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14923
March 5th, 2008 17:00
1390 WLAN card won't connect using WPA security
I've seen some similar posts regarding this, but wantd to open a new post to make sure I'm getting the latest info.
I have just purchased a Latitude D630 (Windows XP), which has the Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN mini-card installed. I am also using a Linksys WRK54G v1 wireless broadband router. Using WPA security on the router, I have never had a problem attaching other machines to my wireless network. But with the new Latitude D630 with the 1390 card, I cannot connect.
While troubleshooting this I have determined that I am able to connect to the router with NO security enabled, or also with WEP security, just not when I enable WPA-PSK security.
I have worked with both Dell and Linksys to upgrade both devices to the latest firmware and/or drivers, but still cannot connect using WPA (actually can only connect with WEP since upgrading the Linksys firmware).
Everyone seems to think it is a configuration or driver issue with the 1390 card, yet nobody can tell me exactly what is not right. Anyone have any ideas?
Or should I pack the whole laptop back up and ship it back for a replacement - perhaps one with the Intel PRO wireless card instead (that one works fine on my Insipiron 640m)?
volcano11
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March 6th, 2008 13:00
Are you abolutely 100% without any doubt whatsover sure that you are entering the correct WPA key? Have you tried it using a very simple easy to remember key just to see if it works? Sorry if this seems too simple or if you have already done this, but in troubleshooting it is never a good idea to assume anything, so I'm just asking to make sure.
Have you tried connecting in Safe Mode with Network Support?
Have you changed any settings on the Advanced tab of the Device Manager properties for the 1390 adapter?
I have the 1390 card and have never had trouble using WPA.
Steve
tbernier
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March 6th, 2008 13:00
Thanks for looking at this Steve. I see you're very active on this forum...nice to have folks like you helping to support the community!
Yes, I am absolutely 100% certain that the WPA key I'm entering is correct. It's a very simple password, and I know I'm keying it in correctly. In fact, this new laptop is replacing an older Dell, and it's connecting just fine with the same WPA key on that system.
Incidentally, I just tried another thing this morning to isolate the issue to the card. I added an external Linksys Notebook Adapter card (WPC54G v4) into the PCMCIA slot on this new laptop, and successfully connected to the network using WPA security. So now I know it's not the laptop itself, but rather something within the 1390 card.
I have been on chat and on the phone several times with both Linksys and Dell support trying to get this working. While working with a Dell wireless support person recently, she connected to my machine and did change some of the advanced settings on the 1390 card. And I've also tried changing some as well now - in my desperate attempt to resolve this. Being in the IT industry myself, I have a pretty good idea what most of those settings do.
So I'm stuck at this point. If there is a way to restore the advanced settings on the 1390 card, I'd be game to try that, but otherwise I don't know what else to do other than packing this machine back up and sending it back.
Thanks for any input you can provide.
Tim
volcano11
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28K Posts
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March 6th, 2008 13:00
The user guide for the 1390 can be found at:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/network/S145658/en/index.htm#1276004
It appears to tell you the default values for each option.
Steve
tbernier
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March 6th, 2008 21:00
That was a great source of documentation you sent me to, but unfortunately nothing helped yet. There were just a few settings changed from the default and after resetting them, it still won't work.
I have a colleague who received an identical Latitude D630 the same time as me. Although he's not using a Linksys router (he uses Belkin), I've asked him to try wireless using WPA (he uses WEP right now), just so I can see if another person can connect with WPA using the 1390 card. I'll see how that goes.
volcano11
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28K Posts
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March 6th, 2008 22:00
I can tell you that my 1390, card in a Latitude D820, successfully connects to Belkin and Netgear routers with WPA enabled, without problems. The only thing I can suggest is to go into Safe Mode, uninstall the drivers for your wireless adapter, then reboot to Normal mode and reinstall the drivers for the network adapter. This should also erase any profiles stored on the computer. You can then try to connect after reintering your encryption type, protocol and encryption key and see if that fixes the problem.
Steve