Configuring Vista & Router

Just got a new laptop with Vista installed and also Netgear Range Max
Next Wireless N cable router. All lights on router show things are
functioning OK & I am able to access internet thro cablles + home
network etc. The router is connected to virgin cable router.

No previous experience wit Vista or wireless etc. and having a job
getting my head around it all ........ I thought the installation disc
was suppose to make things easy !! In the network manager my netgear
icon shows with an exclamation mark & message * The settings on this
computer do not match requirements of the network*

It would seem that something is wrong with the configuration on the PC
but need help sorting it all out . Never had any problem before with
my old hard wired cable router .......

Thanks for any help Cheers

On 2007-10-09, Andy intrigued me by typing:
> Just got a new laptop with Vista installed and also Netgear Range Max
> Next Wireless N cable router. All lights on router show things are
> functioning OK & I am able to access internet thro cablles + home
> network etc. The router is connected to virgin cable router.
>
> No previous experience wit Vista or wireless etc. and having a job
> getting my head around it all ........ I thought the installation disc
> was suppose to make things easy !! In the network manager my netgear
> icon shows with an exclamation mark & message * The settings on this
> computer do not match requirements of the network*
>
> It would seem that something is wrong with the configuration on the PC
> but need help sorting it all out . Never had any problem before with
> my old hard wired cable router .......
>
> Thanks for any help Cheers
>
>
You should be able to connect to your wireless router without the use of a
setup disc. Depending on your laptop's manufacturer, you may or may not
have a software firewall installed. If so, make sure it is not blocking you
from accessing the internet via your network wirelessly. With Vista, it
will ask you what type of network you are attempting to access, i.e.,
private or public, and take steps to protect you. It also wouldn't help to
double check your wireless router's menu and make sure that wireless is
enabled. Now, if you've named your wireless network, double click on the
wireless icon at the bottom right corner near the clock. If my memory
serves me correctly, it'll say something like...wireless network are
available. When you click on it, it'll show all wireless networks within
range of your laptop. Click on *your* wireless network and go from there.
I recommend that you do not use the default SSID (probably netgear). Give
your network a unique name. Once you're able to access the internet, go
back into the router's menu and enable encryption (preferrably WPA2 AES),
enter a long nonsense password and then enter that same password in your
Vista wireless section. Forgive me for misnaming things. I have Vista
installed and I like it, however, the majority of my computing is done under
Linux (Ubuntu 7.04). Let us know whether or not you are successful in
getting online. Chat with you later.

--
Just me, D
(Ubuntu User# 16887)
(Linux User# 454411)

On 09 Oct 2007 19:28:41 GMT, Doug Jamal <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On 2007-10-09, Andy intrigued me by typing:
>> Just got a new laptop with Vista installed and also Netgear Range Max
>> Next Wireless N cable router. All lights on router show things are
>> functioning OK & I am able to access internet thro cablles + home
>> network etc. The router is connected to virgin cable router.
>>
>> No previous experience wit Vista or wireless etc. and having a job
>> getting my head around it all ........ I thought the installation disc
>> was suppose to make things easy !! In the network manager my netgear
>> icon shows with an exclamation mark & message * The settings on this
>> computer do not match requirements of the network*
>>
>> It would seem that something is wrong with the configuration on the PC
>> but need help sorting it all out . Never had any problem before with
>> my old hard wired cable router .......
>>
>> Thanks for any help Cheers
>>
>>
>You should be able to connect to your wireless router without the use of a
>setup disc. Depending on your laptop's manufacturer, you may or may not
>have a software firewall installed. If so, make sure it is not blocking you
>from accessing the internet via your network wirelessly. With Vista, it
>will ask you what type of network you are attempting to access, i.e.,
>private or public, and take steps to protect you. It also wouldn't help to
>double check your wireless router's menu and make sure that wireless is
>enabled. Now, if you've named your wireless network, double click on the
>wireless icon at the bottom right corner near the clock. If my memory
>serves me correctly, it'll say something like...wireless network areWh
>available. When you click on it, it'll show all wireless networks within
>range of your laptop. Click on *your* wireless network and go from there.
>I recommend that you do not use the default SSID (probably netgear). Give
>your network a unique name. Once you're able to access the internet, go
>back into the router's menu and enable encryption (preferrably WPA2 AES),
>enter a long nonsense password and then enter that same password in your
>Vista wireless section. Forgive me for misnaming things. I have Vista
>installed and I like it, however, the majority of my computing is done under
>Linux (Ubuntu 7.04). Let us know whether or not you are successful in
>getting online. Chat with you later.

Thanks for reply Doug ....... the time I've wasted on this! Its
strange - I've actually managed to get wireless but just for a short
spell then it drops connection - if I insert cat cable back into pc
all is OK ? When I go thro troubleshhoting in the * Network sharing
centre * it says to change settings for the network adapter as network
adapter doesnt have a valid IP configuration but I dont know how to
do that. What I don't understand is that all seems OK after going thro
Netgears install procedure and completion test - something just seems
to happen shortly afterwards

On 2007-10-09, Andy intrigued me by typing:
> On 09 Oct 2007 19:28:41 GMT, Doug Jamal <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>>On 2007-10-09, Andy intrigued me by typing:
>>> Just got a new laptop with Vista installed and also Netgear Range Max
>>> Next Wireless N cable router. All lights on router show things are
>>> functioning OK & I am able to access internet thro cablles + home
>>> network etc. The router is connected to virgin cable router.
>>>
>>> No previous experience wit Vista or wireless etc. and having a job
>>> getting my head around it all ........ I thought the installation disc
>>> was suppose to make things easy !! In the network manager my netgear
>>> icon shows with an exclamation mark & message * The settings on this
>>> computer do not match requirements of the network*
>>>
>>> It would seem that something is wrong with the configuration on the PC
>>> but need help sorting it all out . Never had any problem before with
>>> my old hard wired cable router .......
>>>
>>> Thanks for any help Cheers
>>>
>>>
>>You should be able to connect to your wireless router without the use of a
>>setup disc. Depending on your laptop's manufacturer, you may or may not
>>have a software firewall installed. If so, make sure it is not blocking you
>>from accessing the internet via your network wirelessly. With Vista, it
>>will ask you what type of network you are attempting to access, i.e.,
>>private or public, and take steps to protect you. It also wouldn't help to
>>double check your wireless router's menu and make sure that wireless is
>>enabled. Now, if you've named your wireless network, double click on the
>>wireless icon at the bottom right corner near the clock. If my memory
>>serves me correctly, it'll say something like...wireless network areWh
>>available. When you click on it, it'll show all wireless networks within
>>range of your laptop. Click on *your* wireless network and go from there.
>>I recommend that you do not use the default SSID (probably netgear). Give
>>your network a unique name. Once you're able to access the internet, go
>>back into the router's menu and enable encryption (preferrably WPA2 AES),
>>enter a long nonsense password and then enter that same password in your
>>Vista wireless section. Forgive me for misnaming things. I have Vista
>>installed and I like it, however, the majority of my computing is done under
>>Linux (Ubuntu 7.04). Let us know whether or not you are successful in
>>getting online. Chat with you later.
>
> Thanks for reply Doug ....... the time I've wasted on this! Its
> strange - I've actually managed to get wireless but just for a short
> spell then it drops connection - if I insert cat cable back into pc
> all is OK ? When I go thro troubleshhoting in the * Network sharing
> centre * it says to change settings for the network adapter as network
> adapter doesnt have a valid IP configuration but I dont know how to
> do that. What I don't understand is that all seems OK after going thro
> Netgears install procedure and completion test - something just seems
> to happen shortly afterwards

Your wireless router *should* be issuing an ip address to your laptop. If
you haven't changed the default SSID name, it another wireless network with
the same default SSID may be interfering with yours. To be on the safe
side, Change your SSID in your wireless router's menu. Also, instead of
having wireless mode in your wireless router set up as, and I'm guessing here
, B, G & N, use G only.
--
Just me, D
(Ubuntu User# 16887)
(Linux User# 454411)

On Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:18:51 GMT, in alt.internet.wireless , Andy
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Just got a new laptop with Vista installed and also Netgear Range Max
>Next Wireless N cable router. All lights on router show things are
>functioning OK & I am able to access internet thro cablles + home
>network etc. The router is connected to virgin cable router.
>
>No previous experience wit Vista or wireless etc. and having a job
>getting my head around it all ........

IME Vista's wireless networking stack is utter pants. Somehow, between
XP and Vista, MS broke it.

I have a laptop that works fine with XP, but which simply can't
connect to my router when booted into Vista. It keeps telling me
there's a settings mismatch, even with encryption turned off and
everything identical to the XP config. No amount of fiddling has fixed
it.

>It would seem that something is wrong with the configuration on the PC

Yes - you have Vista installed. No kidding. Upgrade to XP.
--
Mark McIntyre

On 2007-10-09, Mark McIntyre intrigued me by typing:
> On Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:18:51 GMT, in alt.internet.wireless , Andy
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>Just got a new laptop with Vista installed and also Netgear Range Max
>>Next Wireless N cable router. All lights on router show things are
>>functioning OK & I am able to access internet thro cablles + home
>>network etc. The router is connected to virgin cable router.
>>
>>No previous experience wit Vista or wireless etc. and having a job
>>getting my head around it all ........
>
> IME Vista's wireless networking stack is utter pants. Somehow, between
> XP and Vista, MS broke it.
>
> I have a laptop that works fine with XP, but which simply can't
> connect to my router when booted into Vista. It keeps telling me
> there's a settings mismatch, even with encryption turned off and
> everything identical to the XP config. No amount of fiddling has fixed
> it.
>
>>It would seem that something is wrong with the configuration on the PC
>
> Yes - you have Vista installed. No kidding. Upgrade to XP.

Sorry to hear that Mr. McIntyre. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. My
latest laptop (Toshiba A135-S4499) that I purchased in March came with
Windows Vista Ultimate along with an Intel Pro Wireless 3945abg card and I
have *never* experienced any problems networking wirelessly. My wireless
router is the typical Linksys WRT54G. I must confess that as soon as
brought it home and booted up, I immediately began uninstalling all the
crapware that came preinstalled. The very first thing I removed was the
McAfee Internet Security suite. Anyway, take care.
--
Just me, D
(Ubuntu User# 16887)
(Linux User# 454411)

On 09 Oct 2007 21:41:57 GMT, Doug Jamal <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On 2007-10-09, Andy intrigued me by typing:
>> On 09 Oct 2007 19:28:41 GMT, Doug Jamal <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2007-10-09, Andy intrigued me by typing:
>>>> Just got a new laptop with Vista installed and also Netgear Range Max
>>>> Next Wireless N cable router. All lights on router show things are
>>>> functioning OK & I am able to access internet thro cablles + home
>>>> network etc. The router is connected to virgin cable router.
>>>>
>>>> No previous experience wit Vista or wireless etc. and having a job
>>>> getting my head around it all ........ I thought the installation disc
>>>> was suppose to make things easy !! In the network manager my netgear
>>>> icon shows with an exclamation mark & message * The settings on this
>>>> computer do not match requirements of the network*
>>>>
>>>> It would seem that something is wrong with the configuration on the PC
>>>> but need help sorting it all out . Never had any problem before with
>>>> my old hard wired cable router .......
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for any help Cheers
>>>>
>>>>
>>>You should be able to connect to your wireless router without the use of a
>>>setup disc. Depending on your laptop's manufacturer, you may or may not
>>>have a software firewall installed. If so, make sure it is not blocking you
>>>from accessing the internet via your network wirelessly. With Vista, it
>>>will ask you what type of network you are attempting to access, i.e.,
>>>private or public, and take steps to protect you. It also wouldn't help to
>>>double check your wireless router's menu and make sure that wireless is
>>>enabled. Now, if you've named your wireless network, double click on the
>>>wireless icon at the bottom right corner near the clock. If my memory
>>>serves me correctly, it'll say something like...wireless network areWh
>>>available. When you click on it, it'll show all wireless networks within
>>>range of your laptop. Click on *your* wireless network and go from there.
>>>I recommend that you do not use the default SSID (probably netgear). Give
>>>your network a unique name. Once you're able to access the internet, go
>>>back into the router's menu and enable encryption (preferrably WPA2 AES),
>>>enter a long nonsense password and then enter that same password in your
>>>Vista wireless section. Forgive me for misnaming things. I have Vista
>>>installed and I like it, however, the majority of my computing is done under
>>>Linux (Ubuntu 7.04). Let us know whether or not you are successful in
>>>getting online. Chat with you later.
>>
>> Thanks for reply Doug ....... the time I've wasted on this! Its
>> strange - I've actually managed to get wireless but just for a short
>> spell then it drops connection - if I insert cat cable back into pc
>> all is OK ? When I go thro troubleshhoting in the * Network sharing
>> centre * it says to change settings for the network adapter as network
>> adapter doesnt have a valid IP configuration but I dont know how to
>> do that. What I don't understand is that all seems OK after going thro
>> Netgears install procedure and completion test - something just seems
>> to happen shortly afterwards
>
>Your wireless router *should* be issuing an ip address to your laptop. If
>you haven't changed the default SSID name, it another wireless network with
>the same default SSID may be interfering with yours. To be on the safe
>side, Change your SSID in your wireless router's menu. Also, instead of
>having wireless mode in your wireless router set up as, and I'm guessing here
>, B, G & N, use G only.

Had a tech guy out today as this is doing my head in ....... he
couldn't sort things out either ! He couldn't log on to network using
his laptop and trying another wireless router . Virgin have tested bb
connection and says all ok there. They dont offer support for wireless
and as far as they are concerned as I am getting connection OK when
cable is directly inserted into modem that's where there obligation
ends ....... I am now networking thro old wired router which works
perfectly OK which is strange ? Another thing is that the wireles
router picks up other secured networks in the surrounding area so is
working of sorts .

On 2007-10-10, Andy intrigued me by typing:
<snipped>>
> Had a tech guy out today as this is doing my head in ....... he
> couldn't sort things out either ! He couldn't log on to network using
> his laptop and trying another wireless router . Virgin have tested bb
> connection and says all ok there. They dont offer support for wireless
> and as far as they are concerned as I am getting connection OK when
> cable is directly inserted into modem that's where there obligation
> ends ....... I am now networking thro old wired router which works
> perfectly OK which is strange ? Another thing is that the wireles
> router picks up other secured networks in the surrounding area so is
> working of sorts .

Unless I'm missing something, you should not be having this much trouble
connecting to a wireless network. It is not difficult at all. If you are
already accessing the world wide web via a wired/ethernet connection, then
you *should* be able to connect a wireless access point or wireless router
to your current cable/DSL modem, turn on the wireless radio feature and
voila! Now what do you mean when you say your "wireless router picks up
other secured networks in the surrounding area..."? Your wireless network
card that's in your laptop or other wireless client should be the device
that is discovering the nearby wireless networks. Not the *typical*
wireless router. If it is your wireless network card that is detecting the
nearby wireless networks, do you not see your network listed? If you do not
see your SSID listed among the detected wireless networks, then you either
have a faulty wireless router, you may need to reset the wireless router,
your wireless router's radio feature is not turned on or you have an SSID
that is not unique. Anyway, don't give up. Believe me, to network
wirelessly is not difficult and I don't want you to think that it is. Take
care.

--
Just me, D
(Ubuntu User# 16887)
(Linux User# 454411)