Wireless Networking Issues (on-security)

I know this is a security forum, but I really didn't see a better place for this.

I recently swtiched my homenetwork to wireless after many complaints about various colored cables everywhere. My ISP was kind enough to provide my with an 802.11b/g modem/router thingy.

All of my systems connect just fine and all of my systems use Netgear WG311v3 NICs in infrastructure mode, save for the domain controller. The domain controller is using a WG311v2 and at first (yesterday) it was connecting fine, now all of the sudden not only will it not stay connected, it won't even connect at all.

When I use the configuration tool to scan for a network, it has my SSID listed with a 100% signal. I select that network to connect and the signal reads as zero and the configuration tool just cycles through channels (I'm using channel 6). I don't see how one place shows a full signal and the other no signal at all. I figure there must be some sort of conflict but for the life of me I cannot figure out what.

Any insight would be appreciated and if you need more specific information just let me know.

cheers,

catch

Edited to add:
I almost forgot, the domain contoller shows the network as a 802.11b when all the other systems show it as 802.11g

Hello,

Did you enable the 802.11b feature on your Wireless Access point ?? Or the mixed environment for that matter (802.11G/802.11B) ... Maybe if you set it to 802.11B it would work again ??

I had this happened to me once and I needed to reenter the password/key again ..I gather you tried this allready.

Maybe it's the Netgear equipment ...if you do a Google on this specific device there are number of people who had similar problems.

Doesn't realy help but may give you some ideas ...

Did you try a firmware upgrade of the device (if there is one available that is) ??

Did you see this : http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101261.asp

Hope this helps a bit ;)

Update ALL the firmware. I have had tons of trouble with those piece of crap router/modem combo things ISPs provide. ESPECIALLY the westell ones from verizon and the motorolla one from timewarner.

Try taking off WEP/WPA (which ever you have enabled f any) also make sure you have enough available IP addresses (I limit mine to what is needed as a security meassure)

Update all drivers also. Try uninstalling the drivers and reinstalling. Try rebuilding the network from scratch (remove eerything from the network, rename it and start again) Drop ALL security for testing puroses. Try power cycling the router/modem and the computers.

I would suggest firewall, but that wouldnt cause lack of signal, most likley is a driver/frmware/hardware issue.

If Possible dump the equipment the ISP gave you and pick up our own. My preference is linksys gear. But if not possible for what ever reason then try the above things.


if none of this works let us know, Ill try and think up some other possibiles in the mean time.

The router is set to 802.11b/g. (One of the laptops has a b card, everything else is g)

I have not tried setting the router to b, though I still find it odd that the DC system sees the network as a b, but is configured to only use g and all day today it was connected fine until about 6 hours ago and it has been dead since. (despite mucho configuration, reboots, everything)

Even with a bad password it should still have a signal. (not only this, but it won't pick up a signal from any other networks in the area either (there are about 5) even ones that show as being like 45% with no WEP on the network scan)

Perhaps I have not been selecting the righ search terms, but I mostly come up with situations where even the scanner returns no signal.

All drivers are current. All firmware is current. (Howver the WG311v2 cannot be update to the v3, though I know the v2 works, it is just very flaky.)

I am running windows 2000 (server + clients) so the XP doc isn't applicable.

The irregularity of this, is really bugging me... I may hve to break down and call Netgear and ask them why they decided to suck with this product. Either that or go back to fry's and see if they have any v3's I can exchage for. (though it really bugs me when I can't figure out why something isn't working.)

cheers,

catch

Have you checked for latest firmware of the router?

Is it a netgear router?

The router is current, it is a 2wire brand.

Even still an issue of an old router wouldn't account for the symptoms I am having.

cheers,

catch

try switching out the NIC with a known good from another computer? maybe the card/antenna just went caput?

I'm afraid it may come to that... but still... if the card was bad... I wouldn't think it would detect the network correctly during the scan.

cheers,

catch

Hmmm,

I am afraid that this sounds very much like hardware issues to me. I think something has partially died? you mention that it happened "all of a sudden"

Have you had any power supply problems? or a thunderstorm?. I have encountered similar when troubleshooting from inside, and everything checked out. It turned out that the damege was at the physical outgoing connection.

Also, if your ISP provided device is very new, it might just have failed?

Quote:

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I recently swtiched my homenetwork to wireless after many complaints about various colored cables everywhere

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Hah! so things are not that different over where you are :D empathy mate! empathy!

Happy 4Th July