Wireless Network Q's

[Pariah]

I'm setting up a wireless G netwrk expander in my home, but I'm having some trouble with the automatic configuration, so I'm having to go in and do a manual config.

Where do I find my network's "Subnet Mask" and the router's gateway IP address?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SweetD]

I'm setting up a wireless G netwrk expander in my home, but I'm having some trouble with the automatic configuration, so I'm having to go in and do a manual config.

Where do I find my network's "Subnet Mask" and the router's gateway IP address?

Thanks in advance.

the router's gateway IP should be in the manual.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Usually these routers set up automatically...what kind of problems are you having?

Mike

 

[Chaz]

I'm setting up a wireless G netwrk expander in my home, but I'm having some trouble with the automatic configuration, so I'm having to go in and do a manual config.

Where do I find my network's "Subnet Mask" and the router's gateway IP address?

Thanks in advance.

You are setting up this device on your local network right? This is a device to extend wireless coverage but it is not the router is that correct?

You can look at your computer settings for the Mask and GW address.

The subnet mask is most likely 255.255.255.0. The gateway will be the address of your router.

 

[Pariah]

I'm trying to set up an office in my garage which is not attached to the house. I get a signal out there, but it's weak. So, I went and got a Wireless Range Expander (G, just like my network).

I thought it'd be an automatic boost, but when I connect I'm still showing a low signal and an mps between 1 and 5.5 (instead of the 56 I get inside). When I look at my available wireless connections I have one called "lynksys" which works, but slowly (that's the one I'm connected to now). I also have one called "lynksysR7a52ae." I think this is the expander because it says it's signal strength is excellent, but I can't connect to it. When I try it tells me I have limited or no connectivity and I can't connect to the netwok at all, even though when I rest my cursor on the little icon in the bottom right of the task bar it tells me I have excellent connectivity and 56 mps.

Any ideas?

 

[Chaz]

I'm trying to set up an office in my garage which is not attached to the house. I get a signal out there, but it's weak. So, I went and got a Wireless Range Expander (G, just like my network).

I thought it'd be an automatic boost, but when I connect I'm still showing a low signal and an mps between 1 and 5.5 (instead of the 56 I get inside). When I look at my available wireless connections I have one called "lynksys" which works, but slowly (that's the one I'm connected to now). I also have one called "lynksysR7a52ae." I think this is the expander because it says it's signal strength is excellent, but I can't connect to it. When I try it tells me I have limited or no connectivity and I can't connect to the netwok at all, even though when I rest my cursor on the little icon in the bottom right of the task bar it tells me I have excellent connectivity and 56 mps.

Any ideas?

Right OK

Sounds like the expander lacks connectivity to the home network. Of course part of the problem could be if the signal is weak in the garage then it will be difficult for the expander to connect wirelessly to the house.

Make sure the expander has the correct wireless and network setting to participate on your network. You also may want to postion the access point and the expander as close toghther as possible (both near their respective windows) to get the best wireless signal between them.

 

[Pariah]

The wireless router is in the basement. I put the expander upstairs near a window that's closest to the garage--it's roughly half-way between the router and the laptop, and roughly in the same place the laptop was when I was inside and had a great connection. So I think I'm alright in that department (or should be).

How do I make sure the expander has the correct wireless and network settings?

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Router should probably be upstairs, not in the basement...

Anyone else agree?

Mike

 

[SweetD]

Router should probably be upstairs, not in the basement...

Anyone else agree?

Mike

Yep you most likely have a lot more interference below the ground than in a building. Unless your 50 ft away you really shouldn't need an expander.

 

[Pariah]

Unfortunately, that's where the cable comes into the house so I don't think I have much of a choice. I have Directv coming out of the other coax outlets.

But, the problem is that I have a network that works fine, and an expander that doesn't seem to be syncing up to it.

 

[Chaz]

Sounds like the placement would be ok.

Do you have WEP enabled? If you do the auto configuration won't work.
You will have to put in the wireless settings (SSID and WEP key) into the expander like you would to get a laptop on the network.

Have you run the install wizard software from the laptop? You should be able to get the gateway and subnet mask by duplicating the entries from the laptop.

The IP address of the expander has to be unique but on the same subnet.

If the gateway is 192.168.1.1 and the mask is 255.255.255.0 then just change the last number in the IP to someting up to 254 like 192.168.1.250.

 

[Ryanwb]

My neighbor has a wireless network that broadcast's called "The Batcave"... i've been trying to break into it for like 5 months now just to see what it is all about.

Anyone know of a way to break an SSID? I used to have a software utility that would do it but I've lost it

 

[bratwurst]

My neighbor has a wireless network that broadcast's called "The Batcave"... i've been trying to break into it for like 5 months now just to see what it is all about.

Anyone know of a way to break an SSID? I used to have a software utility that would do it but I've lost it

break an SSID? You mean break the WEP? My SSID at home is "nachos".

I don't broadcast though so you would have to use netstumbler or something to see it.

 

[AzCards21]

My neighbor has a wireless network that broadcast's called "The Batcave"... i've been trying to break into it for like 5 months now just to see what it is all about.

Anyone know of a way to break an SSID? I used to have a software utility that would do it but I've lost it

Is this the hot neighbor lady? Let's hope for pics!

 

[bratwurst]

Talk about weird ssid's... check out this thread:

http://www.netstumbler.org/showthread.php?t=11311&page=1

I got netstumbler to talk using the script mentioned here, its pretty cool.

/nerd

 

[Chaz]

Some AP names that were interesting:

* asshat

Someone stumbled on Ryanwb's network?

 

[NavyVet]

If you're not familiar with identifying your networks settings:

Start > Run > Cmd > ipconfig or ipconfig/all

As far as wireless extenders, they work, but they are no different than when it comes to determining the location of your wireless PC's. If you are attempting to connect devices in the furthest part of your house, the extender should be placed in a location, say halfway between or further, where it receives the strongest signal from the router. Placing it near the router defeats the purpose as the signal the router and the extender sends are nearly identical and redundant. I use Linksys myself, no extender, because the people I know who use the extender say it's useless and most moved to the Dlink Extreme-G. I will be doing the same.

Another complication is the use of 2.4ghz wireless phones in the house. If you have them, you may want to consider changing to 5.8.

 

[Pariah]

I'm all set. Thanks for all your help guys.

The most frustrating thing about IT troubleshooting to me is I feel like I do the same thing over and over again and I get different results each time. I know I must have either done something different, or adjusted something somewhere else to get the change, but still it's frustrating.

My problem was that once I went in and started messing with the IP and Gateway addresses, I had disabled the auto-DNS thingy, so I was getting on to the network, but wasn't able to browse the internet even though I was connected.

That's 12 hours I'll never get back.

Thanks again, for all your help, though. It's nice to be able to type out a question and get responses from so many people that know what they're doing.