Inspiron 5160 wireless to Linksys BEFW11S4 v2 router

I was working on this in another thread on alt.internet.wireless, and I
thought I'd retitle it based on what I've learned, in the hopes someone will
notice with an answer:

I just got a Dell Inspiron 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 mini-PCI wireless
card built in. It will not exchange network traffic with my Linksys BEFW11S4
v2 router. Changing the channel on the router has no effect, but this isn't
an interference issue anyhow. Keep reading.

The router has the latest firmware and has had my old laptop with an Orinoco
Gold wireless card connect to it successfull and consistently for two years,
and also has a Tivo with a D-Link wireless dongle connecting to it
successfully for a few months now. So the router works.

The laptop has the most recent drivers for the wireless card. It also has
connected to an unsecured 802.11g router elsewhere in my apartment building,
as well as an 802.11b hotspot at a bookstore up the road. So the wireless
card works.

They just don't work together. Seeing as the router is a v2, and Linksys has
put out a v3 and a v3.2 model since, I'm willing to accept this as a
possible plain-ol' incompatibility. But before I run out and buy a new
router, I'd like some kind of confirmation.

Dell and Linksys's respective tech supports, as you might expect, were
worthless.

So I'm asking: has anyone seen this particular incompatibility? Has anyone
seen anything LIKE this particular incompatibility?
--
Chris Lemon
(E-Mail Removed)
http://fredsmythe.com
EFNet: FredSmyth

Are you using any security? Wep, Wpa? If so have you tried with default
settings?

Download a protocol analyzer such as ethereal and install it on you laptop.
Click start a capture (Note: you will probably have to uncheck "Captrue
Packets in promiscuous mode". Turn off the Linksys, then turn it back on.
You will be able to see any communication between the two. You may not see
the authentication, but look for an association packet and response, IP
addresses etc. At least you will know whats going on.


From the ethereal download you need the setup file and the winPcap 3.0. It
is best to ftp it to you in binary mode.






"Chris Lemon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:_Wegd.540608$8_6.306402@attbi_s04...
> I was working on this in another thread on alt.internet.wireless, and I
> thought I'd retitle it based on what I've learned, in the hopes someone
will
> notice with an answer:
>
> I just got a Dell Inspiron 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 mini-PCI
wireless
> card built in. It will not exchange network traffic with my Linksys
BEFW11S4
> v2 router. Changing the channel on the router has no effect, but this
isn't
> an interference issue anyhow. Keep reading.
>
> The router has the latest firmware and has had my old laptop with an
Orinoco
> Gold wireless card connect to it successfull and consistently for two
years,
> and also has a Tivo with a D-Link wireless dongle connecting to it
> successfully for a few months now. So the router works.
>
> The laptop has the most recent drivers for the wireless card. It also has
> connected to an unsecured 802.11g router elsewhere in my apartment
building,
> as well as an 802.11b hotspot at a bookstore up the road. So the wireless
> card works.
>
> They just don't work together. Seeing as the router is a v2, and Linksys
has
> put out a v3 and a v3.2 model since, I'm willing to accept this as a
> possible plain-ol' incompatibility. But before I run out and buy a new
> router, I'd like some kind of confirmation.
>
> Dell and Linksys's respective tech supports, as you might expect, were
> worthless.
>
> So I'm asking: has anyone seen this particular incompatibility? Has anyone
> seen anything LIKE this particular incompatibility?
> --
> Chris Lemon
> (E-Mail Removed)
> http://fredsmythe.com
> EFNet: FredSmyth
>
>
>

"Chris Lemon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:_Wegd.540608$8_6.306402@attbi_s04...
>I was working on this in another thread on alt.internet.wireless, and I
>thought I'd retitle it based on what I've learned, in the hopes someone
>will notice with an answer:
>
> I just got a Dell Inspiron 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 mini-PCI
> wireless card built in. It will not exchange network traffic with my
> Linksys BEFW11S4 v2 router. Changing the channel on the router has no
> effect, but this isn't an interference issue anyhow. Keep reading.
>
> The router has the latest firmware and has had my old laptop with an
> Orinoco Gold wireless card connect to it successfull and consistently
> for two years, and also has a Tivo with a D-Link wireless dongle
> connecting to it successfully for a few months now. So the router
> works.
>
> The laptop has the most recent drivers for the wireless card. It also
> has connected to an unsecured 802.11g router elsewhere in my apartment
> building, as well as an 802.11b hotspot at a bookstore up the road. So
> the wireless card works.
>
> They just don't work together. Seeing as the router is a v2, and
> Linksys has put out a v3 and a v3.2 model since, I'm willing to accept
> this as a possible plain-ol' incompatibility. But before I run out and
> buy a new router, I'd like some kind of confirmation.
>
> Dell and Linksys's respective tech supports, as you might expect, were
> worthless.
>
> So I'm asking: has anyone seen this particular incompatibility? Has
> anyone seen anything LIKE this particular incompatibility?
> --
> Chris Lemon
> (E-Mail Removed)
> http://fredsmythe.com
> EFNet: FredSmyth
>
>
Broadcast SSID and check that there is no MAC address security that you
forgot about.

Q

No, checked that, and checked again right now for good measure: never
touched MAC filtering. I thought of that early on. And I leave SSID turned
on. (Bad idea, I know, but I figure, with a WEP key, if someone else in my
apartment complex wants to know I exist, let 'em.). I SWEAR I haven't
fiddled with any weird settings. The MOST I've ever done was to set up DHCP
and turn on WEP.

I AM able to get a connection, sometimes, on Channel 1, but the throughput
is pitiful, maybe 3K/second, despite adequate S/N numbers. And that's the
same regardless of WEP settings. I've tried it with WEP off, on, 64-bit,
128-bit, it's all the same.

And no matter what I do, when configured for whatever WEP setting I'm
testing at the time, the other laptop with the other card is working fine.
It is NOT the router, in and of itself.

--
Chris Lemon
(E-Mail Removed)
http://fredsmythe.com
EFNet: FredSmyth


"Quaoar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:NsSdnbonP8Ln0h_cRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Chris Lemon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:_Wegd.540608$8_6.306402@attbi_s04...
>>I was working on this in another thread on alt.internet.wireless, and I
>>thought I'd retitle it based on what I've learned, in the hopes someone
>>will notice with an answer:
>>
>> I just got a Dell Inspiron 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 mini-PCI
>> wireless card built in. It will not exchange network traffic with my
>> Linksys BEFW11S4 v2 router. Changing the channel on the router has no
>> effect, but this isn't an interference issue anyhow. Keep reading.
>>
>> The router has the latest firmware and has had my old laptop with an
>> Orinoco Gold wireless card connect to it successfull and consistently for
>> two years, and also has a Tivo with a D-Link wireless dongle connecting
>> to it successfully for a few months now. So the router works.
>>
>> The laptop has the most recent drivers for the wireless card. It also has
>> connected to an unsecured 802.11g router elsewhere in my apartment
>> building, as well as an 802.11b hotspot at a bookstore up the road. So
>> the wireless card works.
>>
>> They just don't work together. Seeing as the router is a v2, and Linksys
>> has put out a v3 and a v3.2 model since, I'm willing to accept this as a
>> possible plain-ol' incompatibility. But before I run out and buy a new
>> router, I'd like some kind of confirmation.
>>
>> Dell and Linksys's respective tech supports, as you might expect, were
>> worthless.
>>
>> So I'm asking: has anyone seen this particular incompatibility? Has
>> anyone seen anything LIKE this particular incompatibility?
>> --
>> Chris Lemon
>> (E-Mail Removed)
>> http://fredsmythe.com
>> EFNet: FredSmyth
>>
>>
> Broadcast SSID and check that there is no MAC address security that you
> forgot about.
>
> Q
>

i suggest updating the firmware in your linksys router. having done that
then reset it to factory defaults and start from scratch. first establish
communications and then introduce security. keep in mind that you have a
wired network port in your laptop that can come in handy when trying to
configure the router.


"Chris Lemon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:_Wegd.540608$8_6.306402@attbi_s04...
>I was working on this in another thread on alt.internet.wireless, and I
>thought I'd retitle it based on what I've learned, in the hopes someone
>will notice with an answer:
>
> I just got a Dell Inspiron 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 mini-PCI
> wireless card built in. It will not exchange network traffic with my
> Linksys BEFW11S4 v2 router. Changing the channel on the router has no
> effect, but this isn't an interference issue anyhow. Keep reading.
>
> The router has the latest firmware and has had my old laptop with an
> Orinoco Gold wireless card connect to it successfull and consistently for
> two years, and also has a Tivo with a D-Link wireless dongle connecting to
> it successfully for a few months now. So the router works.
>
> The laptop has the most recent drivers for the wireless card. It also has
> connected to an unsecured 802.11g router elsewhere in my apartment
> building, as well as an 802.11b hotspot at a bookstore up the road. So the
> wireless card works.
>
> They just don't work together. Seeing as the router is a v2, and Linksys
> has put out a v3 and a v3.2 model since, I'm willing to accept this as a
> possible plain-ol' incompatibility. But before I run out and buy a new
> router, I'd like some kind of confirmation.
>
> Dell and Linksys's respective tech supports, as you might expect, were
> worthless.
>
> So I'm asking: has anyone seen this particular incompatibility? Has anyone
> seen anything LIKE this particular incompatibility?
> --
> Chris Lemon
> (E-Mail Removed)
> http://fredsmythe.com
> EFNet: FredSmyth
>
>
>

Unplug the router. Press and hold the reset button on the back while you
plug it in and keep it held in for 40 seconds.

This will reset it to factory defaults. At least then you'll KNOW you
haven't changed anything.

Tom
"Quaoar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:NsSdnbonP8Ln0h_cRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Chris Lemon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:_Wegd.540608$8_6.306402@attbi_s04...
>>I was working on this in another thread on alt.internet.wireless, and I
>>thought I'd retitle it based on what I've learned, in the hopes someone
>>will notice with an answer:
>>
>> I just got a Dell Inspiron 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 mini-PCI
>> wireless card built in. It will not exchange network traffic with my
>> Linksys BEFW11S4 v2 router. Changing the channel on the router has no
>> effect, but this isn't an interference issue anyhow. Keep reading.
>>
>> The router has the latest firmware and has had my old laptop with an
>> Orinoco Gold wireless card connect to it successfull and consistently for
>> two years, and also has a Tivo with a D-Link wireless dongle connecting
>> to it successfully for a few months now. So the router works.
>>
>> The laptop has the most recent drivers for the wireless card. It also has
>> connected to an unsecured 802.11g router elsewhere in my apartment
>> building, as well as an 802.11b hotspot at a bookstore up the road. So
>> the wireless card works.
>>
>> They just don't work together. Seeing as the router is a v2, and Linksys
>> has put out a v3 and a v3.2 model since, I'm willing to accept this as a
>> possible plain-ol' incompatibility. But before I run out and buy a new
>> router, I'd like some kind of confirmation.
>>
>> Dell and Linksys's respective tech supports, as you might expect, were
>> worthless.
>>
>> So I'm asking: has anyone seen this particular incompatibility? Has
>> anyone seen anything LIKE this particular incompatibility?
>> --
>> Chris Lemon
>> (E-Mail Removed)
>> http://fredsmythe.com
>> EFNet: FredSmyth
>>
>>
> Broadcast SSID and check that there is no MAC address security that you
> forgot about.
>
> Q
>

Yeah, I don't think it will matter, but in the absence of any better ideas
and faced with buying and configuring a new router ANYHOW, it can't hurt to
try it, so I will give that a shot this weekend.

I'm also tempted to restage the Dell to the way it was configured when I got
it from the factory, again, just to be SURE (since I haven't taken the time
to configure it for my use yet, I've been struggling with this), but I'm not
sure there's a clean way to do that...the cd's that came with are all
install CD's, and I'm not sure if the initial drive image is on a seperate
partition on the hard drive...if there is, that's worth a go, too.
--
Chris Lemon
(E-Mail Removed)
http://fredsmythe.com
EFNet: FredSmyth


"Tom Scales" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:75-dnfF-bthBXR_cRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Unplug the router. Press and hold the reset button on the back while you
> plug it in and keep it held in for 40 seconds.
>
> This will reset it to factory defaults. At least then you'll KNOW you
> haven't changed anything.
>
> Tom
> "Quaoar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:NsSdnbonP8Ln0h_cRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "Chris Lemon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:_Wegd.540608$8_6.306402@attbi_s04...
>>>I was working on this in another thread on alt.internet.wireless, and I
>>>thought I'd retitle it based on what I've learned, in the hopes someone
>>>will notice with an answer:
>>>
>>> I just got a Dell Inspiron 5160 with a Dell Wireless 1350 mini-PCI
>>> wireless card built in. It will not exchange network traffic with my
>>> Linksys BEFW11S4 v2 router. Changing the channel on the router has no
>>> effect, but this isn't an interference issue anyhow. Keep reading.
>>>
>>> The router has the latest firmware and has had my old laptop with an
>>> Orinoco Gold wireless card connect to it successfull and consistently
>>> for two years, and also has a Tivo with a D-Link wireless dongle
>>> connecting to it successfully for a few months now. So the router works.
>>>
>>> The laptop has the most recent drivers for the wireless card. It also
>>> has connected to an unsecured 802.11g router elsewhere in my apartment
>>> building, as well as an 802.11b hotspot at a bookstore up the road. So
>>> the wireless card works.
>>>
>>> They just don't work together. Seeing as the router is a v2, and Linksys
>>> has put out a v3 and a v3.2 model since, I'm willing to accept this as a
>>> possible plain-ol' incompatibility. But before I run out and buy a new
>>> router, I'd like some kind of confirmation.
>>>
>>> Dell and Linksys's respective tech supports, as you might expect, were
>>> worthless.
>>>
>>> So I'm asking: has anyone seen this particular incompatibility? Has
>>> anyone seen anything LIKE this particular incompatibility?
>>> --
>>> Chris Lemon
>>> (E-Mail Removed)
>>> http://fredsmythe.com
>>> EFNet: FredSmyth
>>>
>>>
>> Broadcast SSID and check that there is no MAC address security that you
>> forgot about.
>>
>> Q
>>
>
>