Laptop won't connect to wireless.

Bobalicious93

Sorry if I seem like a simpleton but I'm not very technologically-savvy

I haven't had this problem before, basically, the laptop is tellling me that the computer is out of range of the wireless router, and can't connect to it.

I have it literally about 10 feet away, so I know that it's not out of range.

The connection is fine however on the desktop, which is connected directly to the router, not wirelessly.

I'm with Eircom btw.

Any ideas?

TouchingVirus

Change Wireless Channel.

Test laptop's wireless with another wireless network if possible

Bobalicious93

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Change Wireless Channel.
Test laptop's wireless with another wireless network if possible

How do I do that? Is the second line an explanationor something different.

sorry again

TouchingVirus

I think you're using a netopia router then if you're with eircom.

Try this site for Wireless Channel changing, it'll tell you how to do it: http://www.netopia.com/support/intl/eircom/technotes/IEWG_110.html

The second thing is like bringing the laptop to your friends house and making sure you can connect there, thereby making sure the problem isn't your laptop and you're fixing the router

Lorcan 17

The wireless switch on the laptop may be in the OFF position .

Bobalicious93

TouchingVirus wrote: »

I think you're using a netopia router then if you're with eircom.

Yep.

Try this site for Wireless Channel changing, it'll tell you how to do it: http://www.netopia.com/support/intl/eircom/technotes/IEWG_110.html

Thanks, but that looks very complicated.

The second thing is like bringing the laptop to your friends house and making sure you can connect there, thereby making sure the problem isn't your laptop and you're fixing the router

Well it hasnt left the house for as long as I can remember

Bobalicious93

Lorcan 17 wrote: »

The wireless switch on the laptop may be in the OFF position .

I can't find a switch on the laptop

trad

Sometimes there is a switch on the side of the laptop. Have a good look in good light.

If not there should be a button with Fn on it (function). Then have a look at the top row F1 to F12. If one of these buttons has a radar like image (F7 on mine) press both together and it will turn on / off your broadband.

Bobalicious93

trad wrote: »

If not there should be a button with Fn on it (function). Then have a look at the top row F1 to F12. If one of these buttons has a radar like image (F7 on mine) press both together and it will turn on / off your broadband.

OK I found these and pressed them. Turned it off and on again but it hasn't made a difference. Am I doing this right?

dub45

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

I can't find a switch on the laptop

Find your way to the manufacturer's website and check the manual.

Also have you tried powering off the router? Is the wireless light on the router showing as being on?

dah

Contact Eircom Support they were able to look after me when I had similar Broadband issue

Bobalicious93

dah wrote: »

Contact Eircom Support they were able to look after me when I had similar Broadband issue

Yeah it looks like I'll have to do that.

dub45

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

Yeah it looks like I'll have to do that.

A laptop not connecting to a wireless router has absolutely nothing got to do with broadband.

Bobalicious93

dub45 wrote: »

A laptop not connecting to a wireless router has absolutely nothing got to do with broadband.

Have you any suggestions? I really need some help here.

The laptop is now telling me to 'Make sure the computer is in range of the router and that the network settings match the wireless router or access point settings'.

That help?

I really am an idiot when it comes to these things

zonEEE

Not trying to be smart here but did you try restarting the laptop and the router?

Bobalicious93

strongr wrote: »

Not trying to be smart here but did you try restarting the laptop and the router?

Yes, several times.

TouchingVirus

To change the wireless channel:

Go to your router configuration page (192.168.254.1 I think)
Click 3DWireless on the left
Then click 'Advanced Configuration Options'
Then change the 'default channel' option from it's current value to something else. Try values like 1, 11 and 7

Click Save Changes and confirm to restart the wireless router.

Bobalicious93

TouchingVirus wrote: »

To change the wireless channel:

Go to your router configuration page (192.168.254.1 I think)
Click 3DWireless on the left
Then click 'Advanced Configuration Options'
Then change the 'default channel' option from it's current value to something else. Try values like 1, 11 and 7

Click Save Changes and confirm to restart the wireless router.

I just tried this, with all 13 channels.

Same problem. Although it is now at least finding a signal from the router, but it still cant connect to it. Should I be restarting the laptop too when I restart the router? That might take a while with this laptop if I should, because of how long it takes to start up.

Any more ideas?

dub45

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

Have you any suggestions? I really need some help here.

The laptop is now telling me to 'Make sure the computer is in range of the router and that the network settings match the wireless router or access point settings'.

That help?

I really am an idiot when it comes to these things

You keep asking questions but you are not really taking advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now unless you do the following no one is going to offer you any more advice!!:rolleyes:

You have to establish if the wireless on the router is active and if the wireless on the laptop is active.

Is the wireless light on the router showing as on?

Can you bring the laptop to a friends house one with a wireless router of course! ( it surely needs to get out of your house at this stage - laptops crave the outdoors!!) and see if the laptop will 'see' the wireless network there.

Have you checked the manual for the laptop to see where the on/off switch is for the wireless?

Bobalicious93

dub45 wrote: »

You keep asking questions but you are not really taking advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now unless you do the following no one is going to offer you any more advice!!:rolleyes:

You have to establish if the wireless on the router is active and if the wireless on the laptop is active.

Sorry.

Is the wireless light on the router showing as on?

Yes.

Can you bring the laptop to a friends house one with a wireless router of course! ( it surely needs to get out of your house at this stage - laptops crave the outdoors!!) and see if the laptop will 'see' the wireless network there.

I can tomorrow.

Have you checked the manual for the laptop to see where the on/off switch is for the wireless?

I thought this:

trad wrote: »

Sometimes there is a switch on the side of the laptop. Have a good look in good light.

If not there should be a button with Fn on it (function). Then have a look at the top row F1 to F12. If one of these buttons has a radar like image (F7 on mine) press both together and it will turn on / off your broadband.

meant that there may not be a switch at all. There are however the buttons mentions above. Which I've pressed and turned the 'Wi-Fi' connection off and on again with.

I appreciate the help lads, sorry if I haven't made that clear.

TouchingVirus

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

I just tried this, with all 13 channels.

Same problem. Although it is now at least finding a signal from the router, but it still cant connect to it. Should I be restarting the laptop too when I restart the router? That might take a while with this laptop if I should, because of how long it takes to start up.

Any more ideas?

It's good that the laptop is finding a signal, there might have been a channel clash with something else. Your connection problem is an issue though - have you enabled MAC restrictions? If you try to connect your laptop when MAC restrictions are enabled, and your laptop's MAC isn't in the allowed list, it'll never connect.

Follow that link I gave you earlier, I believe it covers MAC restriction stuff too.

Also, do take the laptop to a friends house with wireless network and try connect there. So you can reduce the problem from being "my laptop" to "just my laptop and router"

trad

Did you try to plug in a cable between the router and the laptop. If you get broadband it's a laptop issue. If you don't it's a broadband issue

TouchingVirus

trad wrote: »

Did you try to plug in a cable between the router and the laptop. If you get broadband it's a laptop issue. If you don't it's a broadband issue

Umm, the problem isn't that the OP can't get broadband, it's that they cannot get signal/connectivity to the wireless network. Broadband problems will have no effect on this.

Bobalicious93

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Also, do take the laptop to a friends house with wireless network and try connect there. So you can reduce the problem from being "my laptop" to "just my laptop and router"

Okay so I've just done this and the laptop has connected to my friends broadband no problem.

My friend suggested resetting my router, should I do that?

Also, I don't know if I made this clear enough, but I've had the laptop a while now, with no previous problems connecting to my router, this problem has just started in the last day or two.

Cheers again lads.

TouchingVirus

So your signal is back to normal, but you can't connect to the wireless network. You can connect to other wireless networks.

Am I right in summarising your current problem?

Any other computers or wireless devices that could try and connect to your wireless network?

Bobalicious93

TouchingVirus wrote: »

So your signal is back to normal, but you can't connect to the wireless network. You can connect to other wireless networks.

Am I right in summarising your current problem?

That sounds about right yeah.

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Any other computers or wireless devices that could try and connect to your wireless network?

I've an Xbox 360 that connects to it yeah. I've no problems with that either.

So am I right in saying it's definitely looking like a problem with the laptop?

TouchingVirus

As long as your Xbox isn't wired to your router and is connecting over the wireless then yes, the first point of your troubleshooting should be your laptop.

Bobalicious93

TouchingVirus wrote: »

As long as your Xbox isn't wired to your router and is connecting over the wireless then yes, the first point of your troubleshooting should be your laptop.

I didn't make it clear but yeah, the Xbox is connecting over the wireless

Bobalicious93

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

My friend suggested resetting my router, should I do that?

I've just done this, aswell as a system restore to a few days ago on the laptop, and it still isn't working.

Skud

Is your firewall allowing your wireless ip range? What firewall are you using?

Bobalicious93

Skud wrote: »

Is your firewall allowing your wireless ip range? What firewall are you using?

I dont know to be honest . On the router information page I have the firewall set to Low, if thats what you mean?

EDIT: The laptop is now asking me for the WEP key, which it hasnt done up to now, but when I put it in and click 'Connect' the same old response comes up,

"This Network is marked as a 'Hidden' network and is either not in range of this computer or the wireless settings saved on this computer do not match the settings of the network."

magconn

had same prob with my laptop last year. had a feeling it was the wireless card. dell told me to go back to eircom ..buggers !! bought an external wireless adapter in easons , less than a tenner, used that and laptop connected fine. so it was the internal wireless card. it was knackered. dell replaced it. all hunky dory

TouchingVirus

Clear out all the saved wireless access points and start from scratch. Google

Bobalicious93

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Clear out all the saved wireless access points and start from scratch. Google

I cleared all the access points except for my own router, and now for some reason it's working again.

Cheers for all the help lads, just have to hope it stays fixed now

TouchingVirus

Glad you got it sorted OP, now resume your internets!