some devices can't connect others can

I have a Zyxel X-550 wireless router I've been using a couple of years with
success. A while back my sons PC started having issues connecting. I thought
it was a range issue and converted him to powerline networking. A couple of
weeks ago the power line networking stopped working also. I assumed one of
the inexpensive devices failed even though they show link and activity.

So I took another look at using wireless on my sons PC. It can not connect
just keeps scanning. Looks like it sees the router connects and then is
immediately dropped. I tried a USB network adapter to see if the card in his
PC was bad. This displays the exact same symptoms.

Last night I had the same thing happen with my laptop from work and now
can't connect with it anymore.
In the logs of both machines there are constant messages from tcpip as the
source showing the card connecting and then disconnecting over and over.
Both machines are running XP SP 3.

The strange thing is my daughter can still connect as can a Roku device.

Any ideas? Is the router going bad?
If that is the case why not for all devices?

"Parker Race" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:h37807$5c6$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a Zyxel X-550 wireless router I've been using a couple of years with
>success. A while back my sons PC started having issues connecting. I
>thought it was a range issue and converted him to powerline networking. A
>couple of weeks ago the power line networking stopped working also. I
>assumed one of the inexpensive devices failed even though they show link
>and activity.
>
> So I took another look at using wireless on my sons PC. It can not
> connect just keeps scanning. Looks like it sees the router connects and
> then is immediately dropped. I tried a USB network adapter to see if the
> card in his PC was bad. This displays the exact same symptoms.
>
> Last night I had the same thing happen with my laptop from work and now
> can't connect with it anymore.
> In the logs of both machines there are constant messages from tcpip as the
> source showing the card connecting and then disconnecting over and over.
> Both machines are running XP SP 3.
>
> The strange thing is my daughter can still connect as can a Roku device.
>
> Any ideas? Is the router going bad?
> If that is the case why not for all devices?
>
>
Sorry if this is too basic, but have you tried powering off the router a
minute and then back on?

"GTS" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:h37oki$vbu$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Parker Race" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:h37807$5c6$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I have a Zyxel X-550 wireless router I've been using a couple of years
>>with success. A while back my sons PC started having issues connecting. I
>>thought it was a range issue and converted him to powerline networking. A
>>couple of weeks ago the power line networking stopped working also. I
>>assumed one of the inexpensive devices failed even though they show link
>>and activity.
>>
>> So I took another look at using wireless on my sons PC. It can not
>> connect just keeps scanning. Looks like it sees the router connects and
>> then is immediately dropped. I tried a USB network adapter to see if the
>> card in his PC was bad. This displays the exact same symptoms.
>>
>> Last night I had the same thing happen with my laptop from work and now
>> can't connect with it anymore.
>> In the logs of both machines there are constant messages from tcpip as
>> the source showing the card connecting and then disconnecting over and
>> over. Both machines are running XP SP 3.
>>
>> The strange thing is my daughter can still connect as can a Roku device.
>>
>> Any ideas? Is the router going bad?
>> If that is the case why not for all devices?
>>
>>
> Sorry if this is too basic, but have you tried powering off the router a
> minute and then back on?

Yes, several times!

"Jeff Liebermann" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:17:25 -0400, "Parker Race"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>I have a Zyxel X-550 wireless router I've been using a couple of years
>>with
>>success. A while back my sons PC started having issues connecting. I
>>thought
>>it was a range issue and converted him to powerline networking. A couple
>>of
>>weeks ago the power line networking stopped working also. I assumed one of
>>the inexpensive devices failed even though they show link and activity.
>>
>>So I took another look at using wireless on my sons PC. It can not
>>connect
>>just keeps scanning. Looks like it sees the router connects and then is
>>immediately dropped. I tried a USB network adapter to see if the card in
>>his
>>PC was bad. This displays the exact same symptoms.
>
> Any particular hardware on your son's PC? Not all USB adapters are
> equal. Some problems with 802.11g devices on USB 1.1 ports.
>

I was using a Netgear PCI adapter which used to work.
The USB is a 2.0 device.

> Are you using WEP encryption? Besides the security being near
> useless, there's a problem converting from the ASCII key to the hex
> key. Use the hex key only. Better yet, switch to WPA or WPA2
> encryption.

Using WPA.

>
> If you have any MAC filters enabled in the Zyxel X-550 router, this
> would be a good time to disable them.

No filters.

>
>>Last night I had the same thing happen with my laptop from work and now
>>can't connect with it anymore.
>
> Make and model laptop? Latest wireless drivers? Did you reboot after
> leaving work, or did you just put it in suspend?

Dell Latitude 820. I rebooted the machine when it wouldn't connect at first.

>>In the logs of both machines there are constant messages from tcpip as the
>>source showing the card connecting and then disconnecting over and over.
>>Both machines are running XP SP 3.
>
> That sounds like you either have an encryption key failure or have a
> MAC filter in place.

I think I'm going to reconfigure with no security to troubleshoot.
If they connect then I know I'll know I was using the wrong passphrase.

>
> If you've been changing encryption keys, XP has problems recognizing
> the change. I suggest you delete the "profile" for the connection on
> the XP wireless zero config menu, and start over from scratch.
>
Not for a while.

>>The strange thing is my daughter can still connect as can a Roku device.
>>
>>Any ideas? Is the router going bad?
>
> Nope. If one device can connect, they all should be able to connect.

Yeah I know.

> If desperate, update the firmware to the latest, reset to defaults,
> and put humpty dumpty back together again from scratch.

Humpty Dumpty was pushed!

>>If that is the case why not for all devices?
> well, if it's not the technology, it must be posessed, cursed or
> enchanted. An exhorsizm might help.


> --
> Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
> 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
> Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

"Jeff Liebermann" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:01:53 -0400, "Parker Race"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> Is this a Xyxel X-550N wireless router? The "N" is important.
>
>>> Any particular hardware on your son's PC? Not all USB adapters are
>>> equal. Some problems with 802.11g devices on USB 1.1 ports.
>
>>I was using a Netgear PCI adapter which used to work.
>>The USB is a 2.0 device.
>
> Duz the laptop have USB 2.0 or 1.1?

It's is a desktop I built definitely 2.0.
But not an issue any more.

>
>>Using WPA.
>
> So much for that idea.
>
>>No filters.
>
> That would have been too easy.
>
>>Dell Latitude 820. I rebooted the machine when it wouldn't connect at
>>first.
>
> Which wireless card? Intel 3945, Dell 1390, or Dell 1490? If Intel,
> I suggest you download the latest Proset drivers for the wireless card
> from the Intel site. The Dell drivers tend to be otto date:
> <http://support.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/CS-010623.htm>
>
It's an 3945. I just updated the driver.

But the motherboard was replaced this week.
I had been connecting with wireless before that.
I wouldn't think that would effect connecting with the stored profile but
looks like it did.

>>I think I'm going to reconfigure with no security to troubleshoot.
>>If they connect then I know I'll know I was using the wrong passphrase.
>
> It might also be some kind of authentication failure. I've seen that
> problem when using WPA-AES. That's an officially unsupported mode,
> but common in some wireless access points. If no-encryption works,
> then try WPA-TKIP or WPA2-AES.
>
>>> If you've been changing encryption keys, XP has problems recognizing
>>> the change. I suggest you delete the "profile" for the connection on
>>> the XP wireless zero config menu, and start over from scratch.
>>>
>>Not for a while.
>
> What I'm saying is that Windoze Wireless Zero Config does a miserable
> job of handling changes to the WPA and WPA2 pass phrases. I find it
> necessary to either directly edit the pass phrase in the list of saved
> profiles, or simply delete it and start over.

I turned off security and now am able to connect with both machines.
Turned security back on, reconfigured the profiles and they are connecting
again.
Problem solved.

Thanks.

> Check the Zyxel firmware version such problems are often firmware bugs
> in the wireless access point.
> <http://us.zyxel.com/Support/Download-Library-Result.aspx?mif=PDCA2008013>
>
I looked there before, the X-550 is listed under Legacy Products and the
only downloads they have are the manual and data sheet.

> Hmmm.... also check the power adapter:
> <http://us.zyxel.com/Support/Important-Notices.aspx>
>
Yeah, I had issues and got it replaced quite a while ago.

> Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
> 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
> Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Thanks again. My son is happy Steam and AIM are back up!