Wi Fi Question

[pomchop]

I have TOT wifi with a TP link router. I can get online with either of my two computers no problem. Other people have also gotten online with no problems. But now i have a friend staying and no matter what she tries her computer will not connect to my wifi..we have all the correct passwords etc and she can get online at other places. Called TOT and went round and round but still no luck.

TOT says it must be her computer but if so why does it work fine in coffee shops etc?

Does anyone have any idea what the problem might be and what to do to get it working?

Thanks.

[Paul888]

I will have first try.

Can she see your network?

If she can see the network then right click on it and select properties and on the security tab, check that the security type and encryption method are the same as on your pcs and then enter the password carefully, ensuring caps lock is not on etc.

Remember its the wifi password or key, not the TOT connection password needed.

then on the connection tab, tick by the side of connect automatically when this network is in range and tick connect even if this network is not broadcasting. (in case your network is not set to broadcast)

If she can't see your network, check on your router that your network is broadcasting its SSID and if it is not, tick for it to broadcast, and then try the first bit again.

If that doesn't work let us know her pc operating system.

[mistephenso]

It could be a couple of things...

1) Check the router and her wireless network card and see whether they are compatible (which connection types/speeds they both support (b, g or n) - if one 'part' of the connection is older, it may not work with the other half?). For example, an old laptop may not work with a new router?

2) Check the encryption type - it could be one of the following:

WEP - this is easy to hack and old.

WPA/WPA2 - not so easy to hack and more recent.

It could be that the wireless card on the laptop is not setup to talk to the router properly - or vice versa? It could also be that the encryption types do not match and needs changing.

This is the most likely issue if she can connect elsewhere... You would then need to reconfigure the wifi card for more secure connections!?

Cheers,

M

[villagefarang]

So did you get it fixed yet? I am in agreement that it is something to do with the configuration and not TOT per say.

[pomchop]

So did you get it fixed yet? I am in agreement that it is something to do with the configuration and not TOT per say.

No luck yet. One BIG problem is she is chinese and her computer runs a chinese windows xp so i can't read all the menus etc to help her figure it out. I think I need to see if i can get a TOT or some computer guy to come over as i suspect it is just a setting somewhere in her computer. But not sure if they could get past the chinese either. She speaks pretty good thai but was unable to figure it out with TOT on the phone. I also do not think it is TOT as everyone elses computers seem to connect at my house with no problems. Strange that her's works at several coffee shops though...

[Paul888]

You haven't answered the important question which means anybody trying to help you is blundering around in the dark.....

Can she see your network?

If she can, and I suspect she can, do as I said initially to check the security and encryption settings.

To get to the settings when one pc is in another language, try putting the two pcs together and as you click something in english on one pc, click the corresponding key on the other. The layout and location of the menus will almost certainly be the same.

The fact that she can connect in coffee shops is probably down to the networks in most coffee shops being unsecured - which again points us to the problem being the security/encryption settings.

Also mentioning what version of windows she has will help as there are subtle differences in menus.

[pomchop]

You haven't answered the important question which means anybody trying to help you is blundering around in the dark.....

Can she see your network?

If she can, and I suspect she can, do as I said initially to check the security and encryption settings.

To get to the settings when one pc is in another language, try putting the two pcs together and as you click something in english on one pc, click the corresponding key on the other. The layout and location of the menus will almost certainly be the same.

The fact that she can connect in coffee shops is probably down to the networks in most coffee shops being unsecured - which again points us to the problem being the security/encryption settings.

Also mentioning what version of windows she has will help as there are subtle differences in menus.

Yes she can see the network if by see you mean it shows up as an available wireless network and has excellent signal strength.

She says that she checked the security and encription but frankly i am not sure she really knows what she is doing and i am also no expert. She says the TOT people on the phone went through all of that but the conversation was in a mix of Thai and English and who knows who understood what.

I will try as suggested to put her computer next to mine and see if can figure it out. She runs windows XP which is also what i have.

I wonder if i should make mine unsecure if that would do it? Where i live there isn't really anybody within range of my signal so i don't think that would be a problem.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I do appreciate it. As soon as she wakes up i will give it all a try and let you know what happens..

[Paul888]

Probably a stupid question, but has she switched the keyboard to english on her pc to enter the network key?

[pomchop]

Probably a stupid question, but has she switched the keyboard to english on her pc to enter the network key?

she says yes english keyboard to enter key..

fyi i do notice one difference....on my computer it says network authenication is wpa2-psk..but on her computer it says wpa-psk but no 2....the one with 2 is not a menu selection on hers and there seems to be no way to change hers...but wpa-psk is a menu selection on my computer so not sure if i should change on mine to match hers?..as far as i can tell all the other codes etc match on my computer and hers....miine say tpik as does her...the ssid also matches as do network key code..

another dumb question from me...IF i want to make my connection unsecure to see if that helps how do i do that? i dont' want to fool around and srew up my computer connection by doing something really dumb..

thanks again for your help...

[Tywais]

wpa2-psk defaults to AES encryption and wpa-psk to TKIP encryption so not compatible unless you can set your router to wpa2-psk AES+TKIP or switch the router to wpa-psk or WEP.

[CP3]

Sound like you have one pc which is connected before the encryption method was changed and another one with after that?

At your pc's network & sharing centre->Manage wireless networks, remove the ssid from the list. Then connect it again from the wireless list.

[pomchop]

Sound like you have one pc which is connected before the encryption method was changed and another one with after that?

At your pc's network & sharing centre->Manage wireless networks, remove the ssid from the list. Then connect it again from the wireless list.

thanks will try that... if all else fails do you think that if i just make my wifi connection unsecured that would do it? sorta hate to do that but then again i don't think my neighbors could likely even get my signal and even so i don't think too many computer hackers among them?

[villagefarang]

I don’t run any wifi encryption for the very reasons you mention. No one close enough to hitch a ride. Doesn’t cost anything to try. Just switch to unencrypted for a day and see what happens.

[CP3]

yeah..if nothing help, probably try with encryption open to see.

[Dork]

Windows XP doesn't support WPA2 but you can down load a hotfix from Microsoft here http://www.microsoft...ls.aspx?id=1974

I think this hotfix was included in XP SP3 which perhaps you have but she doesn't.

That's why she can connect at most hotspots but not your wifi router.

[ITGabs]

Windows XP doesn't support WPA2 but you can down load a hotfix from Microsoft here http://www.microsoft...ls.aspx?id=1974

I think this hotfix was included in XP SP3 which perhaps you have but she doesn't.

That's why she can connect at most hotspots but not your wifi router.

Good answer... XP SP3 including the support for WPA2

The support for WPA2 is directly related to this service "Wireless Zero Configuration" that control by default the wireless card

but If the hardware/driver include software you can use that for connect to WPA2, check "dell wireless" "intel wireless" in "All Programs" menu

[pomchop]

as a follow up i wanted to thank all of you for your suggestions etc... one of her chinese friends at work fooled around with her computer and i have no idea what he did but she can now connect on my secured wifi no problems....

thanks