Networking issue

[FerretallicA]

I have been able to get it to connect via wifi EVERYWHERE else other than through this router, which I bought at the same time that I reinstalled XP on it to clean it up. I just created a wifi hotspot with my phone to check that it would connect to that, and it has done so fine. There is just something blocking the data from being recieved to the netbook when I am using any kind of secure network from this router. If I disable the wifi security passwords and try to connect, it works fine.

To clarify, which of these is true:

1) you have been able to connect to Wifi elsewhere, but they have all been open/unsecured and you have not tried connecting to a secure network

2) you have been able to connect to Wifi elsewhere but secured networks give you the same issue

3) you have been able to connect to Wifi elsewhere, including secured networks

Also, what are the encryption security settings for your Wifi? WEP is well established as being easy to hack but unless you have a specific reason to suspect someone is piggybacking off your Wifi, use it. WPA-PSK and its variants are more secure but Windows XP's support for it is extremely temperamental. If it works with WEP but you don't feel comfortable with leaving it that way (most additional safeguards on top of WEP like MAC filtering are easily circumventable as well) we can look at options from there. If it still doesn't work.... we'll also look at options from there

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Option 3.

I have tried both kinds of security at home, and neither work. I don't mind which I use if I can get either happening!

 

[Southy]

H A M M E R

 

[FerretallicA]

Well I'm nearly out of things to try without physically standing in front of the netbook and router to fuck around with them. The other thing which would be helpful at this point is another router to troubleshoot with. Wireless routers are cheap enough that it would be worth getting another one from somewhere like JB where you can easily return it if it doesn't solve your dramas (or if it DOES solve your dramas and it turns out you don't need it after all...). As it stands though, the main suspect remaining is configuration specific to your netbook and the router (eg: if you're using vendor-specific software to manage wireless connections and it doesn't like a specific wireless encryption variant you're using).

Other things being able to connect through it suggests your router is fine.
Being able to connect to other Wifi points suggests your netbook is fine.

So that just leaves...

H A M M E R

^ this

 

[FerretallicA]

Actually one other thing which might sound stupid at first... try using different length passwords and see if it makes a difference.
If you're using a really short password (eg "maiden") try a password which is exactly 8 characters and one which is more than 8 characters.
Also when you're trying WEP, the password should look somethig like "583b900a3b2e", try connecting with the password using lowercase for all the letters, and try with uppercase.
I had a longer post explaining it and the fucking laptop battery died before I finished. In a nutshell though, it's seeing if quirks with the different wifi encryption implementations on your netbook or router (more likely the former) are the cause.

 

[Stonewall]

I've also read that having a wifi network name too long can sometimes cause hassles. I think less than 10 characters was recommended.