Question for Wireless Laptop users...

[MBH]

I figured if I started a thread entitled "IT Help Required", nobody would believe me - but there are LARGE chunks of technology I know nothing about.

A good while ago I put my own Netgear wireless router in place, and configured in the downstairs computer with a plug-in receiver to connection to it. I did it by following the instructions, got almost everything right, and still screwed something stupid up. (All sorted out, obviously).

Helping a friend of my wife's out she was doing the same thing with the same kit - so I said I'd try it. Before I got my hands on it, someone else that 'knows about computers' had tried He'd managed to set the laptop up as the 'Master' controller of the network, and the desktop trying to find it...

Anyway - with the proviso that this was NOT my area of expertise, I created a differently named network on the desktop computer and hand the wireless laptop find it. Job done (or so I thought).

First... the daughter goes off to visit her Dad and takes the laptop. When she comes home she can't get linked back to the internet - and I visit to find that it's trying to find her Dad's network I get that sorted out and insist that the daughter activly seeks out the home network and connects to it.

THEN... they move house, and after initially having the link it falls apart again. I visit last weekend and although they SWEAR the wireless router had lights on when they were trying it, I could get no power to it... Dead as a doornail. I tell them to get in touch with supplier and say their router has died, and they need a new one.

Yesterday I visited them and thier new router. Put the wires in the way I think they should be. Checked that the network I created was still set up and running. An hour, and a cup of coffee, and we had the main computer ethenet-wired into the wireless router and the laptop finding the link - so both machines were running on the internet when I left.

One oddity - the laptop connection was fine and solid for 11 to 14 seconds, then it dropped out for a count of about 3 seconds. The operation of the internet seemed to cope with that (we were YouTubing OK), but I thought it strange.

8:45 this morning, a text saying it is 'not working' again

This lady - nice as she is - has NO capability of reporting an error. All I get is distress, panic, and words like "Broke" So I'm off to see her again tomorrow afternoon. So - my questions:-

1) Is there any significance about the connection dropping out and the continuing? Are they designed to 'track' for other networks, or could the previous multiple locations (and foul-ups) have set up a conflict?

2) If the initial foul-up of putting a network controlling 'job' on the laptop is at fault - how do you tell it that it is no longer in charge of a network?


Hope someone has either been here before or recognises some of the story as 'asking for trouble' and can point me in the right direction. It took all my persuasive powers to get the house computer expert (10-year-old, female, and seemingly unable to articulate verbally) to agree that she could just about stand a delay of 3-seconds - but no more. [Any more hassle from her and I'll quietly remind her that anybody else would be charging her mother £40 an hour for the pleasure of being messed about... What's that old adage of doing 'work' for 'friends'?]

[giraffe]

Mine I had to click something in the bottom right corner to tell it I always wanted it to use our wireless thingy as the one it wants. I guess I can manually tell it to look for another one if I'm somewhere else.

Does it need a password?

(I think all that would safely fit on a postage stamp, being the entirity of my knowledge)

[clvrlad]

well id go and see whats happening first you never know whats broken till you try to fix it

[MBH]

Grrrrr - Thanks clvrlad... I'm trying to increase my personal knowledge here before I visit for the FOURTH time.

For the record, I don't like WIRELESS things... give me good old wires with connectors that either fit or don't fit - you know where you are then. The right bits of equipment control the other right bits of equipment and you can seen the links.

OK - I'm a dinosaur - it all used to work back in the old days I tried to tell this 'creature' with the 3-second boredom span about 56Kb dial-up - but I think she got bored and tuned me out

[Scurra]

I have had less trouble with my wireless laptop connection than with my wired main PC.
I just go to "network connections", choose the wireless one, ask it to search for wireless networks that are in range, try not to click on the XboxLive360 one next door and away I go. I'd start with checking the router first though.

<yorkshireman>56k dial-up?! You had it easy. We had 300 baud.<yorkshireman> (awaits some comment about punched cards )

[gill216]

1) Is there any significance about the connection dropping out and the continuing? Are they designed to 'track' for other networks, or could the previous multiple locations (and foul-ups) have set up a conflict?

They CAN track for other networks if the "save this network" has been ticked when searching for it in the first place. Try connecting to the rogue networks and see if you can uncheck the box.

Re the conflicts. Definitely, yes. I used to have virgin media and now have an Orange dongle, and often use whoever happens to leave theirs on 24/7 in our locality. I often get an ISP conflict message. I always get a message asking if I want windows to sort it out, I let it, and have no problems after that.

Re the connection. Orangle dongle often drops in and out for a few seconds.

What I can't do is help you sort it out- other than removing all the unwanted networks from the laptop totally.

[Bunnylump]

I think you should ask me to sort it out for you. What's a wireless network, again?

(Ooops, does this classify as "diverting a serious thread" Scurra? )
I would help you if I could MBH. Hope you manage to sort it out.

[Scurra]

(Ooops, does this classify as "diverting a serious thread" Scurra? )

I rest my case.

Heavily, on your foot.

[Bunnylump]

Ouch!

[MBH]

Thank you Gill for 'sensible' information on the subject.

When you see something dropping off then re-establishing itself within seconds you have to ask yourself "Is that normal?"

I'll check for any 'save' tick boxes as well.

Yorkshireman - I'll see your 300 baud and raise you a teletext terminal with telephone cradle to hold the phone handset (and a real telephone DIAL)

[giraffe]

Mine was sensible too. Useless.... but sensible.

[MBH]

Sorry Pet - it certainly was.... unfortunatly it was hidden under a postage stamp.



I know that you know that I'm only joking

[SparkOut]

Thank you Gill for 'sensible' information on the subject.

When you see something dropping off then re-establishing itself within seconds you have to ask yourself "Is that normal?"

I'll check for any 'save' tick boxes as well.

Yorkshireman - I'll see your 300 baud and raise you a teletext terminal with telephone cradle to hold the phone handset (and a real telephone DIAL)

Did you play (what was it called???) Star Fleet Command? Galactic Conquest? I remember a demo of that, played over a phone line on an acoustic coupler - the game was like a 9 x 9 grid of ascii lines and you had to move your fleets to take over planets.
Anyway, I sent a PM on the main thread topic, hope it's helpful.

[Bunnylump]

Very thoughtful of you, SparkOut. Now we can continue to disrupt the sensible threads with inane nonsense again without interruption.

Actually, our wireless thing doesn't work on this laptop I'm using (the work one I sneaked out because OH is doing his VAT return on the real computer). And it doesn't work on my daughter's laptop either. I've got a long bit of wire connected in the back to the red flashing box thingy. So that'd make MBH happy! Unfortunately I don't understand why it isn't working or what to do to make it work, so I'll just perservere with the trailing wires!

[clvrlad]

how much did you were charging for house calls MBH

i think bunnylump wants one..

im not quiet as far back as the phone cradle....but as a true Yorkshireman
i remember dialling BBS direct non of this internet connectivity malarkey


i also remeber using demodulators to listen to satellites on a radioham reciever

[Scurra]

You want true wireless networking?
How about the days when you could tape-record a computer program off the radio?! Now that was surreal.

[clvrlad]

wouldnt that take awhile
i remember loading programs on my spectrum....

[gill216]

Oh, I just loved my spectrum.

[LAT]

Isn't a spectrum something a doctor uses?

[Looby]

No - it's what you get when you pass light through a prism