" mode, which requires a special server to handle
>> authentication, or in the "home" mode, which relies on "Pre-Shared
>> Keys." See, for example,
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u.../wireless.mspx
>>
>> Most Linksys routers (unless they are more than 2 or 3 years old and
>> haven't had their firmware updated) support WPA-PSK. I don't know, but
>> suspect, that your Intel 3945ABG will as well, although it might need a
>> driver update to do so.
>>
>> --
>> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
>>
>> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
>>
>
> Well, I switched to WPA encryption last night and now it works fine. I have
> no idea why but to confirm, I switched back to WEP and it stopeed
> working....strange.
>
> Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks for letting us know. And not only are things working, but you're
better protected than you were.

--
Lem MS MVP -- Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer