Wireless client

Raz

I've got myself a Toshiba laptop with a wireless card built-in.
The problem I have is I can't connect to anything because the wireless client software is crap.
What I want to know is whether I can get some better software that will work with the card.
Would the software be specialised for the card? If so would the there even be better sofware available? I need more options

Capt'n Midnight

I take it you have the switch turned on and the Wireless LED is on...

At a guess you are using XP - try netstumbler ... (it don't work too well with XP ... - but it gives more info) - if you have 2000 happy days

If not using XP - what client SW are you using ???

Check device manager to ID the (again a guess Intel Wifi card )...

WEP / IP config Ok ?

What other RF devices work better than the one in the Tosh ? - maybe it's the signal that is actually crap ..

TBH though it would be nice to be able to choose your connection speed as XP is a bad bu99er for choosing too high a speed on intermettant links (all your band width gets wasted on handshaking)

kernel32.dll

If you're using Windows XP, you should be surfing away without anyproblems....

XP has the easiest 802.11 configuration on the market....it'll even detect wireless networks in your vacinity and ask you which one you want to connect to!!

Are you sure that it's configured correctly...do you have permission to access the network you want to?

Make sure that the Wireless Configuration service is running.....use net start wzcsvc to start it...

Raz

Some more specs needed then

The card is made by Lucent for toshiba.
The OS is win2k pro
And the client software is that supplied by toshiba with the system. (Toshiba wireless client!)

The main problem is I can't connect to a windows based network (and possibly a unix)
My girlfriends brother managed to get it working using a Mac as an airport. (He's a programmer)
He suggested that I try and get better client software because of the lack of options available within the sofware.
I can manage to get it working peer to peer with the current sofware but nothing else. I get the icon in the taskbar showing that there's a connection but it doesn't want to actually use it :rolleyes:
IPs and all that kinda stuff is fine and I do have access to the networks I've tried to use it with.

So Capt'n Midnight, netstumbler would be your software of choice. Did you mean it works specifically well with win2k? I presume I'll get it at downloads.com Is it freeware by anychance?
I'd prefer not to have to pay

Could you tell me more about the WEP config you mentioned. I know of IP config but I've never come across WEP and I reckon it'd be useful.

I've also never come across the Wireless Configuration stuff. Is that the same as the WEP bit above?

Thanks for your help so far guys, I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere

Raz

I tried that net start command you posted Kernell and maybe I wasn't supposed to use that particular sequence of letters you used but this is what I got,

C:\>net start wzcsvc
The service name is invalid.

More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2185.


C:\>net helpmsg 2185

The service name is invalid.


EXPLANATION

You tried to start a service that is not configured on this system.

ACTION

Check the spelling of the service name or check the configuration information
for the service using the Services option from Server

---

And when I typed WEP and WEPconfig at the command prompt it wasn't recognised. Maybe I'm being a bit too literal with what you've posted, so let me know.

Again, thanks.

kernel32.dll

Hi Raz, I was assuming you had Windows XP...that service doesn't exist in Windows 2000.

To be honest, even though Windows 2000 supports wireless, it's up to 3rd parties to provide the software for the devices for that operatins system.

Wireless was included in XP from the ground up, and therefore it's very robust and easy to use in XP.

As some other replies suggest, it might be best to try the netstumbler application (although I'm not familiar with it...)

Cheers.

Raz

Thanks anyway Kernel, I'll have to search out that netstumbler app.
Does anyone else have any ideas?

marrakesh

raz u dont need thir party software at all and netstumbler is only useful for specific wireless nics.. insert your ssid in device manager properties ensure your using dhcp if uusing a proxy link and u should be laughing use an ipconfig to see if ur getting the dhcp ip address and ensure the dhcp client service is started on windows 2000. u should be able to view if the card is working and talking to the signal been transmitted by running ipconfig and unless it says media disconnected ur in bussineess.. if the network is disconnecting u should be prompted for disconnections. is it a re-branded lucent orinocco card ?
if it is u shouldnt need any extra config.. lucent cards are as solid as be daammed. i have configured over 40 wireless nics and stuff without software use windows and u should be fine.... drop us a line back if you have any queries / questions with the make and model of the card. the only other issue is the signal is not strong enough and if this is case amplify the access point signal...

if u can dial up to the net with the same system and run windows update and it will more than likely have a driver for your wireless card..

milltown

A few basics just in case:
Click the system tray icon for your wireless connection and find the tab or button to configure the wireless card/device. At the very least you should have the option of choosing between infrastructure mode (connecting to an access point) and ad hoc mode (computer to computer connection, both computers need to be set to this mode or neither will work). There will also be an option to enter the BSSID or ESSID of the network you wish to connect to (again both computers need to have the same entry here).
Netstumbler will only work with certain wifi chipsets, it is late so don't ask me which ones, and will only identify the networks available. You will still have to connect to them through your driver utility.
I found with my first cards they would sometimes report no wireless connection available even though they were working. If there is an LED of any sort to indicate the status of your wifi it should blink on and off in equal measure if there is no connection but only blink on very briefly about once a second if a connection is made. When data is being transmitted the LED will be on most or all of the time.
If you are sure there is a wireless connection about and your settings for E/BSSID (and preferrably channel number) and mode are right, ensure the computers are set to share the necessary drives and try mapping to them from your laptop anyway. As happened to me you may find it works even though windows tells it won't.
Let us know how you get on.

Raz

Well I got the netstumbler app and although it's probably useful (and it does identify my card) I have absolutely no idea what I'm looking at!
So I leave it alone for the minute.

The card itself is internal, stuck in the mini PCI slot which is revealed by removing a panel from the bottom of the laptop.
I'll take a pic of it tonight if anyone wants to see.
The card is reported in device manager as follows,

Toshiba Wireless LAN mini PCI card.
A couple of screenshots,

Device Manager: General Tab

Device Manager: Driver Tab

Device Manager: Driver Tab: Driver File Details

Device Manager: Resources Tab

So that's what the device manager tells me.
I then looked at the client manager. It has a profiles section and the main client Manager bit aswell

Client Manager: Profile config

Client Manager: Profile config: Advanced
The "basic" tab just lets you put in the name of the network.
I'm not sure if the Advanced tab has much effect on the whole workings of stuff.

Client Manager: Profile config: Admin
The Mac address stuff could be a problem.

Probably the most interesting/useful page is this one,
Client Manager: Version Info

I couldn't find anything for changing between ad-hoc mode and infrastructure. It also has an LED that lights if the card is on or off, not with activity.
The SSID stuff has me flumuxed. I've never come across it before and I've also not seen any such options on my Laptop.
(these could be some of those lovely options that I'm missing!)

At the moment I'm nowhere near the LAN so I can't really say if I'd be getting signal or not. Bit of a bugger :rolleyes:

If you have anymore suggestions please fire em this way, I really appreciate all the help.

Raz

BUMP!!
I'm still stuck on this one.

milltown

In the client manager profile configuration you need to enter the name of the network (the BSSID or ESSID I was talking about), this should be the same on both/all computers.
Are you trying to network with one other PC with a wireless card or connect to a wireless LAN in work or college?
For a PC to PC connection it looks like you need to click the drop down menu on the advanced tab and change it from Access point to Ad Hoc.
If it is a larger network you are connecting to you should be ok with it set to access point.
If you got Netstumbler working it will tell you which networks are available and the names of them. If the red or green symbol beside the network name has a padlock in it then the network is using encryption and you will need to contact the net admin to get the encryption key before you can connect to that network. The graphical display is showing you the strength of the wireless signal (green bar) and the noise relative to that signal (red bar).