Posted on 09/16/2005 10:34:03 PM PDT by Cedar
I am almost too tired to ask at this point. Been working on this for hours, but here goes. I bought an HP laptop and got a Linksys wireless router.
I installed the wireless software on my main PC as told to do. Router connected fine with my cable modem, no problem.
Then when I tried to install it on my new laptop, I cannot get wireless connection. I do get regular internet connection, but no wireless connection.
I've contacted Linksys by phone, I've contacted HP troubleshoot by online chat, and still no one can fix the problem.
I get the error message from HP network: Warning: Windows is not controlling network connections...HP has detected that another application might be controlling the connection settings. The WZC service disabled or turned off.
So I went to Microsoft.com to see how to turn on WZC service, but so far nothing in the article has worked.
I've already tried to update the driver on the network adapter, but there are no other updates for it.
My laptop is: HP Pavilion zv5434rs notebook
My network adapter on the laptop: Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
When I try to use the software that came with the router, it gets to a point in the setup, then says "unable to connect to router" check cables, etc. Well, I've unplugged and plugged in several times, cables are fine, as I said I have regular internet connection on the laptop, just can't get the wireless connection working.
If anyone out there has an idea, I would really appreciate it. I'm about to collapse from exhaustion (!), but still will hang in there a little while longer if anyone's got an idea.
Thanks!
I spent three hours putzing with my NETGEAR Friday. When it finally worked, I didn't know which of my efforts had been key, because I took no notes.
The only other thing I can think to say is that you might try doing a paperclip reset, if your router is so equipped. Don't disconnect anything, just reset it and see.
I also appreciate how GOSH DERNED FRUSTRATING this is for you. Maybe take a walk and come back to it and start over.
FWIW, I had a computer geek install a Linksys Wireless Router for me. It malfunctioned and he took it back for a refund. So consider that you might have a bad Router.
Yeah, definitely need to walk again for a little while.
A month ago I talked with a salesman at Best Buy about laptops and wireless -- he said it was hard to set up and suggested if I bought the laptop from them to pay extra and let the BestBuy technician set it up for me.
At the time, I thought he was just trying to get a bigger sale price! Now I understand....(but I still would hate to pay that extra $150).
The router is giving me "regular" internet connection, I just can't get the "wireless" connection going. So, I thought the router would be OK.
But maybe there's a malfunction somewhere on it. If all efforts fail, I'll take it back to Radio Shack.
" 'wireless' - is that button lit? "
Not a stupid question.....yes, it is lit.
It's good to check all possibilities, so not stupid. I'm sure every IT tech goes through all steps.
By the way, this is my first laptop, and I really like it so far.
Will like it even better when I can take it with me into the den and sit in a comfortable chair....
Wait.
Disconnect the cat-5 cable from the laptop.
Under start ! settings ! network conditions, go to the "wireless networks" tab and hit the "refresh" button to see if anything is available. If something--anything--is listed, hit "configure" and then "ok."
I remember some wireless devices can't "hear" a hotspot until this is done. It's part of WinXP as I understand it.
I did all you said...roughly, some of the wording is different...
After unplugging the cat-5 cabl and refreshing, my laptop still shows both connections (regular & wireless) in the Network Connections windows.
It shows the regular as "network cable unplugged"
It shows the wireless as "not connected"
I didn't really see --configure -- either by right-clicking or anywhere on the screen.
So I clicked on "Repair this connection" for the wireless connection.... Windows attempted to repair and then gave me this message:
"Windows could not finish repairing the problem because the following action cannot be complete: Connecting to the wireless network"
??????????
Double click on your wireless connection, it should get you the property tabs. Under the "Wireless Networks" tab, you'll see a box listing all wireless networks.
Can you find that?
BTW, "repair this connection" is USELESS. You'd might as well verbally beg the router to work.
I decided to call Linksys phone help again and...believe it or not....IT'S FIXED!!
The rep had me type in 192.168.1.1 -- to go to my router configuration page.
It was set to WEP on the Security Mode.
I mentioned to the rep that I had yesterday downloaded the WPA2 patch from Microsoft for Windows XP (thanks to the FReeper suggestion) -- so I asked the rep shouldn't that setting be changed from WEP to WPA -- and he said definitely yes it should!
So he had me change it to WPA Pre-Shared Key.
Then after saving the settings, he had me click on Network Connections and pick my Wireless Connection and click "Connect".......and what do you know --- it connected!!
And it has stayed connected for several minutes now! I think I'm set!
This is great. Now I can go to the comfortable chair in the den and enjoy my new laptop.
Hopefully, this entire post will serve as a help to anyone who might have the same problem with a router.
Thanks to all for your great suggestions and interest in my efforts!
Excellent news!
I've read so many error messages over the last two days I can't exactly remember what it said when I clicked "connect" (before changing the WEP security setting on the router).
Seems like it was either "check the network cables or hardware device" or something on that order.
Sorry I can't remember --- things got to be blur.
I also earlier changed the b mode to g mode as stated earlier in this post you made from an article. I still couldn't connect wirelessly after making that change, but I'm sure it's the correct one for my adapter, as it's a wireless g router.
from your post: "As the article says:
For example, if you select the adapter and go to its properties panel, then click on Configure and choose the Advanced tab, there may be adapter-specific parameters listed there, and one of those parameters may control whether the adapter operates in g-only mode or b/g mode, or turbo g mode."
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