802.11b Adapter vs. 802.11g Router

Tearing my scant hair on this one:
Adapter is a IntelPro LAN 2100 3b mini adapter in a Gateway M505 B2
notebook. The new router is a Linksys WRT54g. The problem is that after a
week or so we can no longer "see" the Router and cannot connect to our home
network wirelessly. We can cable connect thru the Ethernet port. The only
hardware change made since we were able connect was an addition of a USB 2.0
hub. (to add ports to this damn M505b2 notebook which was down to 1 as the
others don't work anymore.)
I've tried removing and reinstalling the router,hub, and adapter (and its
driver) with no joy. Other computers on this network have no problem
connecting to this network.
I am really weak on network issues and some one suggested to log on here and
ask if the 802.11b---802.11g protocol is the problem.
thanks

 

how did you "reinstall" the router? did you power cycle it? reset it
to factory defaults?

what operating system are you using?

can you connect withOUT the USB hub plugged in?

if the USB ports on the laptop stopped working, it's possible that
something else stopped working too. Do you see other wireless
networks if you take the laptop to a public hotspot or place where
there is known to be wireless?

Is the router set to hide the SSID?

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

Aside from the only hardware change being the USB hub, what else is
different since it worked?

802.11g uses the same RF frequencies as 802.11b. Thus, virtually all
802.11g routers have the ability to work with 802.11b adapters (they'll
go slower, of course). The WRT54G is no exception. The catch is that
the wireless portion of the router can be configured to operate in
"B-only", "G-only", "Mixed" or "Disabled". See
http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w175/lemp40/?action=view&current=wrt54gbasicwirelesssettings.jpg

Linksys routers are configured by connecting to them with an Ethernet
cable and entering 192.168.1.1 in a web browser. The default user name
is left blank; the default password is admin.


However, it's not clear to me why this setting should have changed.
That is, if you were able to connect to your router before you added the
USB hub, the router must have been in Mixed (default) or B-only mode.
Installing (or uninstalling) the USB hub should have nothing to do with
this.

On the other hand, it's possible that you've managed to turn off the
radio in the 2100 adapter. Notebooks often have either a physical
switch or a Fn+Fx key press combination that enables/disables the wifi
radio in order to save power. Try taking your Notebook to a nearby
Starbucks or other wifi hotspot and see if you can "see" the wifi
network there.

For more info, see http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html

 

Hello Barb..........below

No....was not necessary. We just made sure all was as originaly set up.(it
was)

XP SP2 on all network computers.

No...with plugged in or uninstalled, or disabled.

No, did not take NB to public hotspots,but other neighborhood networks no
longer display as they used to before the problem surfaced. Once
before,about a month ago this problem occurred while at another home network
with 802.11g router (a MS 700)

 

Xavier - You do not indicate being able to access the router - 192.168.1.1
is the default IP address and default password "admin". What are reslts of
ipconfig /all .

BTW - Linksys provides two excellent utilites on it's web site for
troubleshooting and setting the router.

 

do you see the wireless adapter in device manager? right click My
Computer, then Manage...

did the wireless adapter get turned off? most laptops have a way to
do this with a switch, a key combination, or a utility.

did it get disabled in windows somehow?

please post the text output (not an image) of

ipconfig /all

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

Thanks to all( Barb, Lem, AJR) for responding to my issue.
It WAS the wireless switch on the Keyboard. The Multi-Function panel was
malfunctioning and when reinstalled and driver upgraded recently it now
became active. It hadn't worked for years!.. yadda..yadda...........
Never thought of it.......DUH
Ever learning at 74..........Jim