WLAN Authentication Problem

I've already tried HP's support desk to no avail, but maybe someone here
can give me some hints. I have an HP/Compaq NC4000 laptop with the HP
W400 802.11b/g WLAN module running with Atheros Client Utility software.
I've been using this laptop with my WLAN at home (D-Link 624 AP/router)
with no problem for months, and it was working fine on Wednesday night.
Then last night I tried to connect, and I couldn't get past the
authentication stage. I had changed no settings from the previous night
when it was working, so I don't know what's going on.

After several hours of troubleshooting and reinstalling software as
directed by the HP support tech and changing various settings, I have
discovered the following:

- When I try to use authentication, on the Atheros Client Utility
screen, I see it saying "Authenticating..." but it never progresses past
that. There is excellent signal strength. It goes from having no IP
address to having one that starts 169.xxx.xxx.xxx, but the normal IP
address for a successful connection starts at 172.xxx.xxx.xxx (that fits
the IP address assigned to my router).

- I can connect with no problem as long as I don't use authentication.
WEP encryption works fine. So there's nothing wrong with the radio or
the basic WLAN module or router.

- None of the authentication schemes work.

- The router's log file shows that wireless authentication WAS
successful. This indicates that the problem is not mismatched
passphrases or pre-shared keys (which I've already changed and checked
anyway). It seems like the laptop just doesn't know that authentication
was successful for some reason.

- The laptop appears to have trouble receiving packets when I attempt to
use authentication. The number of received packets is usually 0, or
sometimes a very low number.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for your help!

ML <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:1106345401.514593
@cswreg.cos.agilent.com:

>
> - When I try to use authentication, on the Atheros Client Utility
> screen, I see it saying "Authenticating..." but it never progresses
past
> that. There is excellent signal strength. It goes from having no IP
> address to having one that starts 169.xxx.xxx.xxx, but the normal IP
> address for a successful connection starts at 172.xxx.xxx.xxx (that
fits
> the IP address assigned to my router).

The 169. IP being assigned by the O/S means that the computer couldn't
get a DHCP IP from the DHCP server on the router and it timed out. The
169. IP will allow the machine to access other machines on the LAN. The
169. IP will not allow access to the Internet, since the machine never
got an IP from the router. This is due to some type of mis-configuration
happening with the card or router or something could be defective with
the card or the router. But 9 times out of 10, it's due to a mis-
configuration.

>
> - I can connect with no problem as long as I don't use authentication.
> WEP encryption works fine. So there's nothing wrong with the radio or
> the basic WLAN module or router.
>
> - None of the authentication schemes work.
>
> - The router's log file shows that wireless authentication WAS
> successful. This indicates that the problem is not mismatched
> passphrases or pre-shared keys (which I've already changed and checked
> anyway). It seems like the laptop just doesn't know that
authentication
> was successful for some reason.
>
> - The laptop appears to have trouble receiving packets when I attempt
to
> use authentication. The number of received packets is usually 0, or
> sometimes a very low number.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions?

I never use the card's utility and it's never installed as it can be
trouble. I always go to O/S's Device Manager and install the driver and
configure the card there too. If you're not using a XP O/S then you may
need to card's utility to show signal strength. If it is a XP then you
can go to the LAN Connection screen for the NIC and set show *network
connection icon* which will show the signal strength when the icon has a
mouse-over it done.

Duane

"Duane Arnold" wrote in message
> >
> > - When I try to use authentication, on the Atheros Client Utility
> > screen, I see it saying "Authenticating..." but it never
progresses
> past
> > that. There is excellent signal strength. It goes from having no
IP
> > address to having one that starts 169.xxx.xxx.xxx, but the normal
IP
> > address for a successful connection starts at 172.xxx.xxx.xxx
(that
> fits
> > the IP address assigned to my router).
>
> The 169. IP being assigned by the O/S means that the computer
couldn't
> get a DHCP IP from the DHCP server on the router and it timed out.
The
> 169. IP will allow the machine to access other machines on the LAN.
The
> 169. IP will not allow access to the Internet, since the machine
never
> got an IP from the router. This is due to some type of
mis-configuration
> happening with the card or router or something could be defective
with
> the card or the router. But 9 times out of 10, it's due to a mis-
> configuration.
>
> >
> > - I can connect with no problem as long as I don't use
authentication.
> > WEP encryption works fine. So there's nothing wrong with the
radio or
> > the basic WLAN module or router.
> >
> > - None of the authentication schemes work.
> >
> > - The router's log file shows that wireless authentication WAS
> > successful. This indicates that the problem is not mismatched
> > passphrases or pre-shared keys (which I've already changed and
checked
> > anyway). It seems like the laptop just doesn't know that
> authentication
> > was successful for some reason.
> >
> > - The laptop appears to have trouble receiving packets when I
attempt
> to
> > use authentication. The number of received packets is usually 0,
or
> > sometimes a very low number.
> >
> > Does anyone have any suggestions?
>
> I never use the card's utility and it's never installed as it can be
> trouble. I always go to O/S's Device Manager and install the driver
and
> configure the card there too. If you're not using a XP O/S then you
may
> need to card's utility to show signal strength. If it is a XP then
you
> can go to the LAN Connection screen for the NIC and set show
*network
> connection icon* which will show the signal strength when the icon
has a
> mouse-over it done.
>
> Duane

If you are using WEP, the most secure authentication is open, not
shared key.
I know this doesnt fix your problem but maybe it will make you worry
less
about it

Duane Arnold wrote:
> I never use the card's utility and it's never installed as it can be
> trouble. I always go to O/S's Device Manager and install the driver and
> configure the card there too. If you're not using a XP O/S then you may
> need to card's utility to show signal strength. If it is a XP then you
> can go to the LAN Connection screen for the NIC and set show *network
> connection icon* which will show the signal strength when the icon has a
> mouse-over it done.

Unfortunately the laptop has Windows 2000 so I do need the utility to
show the signal strength. There's also no easy alternative to reset the
parameters when I switch between wireless networks.

Airhead wrote:
> If you are using WEP, the most secure authentication is open, not
> shared key.
> I know this doesnt fix your problem but maybe it will make you worry
> less about it

I normally use WPA with a passphrase or pre-shared key as the
authentication scheme. That's more secure than WEP and it's one of the
reasons I bought the router that I did instead of an older 802.11b router.

ML <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

> Duane Arnold wrote:
>> I never use the card's utility and it's never installed as it can be
>> trouble. I always go to O/S's Device Manager and install the driver
>> and configure the card there too. If you're not using a XP O/S then
>> you may need to card's utility to show signal strength. If it is a XP
>> then you can go to the LAN Connection screen for the NIC and set show
>> *network connection icon* which will show the signal strength when
>> the icon has a mouse-over it done.
>
> Unfortunately the laptop has Windows 2000 so I do need the utility to
> show the signal strength. There's also no easy alternative to reset
> the parameters when I switch between wireless networks.
>
>

Win 2K does have a Wireless Zero Configuration Service just like XP has but
it's disabled by default. I don't know if it even works! ;-) But it's
there. You may want to enable it and see if it buys you anything on
switching between wireless networks. WZCS on XP lets you roam and it seeks
out and connects to other wireless networks in the area.

Duane