Problem w/ BEFSR41 and Intel 2915ABG

Hi all,

I recently reformatted two laptops with Intel 2915ABG wireless cards now I
can't connect to my Linksys BEFSR41 Wireless B router.

The laptops connect fine to other wireless APs (i.e. WRT54G v4s, Microsoft
APs, Hotel APs) but just not to the BEFSR41.

These laptops were known to work fine with the BEFSR41.

Other laptops in the office can connect successfully.

So what changed with the Intel Drivers to make them stop working with the
Linksys router?

We're using v10.5.1 and 10.5.2.

Thanks.

Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> writes:

> Hi all,
>
> I recently reformatted two laptops with Intel 2915ABG wireless cards now I
> can't connect to my Linksys BEFSR41 Wireless B router.
>
> The laptops connect fine to other wireless APs (i.e. WRT54G v4s, Microsoft
> APs, Hotel APs) but just not to the BEFSR41.

Is it possible that they fail to connect wirelessly because the
BEFSR41 is not a wireless router?

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...VisitorWrapper

The following accessory is required for use with the BEFSR41:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812609106

[sorry couldn't resist--please repost with correct AP model number]

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote in news:84bqie8yhj.fsf@ripco.com:

> Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> writes:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I recently reformatted two laptops with Intel 2915ABG wireless cards
>> now I can't connect to my Linksys BEFSR41 Wireless B router.
>>
>> The laptops connect fine to other wireless APs (i.e. WRT54G v4s,
>> Microsoft APs, Hotel APs) but just not to the BEFSR41.
>
> Is it possible that they fail to connect wirelessly because the
> BEFSR41 is not a wireless router?
>
> http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...hildpagename=U
> S%2FLayout&cid=1122062340941&pagename=Linksys%2FCo mmon%2FVisitorWrapper
>
> The following accessory is required for use with the BEFSR41:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812609106
>
> [sorry couldn't resist--please repost with correct AP model number]


BEFW11S4 oops :-)

Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> writes:

> comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote in news:84bqie8yhj.fsf@ripco.com:
>
> > Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> writes:
> >
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> I recently reformatted two laptops with Intel 2915ABG wireless cards
> >> now I can't connect to my Linksys BEFSR41 Wireless B router.
> >>
> >> The laptops connect fine to other wireless APs (i.e. WRT54G v4s,
> >> Microsoft APs, Hotel APs) but just not to the BEFSR41.
> >
> > Is it possible that they fail to connect wirelessly because the
> > BEFSR41 is not a wireless router?
> >
> > http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...hildpagename=U
> > S%2FLayout&cid=1122062340941&pagename=Linksys%2FCo mmon%2FVisitorWrapper
> >
> > The following accessory is required for use with the BEFSR41:
> > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812609106
> >
> > [sorry couldn't resist--please repost with correct AP model number]
>
>
> BEFW11S4 oops :-)


Can it at least see the ssid? What happens specifically when you try
to connect? Disabled all encryption and reverted back to factory
defaults on it for testing purposes?

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote in news:848xdi7d3z.fsf@ripco.com:

> Can it at least see the ssid? What happens specifically when you try
> to connect? Disabled all encryption and reverted back to factory
> defaults on it for testing purposes?

Yes, the laptops see the SSID - it even detects that it is WEP-128. When I
attempt to connect, the Intel Proset management utility brings up a message
after ~30 seconds saying "cannot connect". Afterwards, it sits in an idle
unconnected state.

Strange thing is that these laptops worked prior to the reformat.

The router has no MAC address filters set.

Did Intel change their drivers and make them imcompatible with certain
11B/WEP implementations?

Other laptops in the office work fine (running older drivers) ... which is
extremely strange.

Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> writes:

> comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote in news:848xdi7d3z.fsf@ripco.com:
>
> > Can it at least see the ssid? What happens specifically when you try
> > to connect? Disabled all encryption and reverted back to factory
> > defaults on it for testing purposes?
>
> Yes, the laptops see the SSID - it even detects that it is WEP-128. When I
> attempt to connect, the Intel Proset management utility brings up a message
> after ~30 seconds saying "cannot connect". Afterwards, it sits in an idle
> unconnected state.
>
> Strange thing is that these laptops worked prior to the reformat.

Can you tell the intel proset management utility to leave you alone
and allow you to instead use Windows XP's built in wireless
configuration? Sorry can't recall which OS you reinstalled, but if
it's XP, I have seen vendor specific management software screw things
up.

> The router has no MAC address filters set.

Try it with wep and wpa completely disabled for shits and giggles.
If that succeeds, then work the security issue. If you're with fresh
firmware and drivers, give WPA a whirl since WEP's broken anyway.

> Did Intel change their drivers and make them incompatible with certain
> 11B/WEP implementations?

Dunno. Check the readme's of their drivers--perhaps it's in there.

> Other laptops in the office work fine (running older drivers)
> ... which is extremely strange.

Indeed. The strangest stuff I've seen with computers though, seems
to often involve wireless. I think it's because it involved radio,
and radio so often involves FM. Contrary to popular belief, FM
doesn't stand for frequency modulation though... it's f-in magic.

Press on here though. First try disabling intel's management software
and using the vanilla windows stuff. If that fails, I'd drop back and
disable all security, reset that router back to its stone age factory
defaults, and try to at least get connected to it first with these
machines and then tack on the security (WPA-psk with a long, random
passphrase preferably).

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:52:25 GMT, Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com>
wrote in <Xns990078C8EBE47usenethoneypotrogers@127.0.0.1> :

>I recently reformatted two laptops with Intel 2915ABG wireless cards now I
>can't connect to my Linksys BEFSR41 Wireless B router.
>
>The laptops connect fine to other wireless APs (i.e. WRT54G v4s, Microsoft
>APs, Hotel APs) but just not to the BEFSR41.
>
>These laptops were known to work fine with the BEFSR41.
>
>Other laptops in the office can connect successfully.
>
>So what changed with the Intel Drivers to make them stop working with the
>Linksys router?
>
>We're using v10.5.1 and 10.5.2.

Make sure you don't have wireless configured for "g" (or "a" + "g") mode
only -- "b" needs to be enabled as well.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

On 27 Mar 2007 13:30:56 -0500, comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote in
<848xdi7d3z.fsf@ripco.com>:

>Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> writes:

>> BEFW11S4 oops :-)
>
>Can it at least see the ssid? What happens specifically when you try
>to connect? Disabled all encryption and reverted back to factory
>defaults on it for testing purposes?

That last sentence is key! Your best bet is to start over from factory
default settings. Only enable security _after_ wireless is working!

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

John Navas <spamfilter0@navasgroup.com> wrote in
news:p1lv03tfk2tma5qq39rjatjonpmd0sbqgf@4ax.com:

> On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:52:25 GMT, Spam Catcher
> <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> wrote in
> <Xns990078C8EBE47usenethoneypotrogers@127.0.0.1> :
>
>>I recently reformatted two laptops with Intel 2915ABG wireless cards
>>now I can't connect to my Linksys BEFSR41 Wireless B router.
>>
>>The laptops connect fine to other wireless APs (i.e. WRT54G v4s,
>>Microsoft APs, Hotel APs) but just not to the BEFSR41.
>>
>>These laptops were known to work fine with the BEFSR41.
>>
>>Other laptops in the office can connect successfully.
>>
>>So what changed with the Intel Drivers to make them stop working with
>>the Linksys router?
>>
>>We're using v10.5.1 and 10.5.2.
>
> Make sure you don't have wireless configured for "g" (or "a" + "g")
> mode only -- "b" needs to be enabled as well.

It's a b-only router ... so there's no wireless mode to set.

Nothing changed with the wireless router - in fact it worked fine before
I reformatted 2 laptops.

Maybe I'll just buy a new router...

On Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:11:04 GMT, Spam Catcher <spamhoneypot@rogers.com>
wrote in <Xns99061637ADFC8usenethoneypotrogers@127.0.0.1> :

>John Navas <spamfilter0@navasgroup.com> wrote in
>news:p1lv03tfk2tma5qq39rjatjonpmd0sbqgf@4ax.com :
>
>> On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:52:25 GMT, Spam Catcher
>> <spamhoneypot@rogers.com> wrote in
>> <Xns990078C8EBE47usenethoneypotrogers@127.0.0.1> :
>>
>>>I recently reformatted two laptops with Intel 2915ABG wireless cards
>>>now I can't connect to my Linksys BEFSR41 Wireless B router.
>>>
>>>The laptops connect fine to other wireless APs (i.e. WRT54G v4s,
>>>Microsoft APs, Hotel APs) but just not to the BEFSR41.
>>>
>>>These laptops were known to work fine with the BEFSR41.
>>>
>>>Other laptops in the office can connect successfully.
>>>
>>>So what changed with the Intel Drivers to make them stop working with
>>>the Linksys router?
>>>
>>>We're using v10.5.1 and 10.5.2.
>>
>> Make sure you don't have wireless configured for "g" (or "a" + "g")
>> mode only -- "b" needs to be enabled as well.
>
>It's a b-only router ... so there's no wireless mode to set.

I was referring to your _clients_ (not the router).

>Nothing changed with the wireless router - in fact it worked fine before
>I reformatted 2 laptops.

Sounds like something changed on the 2 laptops; e.g., wrong WEP key. If
using WEP, enter _all_ keys in hex, not ASCII characters.

>Maybe I'll just buy a new router...

First try hard resetting it to manufacturer defaults and starting over.
Don't configure _any_ security until all the wireless is working.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>