Usb wireless adapter won't connect

Lem wrote:
> 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.
>
Actually I was going to try something like that. I was just going to
wardrive; but we have a Starbucks a few minuets away. I will try. Thanks.