Problem moving from wired to wireless on XP desktop

I have a "hybrid" home network that has one desktop (XP) on wired
Ethernet and two laptops on wireless ethernet, all feeding one LinkSys
router/access point combo box that's connected to a cable modem (it's
a residential gateway). Configured this way, everything works great.

I am trying to move the desktop to a room away from the cable
connection, so I'm trying to convert it to wireless. I've tried a
LinkSys PCI wireless adapter and a D-Link USB adapter. In both cases,
a successful connection to the router has been established (i.e.,
signal strength excellent). In the former case, I couldn't even talk
to the router, in the second case I could ping the router but not
outside. Obviously email and IE don't work.

Problem is, if I then revert back to the wired connection by plugging
the cable back in, even that doesn't work. The only way I could get
things working again was to do a system restore to before the
installation of the wireless drivers.

This has happened with two brands and two methodologies (PCI, USB).
I'd love to get a box that just plugs into the Ethernet port and then
converts to wireless, but alas, such a box doesn't appear to exist.
I'm hesitant to buy online due to the high likelihood of having to
return the product.

It's starting to feel like there's some reason why I'll never get this
computer on wireless... am I missing something? Has anyone else run
into this?

Stats:
processor speed 1.2GHz
512M memory
(i.e., neither of those should be a problem)

PS I haven't posted on here before... I don't like that email
addresses are harvestable, but Google wouldn't let me in without an
authentic email address... don't know if there's a way to protect, but
here goes...

Sounds like your change in hardware is turning on xp firewall or something.

"bryon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> I have a "hybrid" home network that has one desktop (XP) on wired
> Ethernet and two laptops on wireless ethernet, all feeding one LinkSys
> router/access point combo box that's connected to a cable modem (it's
> a residential gateway). Configured this way, everything works great.
>
> I am trying to move the desktop to a room away from the cable
> connection, so I'm trying to convert it to wireless. I've tried a
> LinkSys PCI wireless adapter and a D-Link USB adapter. In both cases,
> a successful connection to the router has been established (i.e.,
> signal strength excellent). In the former case, I couldn't even talk
> to the router, in the second case I could ping the router but not
> outside. Obviously email and IE don't work.
>
> Problem is, if I then revert back to the wired connection by plugging
> the cable back in, even that doesn't work. The only way I could get
> things working again was to do a system restore to before the
> installation of the wireless drivers.
>
> This has happened with two brands and two methodologies (PCI, USB).
> I'd love to get a box that just plugs into the Ethernet port and then
> converts to wireless, but alas, such a box doesn't appear to exist.
> I'm hesitant to buy online due to the high likelihood of having to
> return the product.
>
> It's starting to feel like there's some reason why I'll never get this
> computer on wireless... am I missing something? Has anyone else run
> into this?
>
> Stats:
> processor speed 1.2GHz
> 512M memory
> (i.e., neither of those should be a problem)
>
> PS I haven't posted on here before... I don't like that email
> addresses are harvestable, but Google wouldn't let me in without an
> authentic email address... don't know if there's a way to protect, but
> here goes...

Oh man, don't tell me it could be that simple... alright, I'll try
it... two employed phone technicians couldn't come up with that...
(but don't get me started on the technical support -- or lack thereof
in some cases).

Thanks. I'll follow up with the results once I check it for anyone
else that runs into it...

"Coz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<7VQWb.471308$JQ1.83531@pd7tw1no>...
> Sounds like your change in hardware is turning on xp firewall or something.
>
> "bryon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> > I have a "hybrid" home network that has one desktop (XP) on wired
> > Ethernet and two laptops on wireless ethernet, all feeding one LinkSys
> > router/access point combo box that's connected to a cable modem (it's
> > a residential gateway). Configured this way, everything works great.
> >
> > I am trying to move the desktop to a room away from the cable
> > connection, so I'm trying to convert it to wireless. I've tried a
> > LinkSys PCI wireless adapter and a D-Link USB adapter. In both cases,
> > a successful connection to the router has been established (i.e.,
> > signal strength excellent). In the former case, I couldn't even talk
> > to the router, in the second case I could ping the router but not
> > outside. Obviously email and IE don't work.
> >
> > Problem is, if I then revert back to the wired connection by plugging
> > the cable back in, even that doesn't work. The only way I could get
> > things working again was to do a system restore to before the
> > installation of the wireless drivers.
> >
> > This has happened with two brands and two methodologies (PCI, USB).
> > I'd love to get a box that just plugs into the Ethernet port and then
> > converts to wireless, but alas, such a box doesn't appear to exist.
> > I'm hesitant to buy online due to the high likelihood of having to
> > return the product.
> >
> > It's starting to feel like there's some reason why I'll never get this
> > computer on wireless... am I missing something? Has anyone else run
> > into this?
> >
> > Stats:
> > processor speed 1.2GHz
> > 512M memory
> > (i.e., neither of those should be a problem)
> >
> > PS I haven't posted on here before... I don't like that email
> > addresses are harvestable, but Google wouldn't let me in without an
> > authentic email address... don't know if there's a way to protect, but
> > here goes...

(E-Mail Removed) (bryon) wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed) m:

> Oh man, don't tell me it could be that simple... alright, I'll try
> it... two employed phone technicians couldn't come up with that...
> (but don't get me started on the technical support -- or lack thereof
> in some cases).
>
> Thanks. I'll follow up with the results once I check it for anyone
> else that runs into it...
>
> "Coz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:<7VQWb.471308$JQ1.83531@pd7tw1no>...
>> Sounds like your change in hardware is turning on xp firewall or
>> something.
>>
>> "bryon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
>> > I have a "hybrid" home network that has one desktop (XP) on wired
>> > Ethernet and two laptops on wireless ethernet, all feeding one
>> > LinkSys router/access point combo box that's connected to a cable
>> > modem (it's a residential gateway). Configured this way, everything
>> > works great.
>> >
>> > I am trying to move the desktop to a room away from the cable
>> > connection, so I'm trying to convert it to wireless. I've tried a
>> > LinkSys PCI wireless adapter and a D-Link USB adapter. In both
>> > cases, a successful connection to the router has been established
>> > (i.e., signal strength excellent). In the former case, I couldn't
>> > even talk to the router, in the second case I could ping the router
>> > but not outside. Obviously email and IE don't work.
>> >
>> > Problem is, if I then revert back to the wired connection by
>> > plugging the cable back in, even that doesn't work. The only way I
>> > could get things working again was to do a system restore to before
>> > the installation of the wireless drivers.
>> >
>> > This has happened with two brands and two methodologies (PCI, USB).
>> > I'd love to get a box that just plugs into the Ethernet port and
>> > then converts to wireless, but alas, such a box doesn't appear to
>> > exist. I'm hesitant to buy online due to the high likelihood of
>> > having to return the product.
>> >
>> > It's starting to feel like there's some reason why I'll never get
>> > this computer on wireless... am I missing something? Has anyone
>> > else run into this?
>> >
>> > Stats:
>> > processor speed 1.2GHz
>> > 512M memory
>> > (i.e., neither of those should be a problem)
>> >
>> > PS I haven't posted on here before... I don't like that email
>> > addresses are harvestable, but Google wouldn't let me in without an
>> > authentic email address... don't know if there's a way to protect,
>> > but here goes...

Well,

You should check the IP that the machine has when you cannot connect with
wireless or going back to wired. If the IP starts with 169.xxx.xxx.xxx,
it's an indication that the O/S cannot get a valid IP from the DHCP
server that's on the router. This will mean that the TCP/IP stack may be
hosed. By you doing the restore, it's setting the TCP/IP stack back to a
good state. At the Command Prompt enter IPconfig /all and see if the 169.
IP is there. If it is present, then that can be corrected without doing a
restore. And if it is the issue, then it's most likely due to the
wireless card being mis-configured that is causing the TCP/IP Stack to
become locked. You can try IPconfig /release and IPconfig /renew but that
may not correct it and you may need the second approach of resetting the
stack.

And about your email address, you cannot get on with a dummy email
address to the NG(s)?

Duane

OK, follow-up: XP Firewall wasn't the problem. Spent another two hours
with Linksys, no luck. When first installed, I could ping outside
(yahoo.com, e.g.), but IE and Outlook Express etc. wouldn't work.
Interestingly enough, OE opens automatically at startup. Before the
drivers loaded it worked fine, and I happened not to shut it down
before installing the drivers. After the drivers loaded, OE continued
to work even though IE and Yahoo Messenger couldn't work. But when I
shut it down (presumably releasing the connection) and then tried to
start it up again, it couldn't re-connect (even though I could ping).
So we tried to uninstall the wireless driver. After that, the wired
was so effed up that you couldn't even renew the IP address: it said
that you're trying an operation on something that's not a socket... IP
address was weird, and couldn't be changed... couldn't ping the local
router, couldn't do anything network-wise until I did a system
restore.

Unless anyone has any ideas, it's seeming that for some bizarre
reason, this computer that I am lucky enough to own singularly will
not accept being put on a wireless network. No one else ever seems to
have seen this before...

Thanks for trying, Coz.
Bryon



(E-Mail Removed) (bryon) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed) om>...
> Oh man, don't tell me it could be that simple... alright, I'll try
> it... two employed phone technicians couldn't come up with that...
> (but don't get me started on the technical support -- or lack thereof
> in some cases).
>
> Thanks. I'll follow up with the results once I check it for anyone
> else that runs into it...
>
> "Coz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<7VQWb.471308$JQ1.83531@pd7tw1no>...
> > Sounds like your change in hardware is turning on xp firewall or something.
> >
> > "bryon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> > > I have a "hybrid" home network that has one desktop (XP) on wired
> > > Ethernet and two laptops on wireless ethernet, all feeding one LinkSys
> > > router/access point combo box that's connected to a cable modem (it's
> > > a residential gateway). Configured this way, everything works great.
> > >
> > > I am trying to move the desktop to a room away from the cable
> > > connection, so I'm trying to convert it to wireless. I've tried a
> > > LinkSys PCI wireless adapter and a D-Link USB adapter. In both cases,
> > > a successful connection to the router has been established (i.e.,
> > > signal strength excellent). In the former case, I couldn't even talk
> > > to the router, in the second case I could ping the router but not
> > > outside. Obviously email and IE don't work.
> > >
> > > Problem is, if I then revert back to the wired connection by plugging
> > > the cable back in, even that doesn't work. The only way I could get
> > > things working again was to do a system restore to before the
> > > installation of the wireless drivers.
> > >
> > > This has happened with two brands and two methodologies (PCI, USB).
> > > I'd love to get a box that just plugs into the Ethernet port and then
> > > converts to wireless, but alas, such a box doesn't appear to exist.
> > > I'm hesitant to buy online due to the high likelihood of having to
> > > return the product.
> > >
> > > It's starting to feel like there's some reason why I'll never get this
> > > computer on wireless... am I missing something? Has anyone else run
> > > into this?
> > >
> > > Stats:
> > > processor speed 1.2GHz
> > > 512M memory
> > > (i.e., neither of those should be a problem)
> > >
> > > PS I haven't posted on here before... I don't like that email
> > > addresses are harvestable, but Google wouldn't let me in without an
> > > authentic email address... don't know if there's a way to protect, but
> > > here goes...

Duane --

At some point the IP address was hosed, and /renew wouldn't work (see
my follow-up). I frankly don't know how to rebuild the stack, or what
could be misconfigured to cause this and how to fix it.

Re the dummy emails, it's probably that I'm coming in through
Google... they won't let you post without a valid email address...

Bryon


Duane Arnold <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<Xns948E2CF9C16Adarnold92insightbbco@204.127. 204.17>...
> (E-Mail Removed) (bryon) wrote in
> news:(E-Mail Removed) m:
>
> > Oh man, don't tell me it could be that simple... alright, I'll try
> > it... two employed phone technicians couldn't come up with that...
> > (but don't get me started on the technical support -- or lack thereof
> > in some cases).
> >
> > Thanks. I'll follow up with the results once I check it for anyone
> > else that runs into it...
> >
> > "Coz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:<7VQWb.471308$JQ1.83531@pd7tw1no>...
> >> Sounds like your change in hardware is turning on xp firewall or
> >> something.
> >>
> >> "bryon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> >> > I have a "hybrid" home network that has one desktop (XP) on wired
> >> > Ethernet and two laptops on wireless ethernet, all feeding one
> >> > LinkSys router/access point combo box that's connected to a cable
> >> > modem (it's a residential gateway). Configured this way, everything
> >> > works great.
> >> >
> >> > I am trying to move the desktop to a room away from the cable
> >> > connection, so I'm trying to convert it to wireless. I've tried a
> >> > LinkSys PCI wireless adapter and a D-Link USB adapter. In both
> >> > cases, a successful connection to the router has been established
> >> > (i.e., signal strength excellent). In the former case, I couldn't
> >> > even talk to the router, in the second case I could ping the router
> >> > but not outside. Obviously email and IE don't work.
> >> >
> >> > Problem is, if I then revert back to the wired connection by
> >> > plugging the cable back in, even that doesn't work. The only way I
> >> > could get things working again was to do a system restore to before
> >> > the installation of the wireless drivers.
> >> >
> >> > This has happened with two brands and two methodologies (PCI, USB).
> >> > I'd love to get a box that just plugs into the Ethernet port and
> >> > then converts to wireless, but alas, such a box doesn't appear to
> >> > exist. I'm hesitant to buy online due to the high likelihood of
> >> > having to return the product.
> >> >
> >> > It's starting to feel like there's some reason why I'll never get
> >> > this computer on wireless... am I missing something? Has anyone
> >> > else run into this?
> >> >
> >> > Stats:
> >> > processor speed 1.2GHz
> >> > 512M memory
> >> > (i.e., neither of those should be a problem)
> >> >
> >> > PS I haven't posted on here before... I don't like that email
> >> > addresses are harvestable, but Google wouldn't let me in without an
> >> > authentic email address... don't know if there's a way to protect,
> >> > but here goes...
>
> Well,
>
> You should check the IP that the machine has when you cannot connect with
> wireless or going back to wired. If the IP starts with 169.xxx.xxx.xxx,
> it's an indication that the O/S cannot get a valid IP from the DHCP
> server that's on the router. This will mean that the TCP/IP stack may be
> hosed. By you doing the restore, it's setting the TCP/IP stack back to a
> good state. At the Command Prompt enter IPconfig /all and see if the 169.
> IP is there. If it is present, then that can be corrected without doing a
> restore. And if it is the issue, then it's most likely due to the
> wireless card being mis-configured that is causing the TCP/IP Stack to
> become locked. You can try IPconfig /release and IPconfig /renew but that
> may not correct it and you may need the second approach of resetting the
> stack.
>
> And about your email address, you cannot get on with a dummy email
> address to the NG(s)?
>
> Duane

One other thing, Duane... this has happened on a Linksys PCI adapter
and a D-Link USB adapter. I can't imagine they'd both be misconfigured
the same way, given two different brands and two different
methodologies... I suppose stranger things can happen, but just wanted
to keep that fact in the forefront: there's something relatively
generic going on that affects more than one product.

Bryon


Duane Arnold <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<Xns948E2CF9C16Adarnold92insightbbco@204.127. 204.17>...
> (E-Mail Removed) (bryon) wrote in
> news:(E-Mail Removed) m:
>
> > Oh man, don't tell me it could be that simple... alright, I'll try
> > it... two employed phone technicians couldn't come up with that...
> > (but don't get me started on the technical support -- or lack thereof
> > in some cases).
> >
> > Thanks. I'll follow up with the results once I check it for anyone
> > else that runs into it...
> >
> > "Coz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:<7VQWb.471308$JQ1.83531@pd7tw1no>...
> >> Sounds like your change in hardware is turning on xp firewall or
> >> something.
> >>
> >> "bryon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> >> > I have a "hybrid" home network that has one desktop (XP) on wired
> >> > Ethernet and two laptops on wireless ethernet, all feeding one
> >> > LinkSys router/access point combo box that's connected to a cable
> >> > modem (it's a residential gateway). Configured this way, everything
> >> > works great.
> >> >
> >> > I am trying to move the desktop to a room away from the cable
> >> > connection, so I'm trying to convert it to wireless. I've tried a
> >> > LinkSys PCI wireless adapter and a D-Link USB adapter. In both
> >> > cases, a successful connection to the router has been established
> >> > (i.e., signal strength excellent). In the former case, I couldn't
> >> > even talk to the router, in the second case I could ping the router
> >> > but not outside. Obviously email and IE don't work.
> >> >
> >> > Problem is, if I then revert back to the wired connection by
> >> > plugging the cable back in, even that doesn't work. The only way I
> >> > could get things working again was to do a system restore to before
> >> > the installation of the wireless drivers.
> >> >
> >> > This has happened with two brands and two methodologies (PCI, USB).
> >> > I'd love to get a box that just plugs into the Ethernet port and
> >> > then converts to wireless, but alas, such a box doesn't appear to
> >> > exist. I'm hesitant to buy online due to the high likelihood of
> >> > having to return the product.
> >> >
> >> > It's starting to feel like there's some reason why I'll never get
> >> > this computer on wireless... am I missing something? Has anyone
> >> > else run into this?
> >> >
> >> > Stats:
> >> > processor speed 1.2GHz
> >> > 512M memory
> >> > (i.e., neither of those should be a problem)
> >> >
> >> > PS I haven't posted on here before... I don't like that email
> >> > addresses are harvestable, but Google wouldn't let me in without an
> >> > authentic email address... don't know if there's a way to protect,
> >> > but here goes...
>
> Well,
>
> You should check the IP that the machine has when you cannot connect with
> wireless or going back to wired. If the IP starts with 169.xxx.xxx.xxx,
> it's an indication that the O/S cannot get a valid IP from the DHCP
> server that's on the router. This will mean that the TCP/IP stack may be
> hosed. By you doing the restore, it's setting the TCP/IP stack back to a
> good state. At the Command Prompt enter IPconfig /all and see if the 169.
> IP is there. If it is present, then that can be corrected without doing a
> restore. And if it is the issue, then it's most likely due to the
> wireless card being mis-configured that is causing the TCP/IP Stack to
> become locked. You can try IPconfig /release and IPconfig /renew but that
> may not correct it and you may need the second approach of resetting the
> stack.
>
> And about your email address, you cannot get on with a dummy email
> address to the NG(s)?
>
> Duane

(E-Mail Removed) (bryon) wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed) om:

> One other thing, Duane... this has happened on a Linksys PCI adapter
> and a D-Link USB adapter. I can't imagine they'd both be misconfigured
> the same way, given two different brands and two different
> methodologies... I suppose stranger things can happen, but just wanted
> to keep that fact in the forefront: there's something relatively
> generic going on that affects more than one product.
>
> Bryon

The TCP/IP Stack is central to the O/S so no matter what kind of NIC you
have in the machine, it's the same situation for all the NIC(s).

http://www.opentechsupport.net/forum...&threadid=5280

I like to make sure so I go to the NIC's Property Box and delete all
services and protocols, except for TCP/IP which you cannot delete TCP/IP
any way from the Properties Box. XP requires that TCP/IP to be there at
all times.

After you reset the Stack, the reinstall everything back in the NIC
Property Box.

About the misconfig of the wireless NIC, do not use the Network Wizard or
the card's utility to install the card. If you have the Bridge Icon at
the Local Area Network screen, the you should delete the icon.

You can go to the card's Website and download the driver for it.

Disable the Wireless Zero Configuration service on the XP O/S and can be
accessed off of Control Panel/Perform and Maint/Admin Tools.

Let XP detect the card but do not do the install of the driver.

Right-click the My Computer line/Properties/Hardware/Device Manager and
find the card and right-click Properties where you can install the driver
for the card and then go to the Advanced Tab to configure the card.

Back at the NIC's Property box enable the check box to *show network
connection*. And by doing that, you don't need the card's utility
installed to show signal strength. You put the mouse pointer on the icon
showing in the job tray next to the computer clock and it will show the
signal strength.

HTH

Duane