[SOLVED] router/connection issues

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I connected a Netgear WPN824 wireless router to my Mac (OSX 10.4) and Netgear WPN311 wireless adapters to two desktop pc's. All systems are a go on the Mac but the PC's are unable to connect. Actually, sometimes they connect for a few seconds but then drop the connection. I have gone over the router settings a bunch of times and can't seem to find where the problem is. Been at this for 2 days, HELP. What the heck am I doing wrong?
 

karazelle

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Re: router/connection issues

If you use Windows XP, you should go to Network connections and then right click your wireless network, properties and go to the wireless network tab. Remove the wireless network names from the list if any exist.
In Vista this is under Network centre on the left as "Manage wireless networks".

As a side note, on MacOS X this is under System Preferences -> Network for the network adapter, one removes the network name from the list. You shouldn't necessarily touch this though.

See if this solved it?Since both router and decice are netgear, this seems a bit peculiar, but worth a try... Try to turn off encryption (temporarily) and see if it helps. Perhaps you need to choose a different encryption scheme? WPA vs WPA2, or worst case scenario WEP (ugh).

(joke) replace PCs with Macs? ;)
 
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Re: router/connection issues

Thank you!! That seems to have done the trick. I did have to turn off the encryption. I had it on WEP which I know everyone hates :) Now I'm a little nervous to add security back on but will try it on WPA instead this time.

Waiting to win the lottery, then will get all MAC's :)

Thanks again
 

karazelle

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Re: router/connection issues

You're welcome.

Please change this thread to "Solved" using the menu "Thread tools"? :)
 
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Re: router/connection issues

Guess it didn't work. Was away from computers most of the day yesterday. When I got back on to check them out, the connections were lost again. Now its saying that there is no default gateway yet when I check the router settings, it is clearly there. Each pc will connect for no longer than 2 minutes before it takes a hike. My son is about ready to throw his pc out the window as he is trying to play WarCraft (we all have our priorities, huh?). Any other ideas before the sledge hammer comes out :)
 

karazelle

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Re: router/connection issues

You should try the profile removal tricks in my first answer above.

The problem with troubleshooting wireless routers is that:
a) there is usually no logging or diagnostic tool on the router that helps with clients. When there is diag tools its usually for the connection itself.
b) most people don't "have another router around" to see if the router is the problem, although that might be the case for you.

I used to dislike NetGear routers in my previous job because of their crazy self-config wizard that never worked but after we got past that I never heard from those customers again. I never got one myself either, having preferred D-link, Linksys and the one we have now: Thompson (which is a wlan integrated into DSL modem from ISP).
Often, NICs can be better than routers from a manufacturer, and while one might think Netgear on both ends should be idiot proof, one never knows. There could also be disturbances in the signal in your home etc.

Are the PCs Windows XP? If so, do they have SP2 or 3?
 
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Re: router/connection issues

The pc's are both running just Windows XP. Now I'm wondering if I should return the netgear router and get a different brand.
 
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Re: router/connection issues

Well, it took me days of frustration but I pretty much figured out the answer to the problems I was having. Netgear pretty much stinks :mad: when it comes to Mac's and Pc's communicating. I took the dumb thing back and got a D-Link router instead. It took me about 3 hours (this includes the time it took to download Firefox onto my Mac) to get everything working. The D-Link was easy to install and works like a charm. :D
 

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