Usb wireless adapter won't connect

Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away from
home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an external
antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger and better
antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original antenna (
not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and shows an
excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect to the
internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and it does
work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption is via WEP
and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a IP address and a
Subnet Mask address. I did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with
negative results. Me thinks I've changed something somewhere on my
laptop and it is preventing this wireless adapter from communicating
with the internet.

Any suggestions?

Slaz wrote:
> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away from
> home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an external
> antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger and better
> antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original antenna (
> not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and shows an
> excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect to the
> internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and it does
> work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption is via WEP
> and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with
> negative results. Me thinks I've changed something somewhere on my
> laptop and it is preventing this wireless adapter from communicating
> with the internet.
>
> Any suggestions?

*What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?

Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
WPA2 or WPA).

--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

Lem wrote:
> Slaz wrote:
>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger
>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original
>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and
>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect
>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative results. Me
>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the internet.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>
> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>
> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
> WPA2 or WPA).
>
Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it
back to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.

Slaz wrote:
> Lem wrote:
>> Slaz wrote:
>>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger
>>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original
>>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and
>>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect
>>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative results. Me
>>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the internet.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions?
>>
>> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>>
>> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
>> WPA2 or WPA).
>>
> Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
> I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
> password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it
> back to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.

I apologize. You are authenticating to the wireless router.

Perhaps when you originally configured your router you enabled
additional security features. For example, some routers can be set to
deny Internet access to specific computers, either by assigned IP
address or MAC address. Also, depending on how you turned off your
firewall, you may not have disabled it for the USB adapter (each network
connection is firewalled separately; check in "Network Connections").
--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

Hi
Did you disabled any other Network card while you are using the USB?
If Not, then try to right click on them and Disable.
As far as Firewall goes, sometime Disabling it is Not enough, make sure that
the Firewall Trusted zone covers the subnets that you are using.
http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#trusted
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

"Slaz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:qEkcn.65104$PH1.62560@edtnps82...
> Lem wrote:
>> Slaz wrote:
>>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger
>>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original
>>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and
>>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect
>>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative results. Me
>>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the internet.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions?
>>
>> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>>
>> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
>> WPA2 or WPA).
>>
> Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
> I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
> password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it back
> to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.

Lem wrote:
> Slaz wrote:
>> Lem wrote:
>>> Slaz wrote:
>>>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>>>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>>>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>>>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>>>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger
>>>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original
>>>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and
>>>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect
>>>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>>>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>>>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>>>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative results. Me
>>>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>>>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the internet.
>>>>
>>>> Any suggestions?
>>>
>>> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>>>
>>> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
>>> WPA2 or WPA).
>>>
>> Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
>> I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
>> password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it
>> back to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.
>
> I apologize. You are authenticating to the wireless router.
>
> Perhaps when you originally configured your router you enabled
> additional security features. For example, some routers can be set to
> deny Internet access to specific computers, either by assigned IP
> address or MAC address. Also, depending on how you turned off your
> firewall, you may not have disabled it for the USB adapter (each network
> connection is firewalled separately; check in "Network Connections").
You forget that I can connect with the laptops own internal adapter. It
is only when I try and us the USB adapter; that I can not connect.
Me thinks I screwed something up. Reason being this past Xmas season we
went to another city and stayed with my in laws who do not have
internet. I was able to connect to the neighbors via the wireless
adapter in question; but not right away and I changed settings back and
forth until I eventually received a connection. The stupid think was
working than; why it won't work now is beyond me. ( The wireless adapter
works on my wife's laptop and my desktop; just not my laptop!)

Jack [MVP-Networking] wrote:
> Hi
> Did you disabled any other Network card while you are using the USB?
> If Not, then try to right click on them and Disable.
> As far as Firewall goes, sometime Disabling it is Not enough, make sure
> that the Firewall Trusted zone covers the subnets that you are using.
> http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#trusted
> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
>
> "Slaz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:qEkcn.65104$PH1.62560@edtnps82...
>> Lem wrote:
>>> Slaz wrote:
>>>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>>>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>>>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>>>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>>>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger
>>>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original
>>>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and
>>>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect
>>>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>>>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>>>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>>>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative results. Me
>>>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>>>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the internet.
>>>>
>>>> Any suggestions?
>>>
>>> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>>>
>>> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
>>> WPA2 or WPA).
>>>
>> Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
>> I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
>> password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it
>> back to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.
>
Disabled the Laptops network card with negative results.I use Firefox as
my browser and Thunderbird as my mail reader. They are both in the
trusted zone. I even deleted them and re-entered with negative results.

Slaz wrote:
> Lem wrote:
>> Slaz wrote:
>>> Lem wrote:
>>>> Slaz wrote:
>>>>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>>>>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>>>>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>>>>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>>>>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger
>>>>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original
>>>>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and
>>>>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect
>>>>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>>>>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>>>>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>>>>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative results. Me
>>>>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>>>>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the internet.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any suggestions?
>>>>
>>>> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>>>>
>>>> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
>>>> WPA2 or WPA).
>>>>
>>> Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
>>> I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
>>> password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it
>>> back to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.
>>
>> I apologize. You are authenticating to the wireless router.
>>
>> Perhaps when you originally configured your router you enabled
>> additional security features. For example, some routers can be set to
>> deny Internet access to specific computers, either by assigned IP
>> address or MAC address. Also, depending on how you turned off your
>> firewall, you may not have disabled it for the USB adapter (each network
>> connection is firewalled separately; check in "Network Connections").
> You forget that I can connect with the laptops own internal adapter. It
> is only when I try and us the USB adapter; that I can not connect.
> Me thinks I screwed something up.

I didn't forget at all. Your USB adapter has a different MAC address
than your built-in adapter. Thus, if you had configured your router to
only permit Internet access to the MAC addresses corresponding to your
built-in adapter, you would see exactly the symptoms your report.

The same holds true for your firewall (see also Jack's comment). As I
wrote, the firewall may well be configured separately for each network
adapter (that's how the built-in Windows XP firewall works). So again,
if you "disabled" the firewall only for the built-in adapter but not for
the USB adapter, you'd get exactly the symptoms you report.

> Reason being this past Xmas season we
> went to another city and stayed with my in laws who do not have
> internet. I was able to connect to the neighbors via the wireless
> adapter in question; but not right away and I changed settings back and
> forth until I eventually received a connection. The stupid think was
> working than; why it won't work now is beyond me. ( The wireless adapter
> works on my wife's laptop and my desktop; just not my laptop!)

Here's another experiment you can try: take your laptop to a public wifi
hotspot (e.g., Starbuck's). First try to connect with the built in
adapter. Assuming that works, *disable* the built-in adapter using
Device Manager and connect the USB adapter, and see if that works.

--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

Hi
Allowed applications is Not the Trusted Zone.
Trusted Zone is it range of IPs allowed.
You showed IP 192.168.254.6 So if you put in Trusted Zone 192.168.254.*
Any IP that starts with 192.168.254.x would be allowed to through the
Network.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

"Slaz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:aYmcn.65118$PH1.4619@edtnps82...
> Jack [MVP-Networking] wrote:
>> Hi
>> Did you disabled any other Network card while you are using the USB?
>> If Not, then try to right click on them and Disable.
>> As far as Firewall goes, sometime Disabling it is Not enough, make sure
>> that the Firewall Trusted zone covers the subnets that you are using.
>> http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#trusted
>> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
>>
>> "Slaz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:qEkcn.65104$PH1.62560@edtnps82...
>>> Lem wrote:
>>>> Slaz wrote:
>>>>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>>>>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>>>>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>>>>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>>>>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a bigger
>>>>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's original
>>>>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem and
>>>>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not connect
>>>>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>>>>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>>>>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>>>>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative results. Me
>>>>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>>>>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the internet.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any suggestions?
>>>>
>>>> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>>>>
>>>> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
>>>> WPA2 or WPA).
>>>>
>>> Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
>>> I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
>>> password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it
>>> back to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.
>>
> Disabled the Laptops network card with negative results.I use Firefox as
> my browser and Thunderbird as my mail reader. They are both in the trusted
> zone. I even deleted them and re-entered with negative results.

Jack [MVP-Networking] wrote:
> Hi
> Allowed applications is Not the Trusted Zone.
> Trusted Zone is it range of IPs allowed.
> You showed IP 192.168.254.6 So if you put in Trusted Zone 192.168.254.*
> Any IP that starts with 192.168.254.x would be allowed to through the
> Network.
> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
>
> "Slaz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:aYmcn.65118$PH1.4619@edtnps82...
>> Jack [MVP-Networking] wrote:
>>> Hi
>>> Did you disabled any other Network card while you are using the USB?
>>> If Not, then try to right click on them and Disable.
>>> As far as Firewall goes, sometime Disabling it is Not enough, make sure
>>> that the Firewall Trusted zone covers the subnets that you are using.
>>> http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#trusted
>>> Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).
>>>
>>> "Slaz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:qEkcn.65104$PH1.62560@edtnps82...
>>>> Lem wrote:
>>>>> Slaz wrote:
>>>>>> Using a HP laptop with Windows XP SP3. I have a wireless modem. The
>>>>>> laptop using it's own built in wireless adapter connects fine.
>>>>>> I have a USB wireless adapter that I us on the laptop when I'm away
>>>>>> from home. ( mostly in summer when I'm RVing as I can attach an
>>>>>> external antenna to it ). Just these past few days I've built a
>>>>>> bigger
>>>>>> and better antenna. When I tried to us the adapter; with it's
>>>>>> original
>>>>>> antenna ( not the new one ); it would connect to my wireless modem
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> shows an excellent signal and link quality; however; I can not
>>>>>> connect
>>>>>> to the internet. I tried the same wireless adapter on my desktop and
>>>>>> it does work. So it does work; just not on my Laptop. Data encryption
>>>>>> is via WEP and I did put in the right password as I'm showing a . I
>>>>>> did turn of my Virus program and my firewall with negative
>>>>>> results. Me
>>>>>> thinks I've changed something somewhere on my laptop and it is
>>>>>> preventing this wireless adapter from communicating with the
>>>>>> internet.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any suggestions?
>>>>>
>>>>> *What* IP address and Subnet Mask do you get?
>>>>>
>>>>> Most likely, you mis-entered the WEP key (you really should be using
>>>>> WPA2 or WPA).
>>>>>
>>>> Getting a IP address of 192.168.254.6 and a subnet of 255.255.255.0
>>>> I have the right password as I went in and changed it to a "wrong"
>>>> password and I wouldn't get a Ip address or subnet. When I changed it
>>>> back to the right password; the Ip and subnet addresses came up.
>>>
>> Disabled the Laptops network card with negative results.I use Firefox
>> as my browser and Thunderbird as my mail reader. They are both in the
>> trusted zone. I even deleted them and re-entered with negative results.
>
Thanks for your trouble. I will look into that.