Hi, I am experiencing the same problem with different computers on different networks. The other day I reinstalled Windows for my coworker and I connected it to my wifi at home, then at work, but when he went home, he couldn't connect to his wifi. I also had the same problem with other laptops, some would connect at my place but not at work, others vice versa, etc. In fact, one particular machine would connect to a free (unsecured) network in my building but wouldn't take my own. Passwords are obviously not the issue here since we check and double check. Can anyone give me a fix for this or at least an explanation. Thanks in advance
Laptop doesn't connect to all wireless networks?
- Thread starter lubolat
- Start date
AdmnPower
VIP Member
Depending upon the age of the computer, your wireless card may or may not support all of the security standards that are out there. Old cards sometimes only support WEP, sometimes cards only support WEP or WPA. In addition, depending on the access point and who set it up it can be configure clients to have a specific type of connection in order to connect. For example, if you had a wireless N access point (one that supports this feature) you could require everyone who wants to connect to connect using the N standard or refuse their connection. You can do the same thing with most G wireless access points as well. Wireless drivers are a good place to start though, but if you could come back with some detailed information regarding what cards are in the laptops and perhaps what access points you're trying connect them to as well as what type of security they're running we might be able to point you in the right direction.
Depending on location the wi-fi is broadcast on different channels. In Europe up to 14 and in US only 11. I live in UK and I had problems connecting to some wireless networks even my own (my wireless card >Broadcom -US made-< didn't see them). My router was set to channel >auto< and sometimes was broadcasting on channel 13 as I found. Once I set it manually to =<11, problem disappeared.
Hi everyone. Thanks for all replies. Drivers were the obvious concern, but they were up to date, besides if that were the problem I shouldn' be able to connect to any network. It happens to older and newer machines, as I do work on them. And my security at home is wep, but I was able to connect to a different wep and even wpa. Then another I connected to my wep and my work place's wep, but my coworker couldn't go with his wep. It may have to do with the channels, I'll look into that. Thanks and do not hesitate to write pls
:good:
Thank you very much. How do I look at the type of access point?
Thank you very much. How do I look at the type of access point?
paulcheung
Active Member
Some wireless router have to upgrade their firmware in order to support wep or other security settings to work with windows vista and window 7 workstations. I have this Linksys WRT54g router won't work with vista laptop until I upgrade the latest firmware.
AdmnPower
VIP Member
Well, you can start off by looking at the model number. Do a google search with that and see what information you can get about it (such as what type of connections it supports and what type of security it supports). If you put the router's ip address in a web browser (for an access point that is yours, you shouldn't do this with other people's access points) you can get to the web based settings pages for the router. (typically the default username and password are documented if you havn't changed them) you can then see if the type of connection restrictions I was referring to are enabled.