Problems with setting up a Telewest Blueyonder Wireless Network

parkepr · 19-06-2006, 13:17

Hi All,
I'm rapidly losing hair here.

heres the scenario:-

I've got Telewest Blueyonder 2mb Broadband Internet and the modem is currently in what is soon to be a our nursary (little one due in September!!).

At Christmas I was lucky enough to get a Dell Axim x51v PDA with wifi built in. I thought I'll get a wireless router and be able to browse the internet downstairs, in the garden etc...

So off i popped to PC world and picked up a Linksys WRT54g router and as part of a special offer I got a Linksys wusb54g USB adaptor for free. i though i'll take that even though i don't need it at the moment.

I unplugged the ethernet cable that runs from my telewest supplied motorola surfboard modem to my PC and and used the linksys blue ethernet cable from the modem to the router then plugged the existing ethernet cable from the router (I believe the port labled 1) to my PC.

All worked fine - I was able to pick the internet on my PDA and still use it on my PC. All this time I ahdn't even unpacked my linksys wireless USB adaptor as I didn't need it.

Now the time has come to move my PC from the soon to be nursary to a different room. So ithough aha!!! I'll move the PC and use the Linksys Wireless USB adaptor to make my PC a wireless PC and hence avoid running 200 miles of cable around the upstairs of my house (ok I'm exagerating a little!!)

I duly moved the PC to the next room, booted it up and then plugged my USB adaptor in. (during this time the modem and router were switched off). I installed the software and went through the wizard and this is where the problems start.

my adaptor comes with a moniter application will shows you what wifi networks are near by etc... It only ever shows that i have connected to the access point but the internet cannot be found. Apart from a couple times for about 3-4 minutes when it has picked up the internet and worked fine.

I've uninstalled, re-installed tried un-installing and just plugging in the adaptor and using the Windows XP wireless set up. All the time I'm having no joy. The strange thing is my PDA still picks up the internet from router fine, which leads me to think there is either something wrong with the USB adaptor or there is a setting on my PC which blocking it using the internet.

Can offer any assistance before I go completely bald?!?!?

Chris W · 19-06-2006, 13:33

have you setup any security or mac address filtering on the router?

parkepr · 19-06-2006, 14:11

I've set up a password but don't think i've set up any mac filtering.

Is there anywhere i can check this?

Cheers

pete

Mr J · 19-06-2006, 19:42

Are you getting an IP address on your machine supplied by the DHCP of the router? MAC addy filtering shouldn't be a problem at the minute as it sounds like you have not set it up as yet.

Have you put in the correct SSID for which your router is broadcasting on? Have you setup the WEP or WAP encryption? Have you got the correct passphrase entered? Using the correct channel which your router is transmitting on (shouldn't make a great deal of difference that one, but allways good to have them all talking on the same channel.)

Let windows scan for wireless networks in it's range, go to network connections right click on the wireless adapter, click properties, click middle tab for wireless properties (I think that's what is says, not got one installed on this comp and can't remember) at the top you will see let windows manage my wireless something, make sure the box is checked.

Can you see any wireless networks now?

Hope this helps and points you in the direction of a few things you have not tried.

19-06-2006, 21:25

Sorry to hi-jack the thread, but I am thinking of this router. Can I just ask the people here why PC World is the only site I have come across that sells the WRT54GS cheaper then the regular G model ?.. I was under the impression the GS was more expensive. ? At least it is over at play.com and dabs.com

Linky Linky...

parkepr · 20-06-2006, 08:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr J

Are you getting an IP address on your machine supplied by the DHCP of the router? MAC addy filtering shouldn't be a problem at the minute as it sounds like you have not set it up as yet.

Have you put in the correct SSID for which your router is broadcasting on? Have you setup the WEP or WAP encryption? Have you got the correct passphrase entered? Using the correct channel which your router is transmitting on (shouldn't make a great deal of difference that one, but allways good to have them all talking on the same channel.)

Let windows scan for wireless networks in it's range, go to network connections right click on the wireless adapter, click properties, click middle tab for wireless properties (I think that's what is says, not got one installed on this comp and can't remember) at the top you will see let windows manage my wireless something, make sure the box is checked.

Can you see any wireless networks now?

Hope this helps and points you in the direction of a few things you have not tried.

Hi Mr J,
Just to summarise The router works fine when an ethernet cable running from the router to the PC (with telewest going straight into the Router (via motorola modem))

I can connect and pick up the internet on my Dell PDA.

However I don't think my PC picks up an IP address as when I right click on my wireless connection and click repair it comes back with an error message saying the renewing the IP adress failed, please contact your ISP or network administrator.

Could this be where the problem lies?

If so, does anyone know how to fix it?

Many thanks for your time and help.

Mr J · 21-06-2006, 16:39

Can you see the broadcast at all from your router?? Either through the linksys software or through windows own?

parkepr · 22-06-2006, 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr J

Can you see the broadcast at all from your router?? Either through the linksys software or through windows own?

Hi Mr J,
I can see the router using both Linksys monitor application and also windows monitor (bpoth show a strong signal). However it cannot connect to the internet, where my Dell wifi PDA can. Based on that I suspect that the problem lies somewhere on the USB adaptor that i'm pluging into my PC or a setting on my PC. However I've tried most things (like diabling firewalls, uninstalling it all powering it all down and reassembling bit by bit.

If I can't crack by the weekend then it's down to B&Q for 30 foot of coax cable!!!

Mr J · 22-06-2006, 17:20

Hehe, I'd cat5 the place up anyway!!

Ok, so both wireless applications can see the broadcast and when you click connect to this broadcast, does it ask you for your encryption key or password?

parkepr · 23-06-2006, 08:30

Hi,
When I connect it doesn't ask for a pass phrase or wep key or anything as I don't think i've enabled security on the router yet.

Thanks for your time Mr J.

Cheers
Pete

Mr J · 23-06-2006, 14:36

No probs.

Ok then, so you can see the wireless broadcast and you can connect to it.

if you do an

Click start button, then run - type cmd in to box and hit enter.

In command prompt type:

ipconfig /all

copy and paste everything in to here.

What IP address are you given by DHCP from your router? Should be 192.168.*.* - what is your default gateway set to? (Should be your routers IP address, the IP address you connect to the router on through a browser to edit the config for it)

Just thinking, when your do get conneccoted to the wireless signal, can you browse to your router through IE, by going to http://192.168.1.1/ ?

Also, have you tried running through the IE setup again?? Open up IE, click on tools then internet options, clikc on connections tab in new box that opens, then click on setup in the top right corner. When your going through the setup go through options Connect to the internet - set up connection manually - connect using a broadband connection that is always on - finish.

See if that does anything.

parkepr · 05-07-2006, 17:17

Well I've finally got the problem sorted. After 90 mins in the phone to linksys support they suggested I take the usb adaptor (wusb54gs) and replace it with a non speedbooster one (wusb54g).

Lo and behold it works and i've had perfect internet access for the past week.

Thanks to all of you for your time and help.

Cheers

Pete