Windows ME and Wireless Internet

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Robin CB - 27 Apr 2008 13:56 GMT

Hi,

I have a laptop running ME and am trying to connect to my Orange Broadband
Router without success.

I have no trouble with connecting wireless to the Router with my desktop PC
running XP using a Sweex USB dongle, but using the same dongle on my laptop
doesn't work. I have also tried a Motorola PCMCIA card on my laptop without
success.

Both the dongle and the PCMCIA card allow me to see the Router, but both
tell me I am disconnected. I have tried re-entering the WEP key several
times.

I have tried Pinging the router's IP address, but it says "Destination host
unreachable".

Any ideas?

Thanks,

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Mike M - 27 Apr 2008 16:33 GMT

Have you installed the necessary Win Me drivers for the dongle and PCMCIA
card?

What does running WinIPCfg tell you about your adapter?

> Both the dongle and the PCMCIA card allow me to see the Router, but
> both tell me I am disconnected. I have tried re-entering the WEP key
> several times.

Ok, so it appears you may have installed the drivers.
Can you connect if you TEMPORARILY disable WEP on the router?
Have you perhaps enabled MAC filtering on the router, that is only
allowing clients with known MAC addresses to connect? This is called on
some routers "registration".

One final thought. I assume that you have DHCP enabled on the router,
that is the router allocates an IP address to each machine wanting to
connect. If so check that you haven't allocated and IP address to the
Wireless NIC on the laptop OR if you have that the IP address is within
the allocated range on the router.

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Thanks,

Reply to this Message

Robin CB - 27 Apr 2008 22:12 GMT

Thanks Mike,

I can confirm that the drivers and utilities have been installed for both
devices.

I have tried temporarily removing all WPA / WEP security from the router,
but this hasn't allowed connection.

Typing WinIPCfg tells me my Host Name, but the DNS Server is blank. The
Node Type is Broadcast, but the other Host Information is blank. The
Ethernet Adapter Information gives me an Adapter Address, but the IP Address
says "Media Disconnected". The Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, etc are blank.

I cannot find anything about MAC on the router settings, but DHCP is
enabled. The Start Address and Server End Address are very close together
(only the last set of numbers is different ), but I can't see a way of
changing them.

Does this give you a clue?

Thanks,

Robin

> Have you installed the necessary Win Me drivers for the dongle and PCMCIA
> card?
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> >
> > Thanks,

Reply to this Message

Mike M - 27 Apr 2008 23:31 GMT

Robin,

Knowing the router model would possibly help, especially so as you have
been unable to determine whether router is blocking access from your
hardware based on its MAC address. Alternatively have you been able to
connect to the router using the same hardware (usb or PCMIA) but installed
in another system which would mean that either the device is registered
with the router or that the router doesn't require device registration?

You might be better posting details of your problem to the
WindowsMe.Networking NG. (microsoft.public.windowsme.networking) where one
of the networking gurus might see your post, Steve Winograd is one who
comes to mind although I know he has recently cut down on his posting to
the NGs.

Incidentally if the router doesn't require hardware registration and you
are using WEP encryption this is a bit like having your front door kept
closed by a piece of string. As you may know it takes about 20 seconds to
break WEP using readily available tools.

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Thanks Mike,
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Does this give you a clue?

Reply to this Message

Robin CB - 28 Apr 2008 09:54 GMT

Mike,

Thanks again for your help.

My router is a proprietary one from Orange (called an Orange Livebox), so I
can't easily identify it, but the firmware is INVENTEL v5.10.

Re WEP - sorry I should have said - it is currently set to "WPA Only".

I will try the Networking NG this evening.

Cheers,

Robin

> Robin,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> closed by a piece of string. As you may know it takes about 20 seconds to
> break WEP using readily available tools.

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