Windows ME and wireless networking

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Cracker - 16 Jan 2005 19:24 GMT

Is Windows Me actually compatible with wireless netorking? I have a
friend with two computers both running Windows Me. The main computer is
directly connected to a Linksys WRT54G wireless router. The second
computer is some distance away from the main computer so to bridge the
gap between the two we used a Linksys WPA54G as a repeater. I am
getting a signal on the 2nd computer as indicated by the linksys
software and a signal strength of 54%. However, I am unable to get to
the internet on the 2nd computer. Any clues to what is wrong? The
second computer has a Linkys wireless PCI card installed.

Thanks.

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N. Miller - 17 Jan 2005 03:58 GMT

> Is Windows Me actually compatible with wireless netorking?

Of course it is. There is nothing special about wireless networking that
would make it incompatible.

> I have a friend with two computers both running Windows Me. The main
> computer is directly connected to a Linksys WRT54G wireless router.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> unable to get to the internet on the 2nd computer. Any clues to what
> is wrong? The second computer has a Linkys wireless PCI card installed.

I helped a friend set up a wireless network last year. He already had two
computers wired through a D-Link DI-704UP. I suggested that he use a
wireless access point in order to add a wireless laptop to his LAN. He
purchased a Linksys WAP5G (despite the transposed letters, I believe this is
the same model you mention). I followed the directions, and failed. You
don't mention any symptoms, but maybe this will seem familiar? The laptop
would not obtain an IP address from the D-Link router, no matter what I did
on the Linksys. I even tried a static assignment, but that still did not
work.

In frustration, I suggested that my friend exchange his Linksys for another
WAP. Because of my bad experience with a Linksys router, I suggested the
replacement be any brand other than Linksys; so he exchanged the Linksys
WAP54G for a D-Link DWL-2100AP. I had it running in less than thirty
minutes.

Does the 2nd computer even get a LAN IP address? How did you set the Linksys
IP address scheme? SSID configuration? WEP/WPA? MAC address association? You
mention none of those details, yet they have a purpose, and require
attention. In my case, I tried every option, then reset when it failed, and
tried another.

It may be a defective unit, or it may be improper configuration. Those who
swear by Linksys, instead of swearing at Linksys, tell me that I should have
had no trouble getting it running. Well, maybe so; but I did. And I got the
competitive D-Link product running in no time at all.

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Norman
~Win dain a lotica, En vai tu ri, Si lo ta
~Fin dein a loluca, En dragu a sei lain
~Vi fa-ru les shutai am, En riga-lint

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mudge911 - 14 Feb 2005 05:53 GMT

Cracker Wrote:

> Is Windows Me actually compatible with wireless netorking? I have a
> friend with two computers both running Windows Me. The main computer
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> second computer has a Linkys wireless PCI card installed.
> Thanks.

I was having trouble without using a repeater & had to enable on the
WRT54G router, under "Wireless", "Basic Wireless Settings":
Wireless SSID Broadcast: Enabled.
Good luck.

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mudge911

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