Home Wireless network troubleshooting

[Gben 20]

Um I recently added a wireless hub to my dsl modem at home.

 

I can connect effortlessly with my notebook to the internet, so I bought a pci wireless card for the desktop and moved it out to the garage - to create a new playground.

 

But when I turn on the desktop on it seems to cutoff internet access for both the laptop and desktop.

The only solution is often to power down the DSL modem and reboot the laptop.

 

Desktop is winxp with (free) zonealarm.

Laptop is vista with (actually I'm not sure what firewall it's using - maybe default windoze!)

The dsl modem and wireless hub are not physically connected to any computers (different room).

 

Both desktop and laptop are connected to the wireless network, but when desktop on, they both lose internet access.

 

I used to be able to play C&C3 via LAN via hamachi when the desktop was still physically connected to the desktop but no longer. I was planning to pummel a few friends on the weekend via LAN but I have no idea what's wrong.

 

Any clues?

[Sonic 296]

I don't know much about networking so I can only guess here. I would start by check your DHCP settings in your router. Are IP adresses being auto-assigned to computers or are they manually assigned?

 

Check the basic settings on each computer as well, computer name, work group name etc....

 

This problem started when you added the PCI wireless card? Perhaps there is something wrong with it.

[Gben 20]

I was hoping someone else would contribute to this thread, so that I could mask my ignorance... but I don't know how to check my DHCP settings nor what they should be. I'm pretty sure the IP address were auto-assigned but I think I might have set up a manual IP address from previous lan games via ethernet.

 

As far as I know the workgroups aren't the problem, because it's connecting to the wireless network - but I'm having trouble connecting to the internet.

 

Well actually, if i cross my fingers, throw some salt over my left shoulder, and click my heels I can get both computers on the internet if I turn the winxp desktop on first, then once it's loaded up nicely head over to the vista laptop. But often to repeat the trick I need to power down the dsl modem the next day....

 

I've made a post a wireless network forum, but I'm still waiting for a reply there too... so any assistance is appreciated!

[Mina Synd 0]

if it's not the wireless card itself with a problem it's a problem with the wireless configuration... either that or your garage has lead walls XD (hey you never know. asbestos can kill a connection pretty darn fast o.o) also it's possible that other things may be interfering with the connection... like a wireless phone or a microwave. one of my friends gets dc'd every time her mom turns on the microwave. sucks but what can you do...

have a look on portforward.com... they explain a lot of stuff on there, so chances are you may find how to check your DHCP settings (i used to know but i can't remember >>; so sue me) if that fails i'd say go through your routers settings and double check everything o.o; is the laptop definately confirmed on the router? it seems a bit of an odd circumstance... oh hello i think i might know. you know you had to put in an ISP screenname for your router to gain access to the internet? did you make sure you created a new ISP screenname especially for the router or are you using one you use on the desktop? cos that could be why. if you use your screenname, you sign on and it signs the router off XD

 

either way... double check everything you can get near. i'm not quite sure what the problem is but if i think of anymore possible solutions i'll let you know kay? ^-^

[TheBlackOut 7]

If you want people that might respond faster and more experience (no offense Sonic, Mina... myself) I've always found the Anandtech forums to be helpful: http://forums.anandtech.com/

[Gben 20]

either way... double check everything you can get near.

 

I love this kind of advice...NOT!

Because I never know what to check! nor what it should be checked against!

 

When I work out the problem then I can usually google a solution... but I just don't know what the problem is in the first place.

 

There is something in your post though Mina. The router was configured with the desktop, and if I turn that on the desktop first or then the laptop has been able to connect with no issues. Of course if the desktop stays off the laptop also connects no sweat.

The problems usually happen when I turn the laptop on first then the desktop... and then i power down everything and start again.

 

I looked at the IP settings, V4 I notice allows you to setup a alternative manually assigned ip address, but the vista machine has both v4 and v6 TCPIP. v6 doesn't seem to have the obvious auto and alt ip address simultaneously like v4.

 

Of course NETWORKS operate by MAGIC by and large well in my experience anyway!

[Mina Synd 0]

hmm... that's pretty strange. really i should be able to help here as i had a similar problem before but i can't for the life of me remember how i solved it n_n;

but really the router shouldn't be "connected" to the main pc... connected as in plugged in or on the network, but they shouldn't be linked together like that... routers operate independantly of the computers running on them o.O

... once again, it's very very strange... hmm ._. but then again it's probably just a vista bug. my xp computer and xp laptops work just fine with the router and never lose connection, but this vista compy randomly loses the internet connection, though still connected to the network. i have to reboot the router and there is no logical reason why it happens... and there's no way i can reboot the router through the compy or switch the connection back on (i can reboot the router but it doesn't properly reboot so it doesn't work xD everytime it cuts out i have to put vista compy in sleep mode and reboot the router then bring vista compy back on XD; only takes a minute or so but it's annoying none the less)

i'd say find some engineer friends to help you. call up a compy engineer and get them to check it out. if they can't fix it chances are it's just one of those strange bugs which never get fixed o.o;