Resisting a Microsoft Architorture RANT

island911 · 06-16-2005, 07:38 PM

Microsoft Arichitecture truely sucks ass. But rather than going on about the deficiency of of those barnacle-stacking HACKS . . . I will just ask for some help from the (likely btdt) board here.

Here's the deal; Using my removable Netgear network card, Everything works peachy. (Netgear has fine UI, btw)

BUT, when I use the internal Dell card, (with xp UI) it says the connection is excellent . . .and yet it will NOT connect to the internet. WTF? (note; I did have the internal Dell card connected to the internet earlier, but was getting channel interference from a neighbor . . .so I changed channel, now its in limbo.)

So can anyone tell me if there is other software that can take control of these Dell cards? They've got to be made by someone else; right?

These omni-directional spawning microsoft windows, popping-up all around, are driving me crazy! . . .but atleast they don't work.

masraum · 06-16-2005, 08:04 PM

my work laptop has an internal Dell card on XP that works fine at home and at work.

Have you tried the latest drivers from Dell, and have you tried using the "Microsoft Wireless Zero Configuration" stuff that's built into XP?

island911 · 06-16-2005, 08:23 PM

Thanks Steve. Yeah, I just went to the Dell board ... seems they had a problem with channels 3-9, w/ the earlier drivers.

Download complete. . . .have beer ...I'll see how it goes.

Vipergrün · 06-16-2005, 08:28 PM

So, looks like the channel was changed on both the WAP and the Dell card since you have a signal. Are you doing any MAC address-based connection authentication? Are you using a WEP key that may have changed? If you log onto the WAP, do you see your computer as connected?

island911 · 06-16-2005, 08:42 PM

I'm doing WPA. It says excellent signal. .. 54Mbps. . .but no internet ("page cannot be displayed')

When I disable the internal, and slide-in the Netgear PCMCIA Card, all is good. (great signal, and internet connects right up)

CamB · CamB's Garage

I had the same problem with my Boss's son's Toshiba somethingorother. No workee with internal wireless (it finds the network but refuses to receive an IP address, if you tell it the IP address etc, it "connects", but just doesn't work - no pinging the router, nothing).

Works fine with a PCMCIA card.

MysticLlama · 06-16-2005, 09:22 PM

Similar problem with my Compaq laptop with older drivers, claims to work, but basically just doesn't.

One thing to check, if you picked a key other than key #1 on your wireless access point, be sure to change the key index value on the card. If you don't, it'll say it's connected, but you'll never get anywhere because it'll never grab an IP correctly. Not sure why it shows connected at all, but it does.

mikester · 06-16-2005, 09:38 PM

If there is a wireless utility on the Dell you'll likely need to use it to configure the card (like your netgear card has) - the windows wireless configuration rarely works.

island911 · 06-16-2005, 10:01 PM

Thanks guys. I'll definitely check the access point key on the router.

In the mean time, I'm definitely checking THIS box.

I know, it just seems like youre always awake. . .as the world turns.

CamB · CamB's Garage

Try me at 9am in the morning your time... (probably 4am my time and I'll be sleeping like a baby).

Further info - the access point is a Linksys, and the network uses WPA.

Unfortunately for this discussion, I decided I didn't care what the problem was because it could be "fixed" with the PCMCIA card (not my money).

island911 · 06-16-2005, 10:28 PM

Success!

the prob was the wireless access point.

more specifically I had left the WLAN line plugged into one of the 1-4 LAN sockets (left there from router set-up)

I'm amazed that the PCMCIA card didn't have any issue, where as the internal was completely hosed.

Thanks all for the crash course in wifi set up. I learned a lot today.

. . . and Microsoft UI still sucks!