WiFi Router Config

Well I finally got the router i needed for the wireless network. The router is a LinkSys WRT54G and hooked up to the desktop (this one). The notebook has a USB LinkSys B. I finally got the net to work through the router for the desktop, so I figured I would start checking the security of my network first with a few programs. A short time later I discovered that the laptop was not able to connect to the router at all. If it did connect, it still says its not connected in the subdiscription.

What are the major settings that are needed to let the notebook connect? My knowledge of wireless networking is a bit under par, but I have been working on this for 2 days now and still have no idea what I am missing.

Any help is appreciated.

the config will completly depend on the security you are using.
some things to check:

make sure the wireless card and AP are compatible.
Make sure they are on the same channel
make sure the wireless card even sees the network (broadcast the SSID if you are having trouble)
If you are using wep make sure you have entered the same WEP key on boith ends (same goes with WPA)
make sure the card is installed correctly (recent drivers)
If possible see if another computer can connect(make sure its not the AP)
make sure AP has recent firmware.
Can you connect when hard wired?
make sure the card is working (try another wireless AP if possible)
make sure the AP is plugged in ;) (sorry I see this too often :( )

yea, that should get you started. reply if you still need help


read my sticky in the wireless security are, it will explain alot more.

In addition you might want to try and connect with no WEP or WPA to start (just dont leave it that way :)). I have also seen where not having the latest drivers for youe wireless client make a difference. And last... make sure your DHCP settings are the same, for example if your AP is set to give out IP addresses make sure your IP settings on your client are set to obtain an IP address automaticly.

Hope this helps :)

-I am running the WRT54G Linksys router with updated firmware/Nic-wireless usb B.
(they were working together on a different network, but once the router was hooked up to this computer sh|t happened.)
-They are both broadcasting on CH.6
-SSID is also broadcasting
-Wep128 26 hex digitsis currently on, although no change in connection when disabled. (Passphrase generated 4 different keys.)
-There are no other computers at the time to test the network with. Just this main/desktop and the notebook.
-I know the usb-b is working, it will detect the network and netstumbler picks up a few locals as well.

*When the 'view wireless networks' window is open, i can see and try to conenct. When WEP/WPA is enabled, I am promted but there is already a key (*******) entered. When i try to change the (defaulted?) key it gives me an error msg about hex'. Once it connects from just hitting enter, it will connect and in the status of the same window says I am limited or not connected.

I will check the settings on the notebook again, but I assume they should work with the setup now since the only thing that changed was the host computer.

First things first: do a hard reset on your router (push the reset button on the back for at least 10 seconds) to put it back to its original settings - no use in trying to get WEP to work when you can't even get a connection.
Are you using the tool provided by Linksys to connect? If so, get rid of that crap and let Windows handle it.

Is your desktop wired to the router, or is it wireless?

I reset the router before when i was having problems getting the desktop to connect, that fixed the problem. The desktop computer is wired to the router, only the notebook is wireless.
The only time that I used any CD from Linksys was to get the computer to detect the router, since then I only use windows for anything else (connecting).

Also, when trying to connect to the router through the laptop, the connection status stays 'Waiting for the network...' for a little too long.