Internet Connection Lost

My WinXP Pro notebook uses an SMC2435W wireless card connecting
with a Linksys router. I decided to make my network a little more secure
by changing the SSID from the default. I also changed the SSID on the
notebook. Afterwards, there was no way I could connect to my home
network. No other settings were changed. I reset the router with no success.
Finally, I disabled WEP on the router and my notebook, and my connection
now works properly. I've used WEP for several years. I don't let Windows
set up the network connection. I find the available network on the SMC icon
on the taskbar and let it connect there. Any idea how changing the SSID
could have caused this problem? I've never had any issues with my wireless
connection before.

Thanks!
Scott

Scott wrote:
> My WinXP Pro notebook uses an SMC2435W wireless card connecting
> with a Linksys router. I decided to make my network a little more
> secure
> by changing the SSID from the default. I also changed the SSID on the
> notebook. Afterwards, there was no way I could connect to my home
> network. No other settings were changed. I reset the router with no
> success. Finally, I disabled WEP on the router and my notebook, and
> my connection
> now works properly. I've used WEP for several years. I don't let
> Windows set up the network connection. I find the available network
> on the SMC icon on the taskbar and let it connect there. Any idea
> how changing the SSID could have caused this problem? I've never had
> any issues with my wireless connection before.
>
> Thanks!
> Scott

What did you change the SSID to? length and special characters come to mind,
along with using the arrow key instead of the space bar and leaving a hex 00
instead of a space..

Peter Pan wrote:

> Scott wrote:
> > My WinXP Pro notebook uses an SMC2435W wireless card connecting
> > with a Linksys router. I decided to make my network a little more
> > secure
> > by changing the SSID from the default. I also changed the SSID on the
> > notebook. Afterwards, there was no way I could connect to my home
> > network. No other settings were changed. I reset the router with no
> > success. Finally, I disabled WEP on the router and my notebook, and
> > my connection
> > now works properly. I've used WEP for several years. I don't let
> > Windows set up the network connection. I find the available network
> > on the SMC icon on the taskbar and let it connect there. Any idea
> > how changing the SSID could have caused this problem? I've never had
> > any issues with my wireless connection before.
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Scott
>
> What did you change the SSID to? length and special characters come to mind,
> along with using the arrow key instead of the space bar and leaving a hex 00
> instead of a space..

Peter Pan,

I had changed it to a simple four-letter word. Anyway, I changed everything back
to the default, and the connection works. The big problem now is that with my
Charter Pipeline, I get the proper 256kb upload speed, but the download speed
is capped at 100kb. It should be around 2.8 mbps.

Any ideas on what to try next?

Thanks!
Scott

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:13:26 -0500, Scott <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>My WinXP Pro notebook uses an SMC2435W wireless card connecting
>with a Linksys router. I decided to make my network a little more secure
>by changing the SSID from the default. I also changed the SSID on the
>notebook.

You don't change the SSID on the notebook. You use the XP Wireless
Zero Config tool or whatever comes with your SMC wireless card to
search for available wireless networks. When it finds one, you select
the desired network by SSID. That eliminates typo errors and
sometimes accomidates garbage accidentally introduced into the SSID
name. Your unidentified Linksys router will not allow you to type in
garbage into the SSID and is fairly good at limiting the SSID length
to 31 characters. However, accidents and bugs do happen and you may
have goofed in setting the SSID. Spaces are always a problem so I
suggest you avoid those.

>Afterwards, there was no way I could connect to my home
>network. No other settings were changed. I reset the router with no success.

Resetting the router should have allowed you to connect with "linksys"
as the SSID and no encryption.

>Finally, I disabled WEP on the router and my notebook, and my connection
>now works properly.

OK, I know the problem. Windoze shows a connection but you don't get
an IP address and nothing works. The WEP key is confused between
ASCII and Hex. Try:
Start -> run -> cmd <enter>
ipconfig
If your IP address is 169.254.xxx.xxx, then you didn't get an IP
address from the router. Probably because of the WEP key. If it's
192.168.1.xxx, it's working and something else is wrong.

I'll assume Windoze XP. Windoze XP SP2 wireless is really stupid in
the way it hides useful diagnostics. It will show a connection, with
5 bars, and your only clue that the WEP key is screwed up is that it
says something like "waiting for IP address". Eventually, it
proclaims "reduced connectivity". That's Microsofts way of saying the
DHCP just failed and you don't have a useable IP address. Yech.

So, dive into your unidentified Linksys router, and reset the SSID
using a HEX key instead of an ASCII to Hex converted key. Scribble
down the Hex key and insert it in the SMC config file. It has to be
either 13 or 26 characters long for 64 or 128 bit WEP respectively.
That should work.

>I've used WEP for several years. I don't let Windows
>set up the network connection. I find the available network on the SMC icon
>on the taskbar and let it connect there. Any idea how changing the SSID
>could have caused this problem? I've never had any issues with my wireless
>connection before.

Sounds like you're doing it the right way. However, it's difficult to
remember what you did years ago. Changing the SSID should have no
effect on the WEP key, but will change the saved "profile" used by
Windoze. By changing the SSID, you effectively needed to create a new
profile. If you didn't remember the way you created the WEP key, then
there's no guarantee it will be identical to your previously working
setup. Anyway, that's my guess.

>Thanks!
>Scott

--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

Jeff,

Sorry, my Linksys router is a WRT54G. I can go through the steps you've
outlined. However, I have since reset the SSID to "linksys" and disabled
WEP, and I get on the internet now. The new issue is that with my Charter
Pipeline connection, I get the normal 256kb upload speed, but the download
speed seems capped at 100kb...instead of the 2.8 mbps that it should be.
My wired computers are getting 2.8 mbps on the same network. I'm using an
SMC 22MB card that's been working perfectly for several years. I reset
the settings for this card (Transmission Rate, etc.) to I believe what it
was before. Sometimes, when going to www.speedtest.mn.charter.com to check
my speed, I get 2.8 mbps, but then when I recheck it a few seconds later,
the download speed has dropped to 100 kbps. Also, looking under My Network
Places and my wireless connection, under Status it shows 11 mbps. So,
where could the bottleneck be?

Thanks!
Scott



Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>
> On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:13:26 -0500, Scott <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >My WinXP Pro notebook uses an SMC2435W wireless card connecting
> >with a Linksys router. I decided to make my network a little more secure
> >by changing the SSID from the default. I also changed the SSID on the
> >notebook.
>
> You don't change the SSID on the notebook. You use the XP Wireless
> Zero Config tool or whatever comes with your SMC wireless card to
> search for available wireless networks. When it finds one, you select
> the desired network by SSID. That eliminates typo errors and
> sometimes accomidates garbage accidentally introduced into the SSID
> name. Your unidentified Linksys router will not allow you to type in
> garbage into the SSID and is fairly good at limiting the SSID length
> to 31 characters. However, accidents and bugs do happen and you may
> have goofed in setting the SSID. Spaces are always a problem so I
> suggest you avoid those.
>
> >Afterwards, there was no way I could connect to my home
> >network. No other settings were changed. I reset the router with no success.
>
> Resetting the router should have allowed you to connect with "linksys"
> as the SSID and no encryption.
>
> >Finally, I disabled WEP on the router and my notebook, and my connection
> >now works properly.
>
> OK, I know the problem. Windoze shows a connection but you don't get
> an IP address and nothing works. The WEP key is confused between
> ASCII and Hex. Try:
> Start -> run -> cmd <enter>
> ipconfig
> If your IP address is 169.254.xxx.xxx, then you didn't get an IP
> address from the router. Probably because of the WEP key. If it's
> 192.168.1.xxx, it's working and something else is wrong.
>
> I'll assume Windoze XP. Windoze XP SP2 wireless is really stupid in
> the way it hides useful diagnostics. It will show a connection, with
> 5 bars, and your only clue that the WEP key is screwed up is that it
> says something like "waiting for IP address". Eventually, it
> proclaims "reduced connectivity". That's Microsofts way of saying the
> DHCP just failed and you don't have a useable IP address. Yech.
>
> So, dive into your unidentified Linksys router, and reset the SSID
> using a HEX key instead of an ASCII to Hex converted key. Scribble
> down the Hex key and insert it in the SMC config file. It has to be
> either 13 or 26 characters long for 64 or 128 bit WEP respectively.
> That should work.
>
> >I've used WEP for several years. I don't let Windows
> >set up the network connection. I find the available network on the SMC icon
> >on the taskbar and let it connect there. Any idea how changing the SSID
> >could have caused this problem? I've never had any issues with my wireless
> >connection before.
>
> Sounds like you're doing it the right way. However, it's difficult to
> remember what you did years ago. Changing the SSID should have no
> effect on the WEP key, but will change the saved "profile" used by
> Windoze. By changing the SSID, you effectively needed to create a new
> profile. If you didn't remember the way you created the WEP key, then
> there's no guarantee it will be identical to your previously working
> setup. Anyway, that's my guess.
>
> >Thanks!
> >Scott
>
> --
> Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
> 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

Jeff,m

By the way, I've been thinking of replacing the old SMC notebook card
with an up-to-date Linksys wireless card. Is that likely to help?

Scott

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>
> On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:13:26 -0500, Scott <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >My WinXP Pro notebook uses an SMC2435W wireless card connecting
> >with a Linksys router. I decided to make my network a little more secure
> >by changing the SSID from the default. I also changed the SSID on the
> >notebook.
>
> You don't change the SSID on the notebook. You use the XP Wireless
> Zero Config tool or whatever comes with your SMC wireless card to
> search for available wireless networks. When it finds one, you select
> the desired network by SSID. That eliminates typo errors and
> sometimes accomidates garbage accidentally introduced into the SSID
> name. Your unidentified Linksys router will not allow you to type in
> garbage into the SSID and is fairly good at limiting the SSID length
> to 31 characters. However, accidents and bugs do happen and you may
> have goofed in setting the SSID. Spaces are always a problem so I
> suggest you avoid those.
>
> >Afterwards, there was no way I could connect to my home
> >network. No other settings were changed. I reset the router with no success.
>
> Resetting the router should have allowed you to connect with "linksys"
> as the SSID and no encryption.
>
> >Finally, I disabled WEP on the router and my notebook, and my connection
> >now works properly.
>
> OK, I know the problem. Windoze shows a connection but you don't get
> an IP address and nothing works. The WEP key is confused between
> ASCII and Hex. Try:
> Start -> run -> cmd <enter>
> ipconfig
> If your IP address is 169.254.xxx.xxx, then you didn't get an IP
> address from the router. Probably because of the WEP key. If it's
> 192.168.1.xxx, it's working and something else is wrong.
>
> I'll assume Windoze XP. Windoze XP SP2 wireless is really stupid in
> the way it hides useful diagnostics. It will show a connection, with
> 5 bars, and your only clue that the WEP key is screwed up is that it
> says something like "waiting for IP address". Eventually, it
> proclaims "reduced connectivity". That's Microsofts way of saying the
> DHCP just failed and you don't have a useable IP address. Yech.
>
> So, dive into your unidentified Linksys router, and reset the SSID
> using a HEX key instead of an ASCII to Hex converted key. Scribble
> down the Hex key and insert it in the SMC config file. It has to be
> either 13 or 26 characters long for 64 or 128 bit WEP respectively.
> That should work.
>
> >I've used WEP for several years. I don't let Windows
> >set up the network connection. I find the available network on the SMC icon
> >on the taskbar and let it connect there. Any idea how changing the SSID
> >could have caused this problem? I've never had any issues with my wireless
> >connection before.
>
> Sounds like you're doing it the right way. However, it's difficult to
> remember what you did years ago. Changing the SSID should have no
> effect on the WEP key, but will change the saved "profile" used by
> Windoze. By changing the SSID, you effectively needed to create a new
> profile. If you didn't remember the way you created the WEP key, then
> there's no guarantee it will be identical to your previously working
> setup. Anyway, that's my guess.
>
> >Thanks!
> >Scott
>
> --
> Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
> 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

Scott wrote:

> Jeff,
>
> Sorry, my Linksys router is a WRT54G. I can go through the steps you've
> outlined. However, I have since reset the SSID to "linksys" and disabled
> WEP, and I get on the internet now. The new issue is that with my Charter
> Pipeline connection, I get the normal 256kb upload speed, but the download
> speed seems capped at 100kb...instead of the 2.8 mbps that it should be.
> My wired computers are getting 2.8 mbps on the same network. I'm using an
> SMC 22MB card that's been working perfectly for several years. I reset
> the settings for this card (Transmission Rate, etc.) to I believe what it
> was before. Sometimes, when going to www.speedtest.mn.charter.com to check
> my speed, I get 2.8 mbps, but then when I recheck it a few seconds later,
> the download speed has dropped to 100 kbps. Also, looking under My Network
> Places and my wireless connection, under Status it shows 11 mbps. So,
> where could the bottleneck be?
>

Is 'linksys" the default that everyone else in the world knows about?

Maybe you should implement some kind of wireless security before you get
used and abused. ;-)

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/w...fisecurity.htm

That router has logging and you can use a logviewer and you can check the
logs in real time and go back in time to see that your network of machines
wire or wireless has not be compromised and inbound and outbound traffic is
not happening with a dubious remote IP on the WAN or private IP on the LAN,
since you most likely have the wireless wide open to attack.

http://www.sonic.net/wallwatcher/#routers

Duane

Jeff,

Here's an update: I have the Transmission Rate on my SMC wireless card
set to 11 mbps (as recommended by SMC tech support). I checked on
my Linksys router and found the Transmission Rate was set to Auto. I
changed it to 11 mbps. Now my download speed swings between 233 kbs
and 2.8 mbps...definitely an improvement.

Does it sounds like the SMC notebook card may be causing the problem?

i no longer have any trouble connecting and getting on the internet,
although I haven't tried enabling WEP again.

Thanks!
Scott

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>
> On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:13:26 -0500, Scott <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >My WinXP Pro notebook uses an SMC2435W wireless card connecting
> >with a Linksys router. I decided to make my network a little more secure
> >by changing the SSID from the default. I also changed the SSID on the
> >notebook.
>
> You don't change the SSID on the notebook. You use the XP Wireless
> Zero Config tool or whatever comes with your SMC wireless card to
> search for available wireless networks. When it finds one, you select
> the desired network by SSID. That eliminates typo errors and
> sometimes accomidates garbage accidentally introduced into the SSID
> name. Your unidentified Linksys router will not allow you to type in
> garbage into the SSID and is fairly good at limiting the SSID length
> to 31 characters. However, accidents and bugs do happen and you may
> have goofed in setting the SSID. Spaces are always a problem so I
> suggest you avoid those.
>
> >Afterwards, there was no way I could connect to my home
> >network. No other settings were changed. I reset the router with no success.
>
> Resetting the router should have allowed you to connect with "linksys"
> as the SSID and no encryption.
>
> >Finally, I disabled WEP on the router and my notebook, and my connection
> >now works properly.
>
> OK, I know the problem. Windoze shows a connection but you don't get
> an IP address and nothing works. The WEP key is confused between
> ASCII and Hex. Try:
> Start -> run -> cmd <enter>
> ipconfig
> If your IP address is 169.254.xxx.xxx, then you didn't get an IP
> address from the router. Probably because of the WEP key. If it's
> 192.168.1.xxx, it's working and something else is wrong.
>
> I'll assume Windoze XP. Windoze XP SP2 wireless is really stupid in
> the way it hides useful diagnostics. It will show a connection, with
> 5 bars, and your only clue that the WEP key is screwed up is that it
> says something like "waiting for IP address". Eventually, it
> proclaims "reduced connectivity". That's Microsofts way of saying the
> DHCP just failed and you don't have a useable IP address. Yech.
>
> So, dive into your unidentified Linksys router, and reset the SSID
> using a HEX key instead of an ASCII to Hex converted key. Scribble
> down the Hex key and insert it in the SMC config file. It has to be
> either 13 or 26 characters long for 64 or 128 bit WEP respectively.
> That should work.
>
> >I've used WEP for several years. I don't let Windows
> >set up the network connection. I find the available network on the SMC icon
> >on the taskbar and let it connect there. Any idea how changing the SSID
> >could have caused this problem? I've never had any issues with my wireless
> >connection before.
>
> Sounds like you're doing it the right way. However, it's difficult to
> remember what you did years ago. Changing the SSID should have no
> effect on the WEP key, but will change the saved "profile" used by
> Windoze. By changing the SSID, you effectively needed to create a new
> profile. If you didn't remember the way you created the WEP key, then
> there's no guarantee it will be identical to your previously working
> setup. Anyway, that's my guess.
>
> >Thanks!
> >Scott
>
> --
> Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
> 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Fri, 17 Jun 2005 13:43:44 -0500, Scott <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>By the way, I've been thinking of replacing the old SMC notebook card
>with an up-to-date Linksys wireless card. Is that likely to help?

No. Just about anything can be made to work. If you're looking for
more speed, then an 802.11g card should constitute an improvment.


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Fri, 17 Jun 2005 13:29:02 -0500, Scott <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Sorry, my Linksys router is a WRT54G.

Don't be sorry. It's a good wireless router.

>I can go through the steps you've
>outlined. However, I have since reset the SSID to "linksys" and disabled
>WEP, and I get on the internet now. The new issue is that with my Charter
>Pipeline connection, I get the normal 256kb upload speed, but the download
>speed seems capped at 100kb...instead of the 2.8 mbps that it should be.

Ping the router continuously:
ping -t 192.168.1.1
Any lost packets? Any long delays? Any kind of traffic problems?

The WRT54G is an 802.11g wireless router. Your SMC2435W is 802.11b.
There's a setting in there somewhere that allows you to change from:
802.11b and g
802.11g only
802.11b only
There's also a setting for the maximum connection speed. Try the
802.11b speed only and see what happens.

>My wired computers are getting 2.8 mbps on the same network. I'm using an
>SMC 22MB card that's been working perfectly for several years.

Wired computah works, so something must be busted on the laptop. Is
there an ethernet port on the laptop? Try it with the ethernet port
and see if it works.

If the laptop appears to be unusually slothish, try looking for
spyware, viruses, worms, or such. They can slow down the computah.

If you're running Windoze XP, the Windoze Update feature has the bad
habit of downloading updates in the background. The machine will
appear to be running slow and benchmarks will look like the system is
almost comatose. Wait until the update is done or just kill the
updates.

Did you change RF channels? You may have landed on one that's
occupied by the neighbors endless TIVO downloads. Try a different
channel (1, 6, or 11).

>I reset
>the settings for this card (Transmission Rate, etc.) to I believe what it
>was before. Sometimes, when going to www.speedtest.mn.charter.com to check
>my speed, I get 2.8 mbps, but then when I recheck it a few seconds later,
>the download speed has dropped to 100 kbps. Also, looking under My Network
>Places and my wireless connection, under Status it shows 11 mbps. So,
>where could the bottleneck be?

Go to:
http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks
and see what Tweak Tester II complains about. Your IP stack may be
misconfigured.


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558