Westell 327W sees SSID but won't reconnect

I have 2 wired desktops and 1 wireless laptop connecting to the
network. My DSL internet connection does not go down, my wired desktops
are fine and connected to the network.

I have the wireless set up with a 128-bit WEP key, Open System. I have
set up the laptop with the same profile and it automatically connects
to my network when I turn it on. It reconnects automatically when I
reboot the laptop. However, after the laptop has been off for several
hours (overnight or during work hours while I'm away), I turn it on and
it says "unable to connect to your preferred network" or something
similar.

It sees my network in the list of available wireless networks, but it
will not connect (either automatically or by telling it to connect).
The only way to reconnect has been to take these steps:

Go to the router web interface through a wired desktop, and re-enter
the WEP key (13 character string for 128bits) and re-enter that same
key in my laptop. It is as if the router 'forgets' its WEP key and I
have to set it up again.

I have 802.1x authentication turned off on the laptop (I know that
causes disconnects)

I have read many suggestions here about dealing with similar but
different problems. Changing the channel from 6 to something else,
turning on '4x support' and/or MAC filtering (these are disabled - I
don't know what they do).

I am debating whether or not to cancel Verizon DSL and go back to more
expensive Comcast cable.

Please help, this is very annoying. It is not easy to reproduce the
problem because it happens about half the time. I have to reset the WEP
key on the router and the laptop everyday. Internet connection through
wired computers is fine. Thanks!

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
>I have 2 wired desktops and 1 wireless laptop connecting to
>the
> network. My DSL internet connection does not go down, my
> wired desktops
> are fine and connected to the network.
>
> I have the wireless set up with a 128-bit WEP key, Open
> System. I have
> set up the laptop with the same profile and it
> automatically connects
> to my network when I turn it on. It reconnects
> automatically when I
> reboot the laptop. However, after the laptop has been off
> for several
> hours (overnight or during work hours while I'm away), I
> turn it on and
> it says "unable to connect to your preferred network" or
> something
> similar.
>
> It sees my network in the list of available wireless
> networks, but it
> will not connect (either automatically or by telling it to
> connect).
> The only way to reconnect has been to take these steps:
>
> Go to the router web interface through a wired desktop,
> and re-enter
> the WEP key (13 character string for 128bits) and re-enter
> that same
> key in my laptop. It is as if the router 'forgets' its WEP
> key and I
> have to set it up again.
>
> I have 802.1x authentication turned off on the laptop (I
> know that
> causes disconnects)
>
> I have read many suggestions here about dealing with
> similar but
> different problems. Changing the channel from 6 to
> something else,
> turning on '4x support' and/or MAC filtering (these are
> disabled - I
> don't know what they do).
>
> I am debating whether or not to cancel Verizon DSL and go
> back to more
> expensive Comcast cable.
>
> Please help, this is very annoying. It is not easy to
> reproduce the
> problem because it happens about half the time. I have to
> reset the WEP
> key on the router and the laptop everyday. Internet
> connection through
> wired computers is fine. Thanks!
>
What would changing to Cable from DSL prove? Your problem is
with the
wireless portion of your local network, not with the
internet connection.
Why is authentication turned off?
Can you change to WPA?. It's better than WEP and has fewer
setup pitfalls.

The modem/router (Westell Versalink 327W) was part of the deal with
Verizon's DSL promotion. When I called Verizon's tech support and
explained this problem the first time, I had the same WEP security
setup except Shared Key instead of Open System. The tech told me that
they instruct people to set up their wireless network with Open System
WEP, and if you want to use any other features of the router (e.g. WPA
security or Shared Key WEP, etc) then you are on your own. They don't
extend their support for anything more complicated. At that time I
changed from Shared Key WEP to an Open System WEP (128 bit), and waited
for a couple of days. Then the problem happened again.

This problem has not happened in the last day, but it is hard to
reproduce because it takes a whole day of inactivity to invoke , and it
occurs half the time.

I don't know what the difference is between WPA and WEP. Have you ever
heard of the router "forgetting" its WEP setup? If that is a problem
inherent in WEP, then I could try WPA.

Also, is it possible that the wireless card built into my laptop may
have any limitations? I had been using a WEP setup with my cable modem
+ netgear router for about a year. Everytime the netgear was
broadcasting, my laptop would pick up the signal and connect. This
problem is different: laptop sees the router broadcasting (SSID is
visible in "list of available wireless networks") and does not connect.
Automatically or explicitly.

Thanks

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> The modem/router (Westell Versalink 327W) was part of the deal with
> Verizon's DSL promotion. When I called Verizon's tech support and
> explained this problem the first time, I had the same WEP security
> setup except Shared Key instead of Open System. The tech told me that
> they instruct people to set up their wireless network with Open System
> WEP, and if you want to use any other features of the router (e.g. WPA
> security or Shared Key WEP, etc) then you are on your own. They don't
> extend their support for anything more complicated. At that time I
> changed from Shared Key WEP to an Open System WEP (128 bit), and
> waited for a couple of days. Then the problem happened again.
>
> This problem has not happened in the last day, but it is hard to
> reproduce because it takes a whole day of inactivity to invoke , and
> it occurs half the time.
>
> I don't know what the difference is between WPA and WEP. Have you
> ever heard of the router "forgetting" its WEP setup? If that is a
> problem inherent in WEP, then I could try WPA.
>
> Also, is it possible that the wireless card built into my laptop may
> have any limitations? I had been using a WEP setup with my cable
> modem + netgear router for about a year. Everytime the netgear was
> broadcasting, my laptop would pick up the signal and connect. This
> problem is different: laptop sees the router broadcasting (SSID is
> visible in "list of available wireless networks") and does not
> connect. Automatically or explicitly.
>
> Thanks

Google for winsockxpfix.exe. This will repair layered services and
*might* fix the problem. Also, disable "automatically connect to
non-preferred networks, enable access point (infrastructure) networks
only. Make sure that only one of wireless zero config or the westell
utility are running.

Q