Virgin Media - Limited Connectivity?

[Anita79]

Hello,

I've just set up Virgin Broadband at home and can connect to the net via the Etheret Cable... but cant seem to connect wirelessly. apparantly, my network is set up properly, it says that it is connected to this network... but the wireless icon says 'Limited Connectivity' and I cant open up any webpages, even though the network is set up properly but the status says Validating Identity?? I called Virgin Media/D-Link and they cant help me. They said its something wrong with my laptop! But I dont have anyone to ask and Im certainly not calling PC Line which charges £1.00 a minute! I dont have a landline at home, so calling from a mobile is going to be expensive. If anyone can please help me, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

[xintas]

Hello Anita79,

You said that you called D-Link, which makes me assume that you have purchased a D-Link cable router. Could you please post the model number of the router so that I can help you further?

Xin

[Anita79]

Hi Xin!

The router came with the Virgin Media broadband package. The model is DIR-615 ver. D2 wireless N Home router.

My laptop is strangely connected to the network and signal strength is strong at 11mbps... but the wireless icon in the corner is still trying to connact (has that yellow ball swinging from side to side) but know that its not connected. If you be able to suss this out, that would be great. Thanks! x

[xintas]

One thing which springs to mind from the symptoms you report is when a computer "connects" to a wireless network which uses WEP encryption, however the WEP key is incorrect. It appears to be connected however you are unable to access the internet.

Because you report that connection via a network cable is fine, there is nothing wrong with the internet-side of the router config, so I can only assume that there is a mismatch between the wireless settings in the router, and those in your laptop.

My next steps to diagnose something such as this would be to log into the cable router and check the wireless settings (Network name, or SSID) and the security settings (WEP, WPA, WPA2) and the shared key used to secure the network, match with those configured on the laptop.

To be honest, that kind of diagnostic is beyond anything I could sensibly talk you though here, and it would involve you posting information from your access point which could pose a security risk.

As the cabled connection works but the wireless doesn't, my advice would be to try and track down a "tame" IT bod, and exchange a cup of tea and some choccy biccies for a half-hour of their time to come and sort it for you. I get asked all the time by friends and family to fix home networks!

Wish I could be of more help..

Xin

[gotcabled]

hello
open up the DIR-615 with 192.168.0.1
go to wireless setup

then manual wireless connection setup

WIRELESS NETWORK CONNECTION
wireless network name: what what ever you likeever you like


wireless security mode should be set to: enable WPA/WPA2 wireless
security (enhanced)

WPA/WPA2:
cipher type: AES
PSK/EAP: PSK
network key: what ever you like

[Anita79]

Hi Xin,

How can I do the following - My next steps to diagnose something such as this would be to log into the cable router and check the wireless settings (Network name, or SSID) and the security settings (WEP, WPA, WPA2) and the shared key used to secure the network, match with those configured on the laptop.?

Hi Gotcabled! Thanks for the above... I tried this method 4 times on the phone with Virgin media, but it didnt get me conntacted. But they told me to go to RUN and type in Ping 192.068.0.1 a black screen comnes up saying that its not reachable??? Virgin Media said that the router is fine, but cant seem to connect to my laptop because there is something in my laptop that is stopping it from being connected?? he said its a wireless management thing...?? i dont know if this has anything to do with it, but my laptop has always conntacted up to other networks fine at my previous houses, but somehow I cant seem to connect up to this router... any ideas..?? thanks x

[xintas]

Hi Anita,
Gotcabled's instructions above cover the basics of the diagnosis I would normally do.

"Destination net unreachable" essentially tells you what you already know - that your laptop is unable to communicate with your router.

Xin

[Peter_]

A bit more information on setting up the D Link.

[Anita79]

Oh, the wireless icon with the yellow swinging ball says - signal strength is excellent and status is validating identity??

---------- Post added at 23:00 ---------- Previous post was at 22:57 ----------

Hi Xin,

Ok... so how can I get my laptop to communicate with the router...? thanks again x

[Peter_]

Have you done a pinhole reset of the router before trying the setup again.

Have you had any other router software on your machine, if so it must be removed, especially the wireless manager from the Virgin Netgear WGR614.

[xintas]

"validating identity" is sometimes due to Windows attempting to perform 802.1x authentication. Open up Control Panel, then "Network Connections". Right-click your wireless adaptor and select "properties". If you have an "Authentication" tab, untick the "Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network" checkbox and "OK" you way out of adaptor properties and try to connect again.

Xin

[Anita79]

Hi Moldova!

Im going to try the pinhole reset now... but we had a netgear router at the previous house (still with virgin media) but had to call netgear and they got me to change some settings on my laptop as it wouldnt connect - but my housemates laptops connected fine. i wonder if those settings are still on my laptop and needs to be changed back? the house before this, we had a linksy router and that connected fine... does any of that info help..? thanks x

[jtaylor06]

You may have your connection set to manual where it would probably be a set ip address of for example 192.168.1.2

Vista / 7:
Go to Start, Network, Network and Sharing Center. On the side click Change adapater settings.
Right click on the wireless adapater and click properties.
Click Internet Protocol version 4
then properties.

Set everything to automatic then press ok

This should work

If on XP, it should be Start, Network connections, then skip straight to the bit where it says right click on the adapater

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Anita79

Hi Moldova!

Im going to try the pinhole reset now... but we had a netgear router at the previous house (still with virgin media) but had to call netgear and they got me to change some settings on my laptop as it wouldnt connect - but my housemates laptops connected fine. i wonder if those settings are still on my laptop and needs to be changed back? the house before this, we had a linksy router and that connected fine... does any of that info help..? thanks x

Check in the system tray and if it is there it will say Virgin Wireless manager, you need to right click it and choose exit and then go to either Add/remove programs on XP or Programs and Features in Vista/Win7 and remove it.

Then follow my instructions above.

[Anita79]

Hi Xin!

Ok, I have cleared that EE thing... and tried re-connecting wirelessly... the network key box came up and I typed in my password twice... then it started connecting.... then in the wirless network connections box - my network says limited or no connectivity now (not validating identity - as previously stated) and now the wireless icon at the bottom toolbar has the compter icon with a yellow warning sign next to it..??? but no connection still..... hmmmm...... any ideas what has happened? thanks x

---------- Post added at 23:22 ---------- Previous post was at 23:14 ----------

Moldova - where can I find the system tray?

---------- Post added at 23:34 ---------- Previous post was at 23:22 ----------

Moldova - I dont have the virgin wireless manager installed on my laptop....