Cannot connect to wireless using Sony FE11m and internal wireless card

barrykerwick · #1 (**permalink**) 04-06-2006, 01:56 PM

Hi
I just purchases a brand new sony vaio fe11m laptop which is supposed to be a high spec machine but I cannot get the laptop to connect to my wireless network using it's internal wireless card.

I have a UK Wanadoo live box router.
The livebox has picked up the device address of the sony wireless card.
I have entered the correct WEP key in sony wireless set up.
My network appears in my wireless networks list.
It seems to connect to wireless network but then gets stuck acquiring a network address and is never able to get an address from the router.
I am using norton internet security 2006 which I have disabled and it still does not work.
I have scanned through this forum and can see that other people have had the problem. My old sony vaio laptop is able to connect to my router using an external network card so I know its not the router.
I have contacted Sony and Wanadoo who have been no help whatsoever.
Any ideas ?

NZLamb · #2 (**permalink**) 04-06-2006, 10:45 PM

What happens if you disable WEP as a test? I certainly don't recommend leaving it off but for a few minutes for testing should be fine and it might help eliminate one thing from the equation.

Another thing is updating the firmware of your AP and drivers for the laptop's wireless card. I remember having many similar problems to this when the Centrino chips first made an appearance, many access point vendors had to release new firmware in order to get them working together properly.

barrykerwick · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2006, 11:55 AM

Hi Jeremy,
I did did disable wep encryption and indeed the card connected to my wireless network.
On close inspection of the live box and card I found that the livebox was set to wep encryption but the card was set to WPA only. I set the livebox to WPA and it now works all the time!!

NZLamb · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2006, 02:09 PM

Excellent news, as bonus WPA will provide you much better security as well!

chris_s · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 12:27 PM

I had the same problems with my new Sony Vaio TX3XP and the Livebox, and your suggestion to switch to WPA worked for me too. Thanks to all for the helpful dialogue.

-chris

NeilAdshead · #6 (**permalink**) 08-28-2006, 12:41 AM

My company have just changed my laptop to a Sony Vaio VGN-SZ2XP/C for which I have experienced exactly the same problem with my connection to my Wanadoo/Orange Livebox.

As suggested I changed the security settings from WPA/WEP to WPA only and the computer connected immediately!

Thanks for all the extremely helpful discussion out there - Orange were unfortunately a bit of a waste of time!

Cheers,

Neil

pedge2k7 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-19-2006, 06:14 PM

how do you change it form wep to wpa or wateva im really confused! please help me!

svticeman · #8 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 07:44 AM

Hi,

I had the exact same problem with my orange/wanadoo livebox and two laptops. After many hours I have now managed to get both of them to work. It appears they both had different problems.

The following will only be of any use provided that the Centrino has first connected to the livebox and the signal strength is good! If your not connecting then you need to either check the settings on the PC/laptop for wireless connection, or you need to move closer to the livebox - Ive found that the Livebox has quite poor signal strength! It doesnt like going through brick!

1st Check = Make sure that you have keyed in the correct WEP code!! Its such a long number, and because its hidden, you never know if youve made a typo error!
The best way to do this I found is to use "Notepad". Type the code into this first and then cut and paste it each time. Note: It appears to be case sensitive so use Upper Case!
2nd Check = If the above doesnt cure problem then hopefully the next will! To carry out this you must be connected via a patch lead (one should have been supplied with Livebox!).
If you have loaded the correct software which was recieved with the Livebox you will see a shortcut on your desktop "Configure the Livebox". Click on this link.
1. click on the link at bottom in orange.
2. enter the password - "admin"
3. Click on "Configuration"
4. Click on "Advanced"
5. Click on "Wireless"
6. The default setting should be "WPA or WEP security"
7. CHANGE this to "WPA security only"
8. Submit change.
9. Exit out of Livebox Settings.
Disconnect the patch lead and try connecting to internet.
At this point my laptop worked.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Tim