Configured Right -- Won't Connect?!

I dunno if this is a security setting or hardware issue or what, but --

We have one employee's personal laptop that just absolutely will not connect to the wireless network I set up here. Check this out:

We're running a US Robotics Router. ALL other laptops in the building connect with no problem. I'm running 128 bit WEP encryption with a shared key and MAC filtering.

Keeping in mind all other laptops connect, and his used to connect, now it isn't anymore. Actually, it only does sometimes, evidently when it's in the "mood" or something. This is an hp Pavillion ze4700 with an internal wireless card.

So I checked the connection settings, and all is as it should be. It's set for a shared key, and the proper 128-bit encryption key is entered. It's not a distance issue, as the office is mere feet away from the router, and for the sake of argument, I tried it with the laptop right BESIDE the router. No luck.

Tried to repair the connection. Cannot connect.

MAC address is of course entered properly into the MAC filter (and again, this laptop used to connect just fine).

So, everything is configured properly and is as it should be, nothing was changed when it just up and stopped connectcing, and in theory it should connect with no problem. It just simply doesn't.

So...now what?

Used to work, now only works intermittently?........................sounds as if it could be hardware, can you try it with a different wireless card?.................I am assuming that it is a card, and not on board.

Maybe just clean and reseat the card.................he might kave dropped the laptop :eek: the little toads never tell you if they have :)

Unfortunately, it's an onboard card...

Was it or is it now configured to let Windows manage the connection? ( i.e. could someone have changed this somehow? )

I have had some problems with atheros chips and windows. Used their client software instead of windows, then no problems.

its a long shot but check the laptop for spyware...that can mess up any connection

as lame as this sounds, make sure the switch for the onboard card is on if there is one. (I cant count the number of people I had to help becasue they over looked a power switch for the card) also try an external card. make sure you dont have both windows and a 3rd party program trying to manage wireless, that is bad. and make sure you have the correct setting in the correct managing tool. most laptops come with their own tool to manage the wireless so it fights with windows to chose the connection and causes problems. try reinstalling the drivers for the card also.

Hey AngelicKnight,

I have had the same type of problem with one of my Notebooks and with my Powerbook. It seems that if I use Tmobile's hotspot, I can't connect to my own home network afterwards without removing the network settings and reconfiging them for my network. It is odd, thou I really havent taken the time to troubleshoot it more. It only happens after I use a different hotspot.

I bet if you disable the wireless and enable it again, it will see the network available, it might even connect, but if it doesnt, it wont repair either. When i get home I will play around with my Vaio that does this and the Powerbook and see if I can come up with a common cause.

Have you tried uninstalling, rebooting and re-installing? Does it show up ok in Device Manager?

Disable the onboard card.
Fit PCMCIA varient.

If it NOW works........

Kick the toad in the tads for breaking company property :D

MrCoffee nailed it. I removed the connection then reconfigured it from scratch, and bam, all is fixed.

Wierd eh?

Thanks everyone.

Laptops are tricky when it comes to wireless networks. I've had countless people come up to me with wireless problem this and wireless problem that. Basically I just disable the onboard nic, then try to rehash/renew/reload network setting for the wifi.