Setting up the Dell Wireless Printer Adapter 3300

Rick

I have been through this entire process several times and never have been able to get it to work.  I also tried setting it up on the g bandwidth with the same result.  I have only two green lights on the adapter ....no green light for the wireless status light.....I have tried everything you have suggested several times....Do you have anything else I can do?

Doug

Doug,

We had an issue with a Belkin wireless N router. It could not tell the difference between WPA-TKIP and AES. AES is NOT supported by the 3300, just WEP and WPA_-PSK(TKIP) If you are using the setting in your router I suggested, when you connect the 3300 to your computer with the USB Cable, can it see your network? Does it connect to your network?

Rick

Rick, you still on the channel?

 timbear,

Yes, I'm still here.

Make and model of your wireless router is helpful.

What type of security are you using and which channel?

Make and model of the printer that you'e trying to connect to the 3300?

Rick

Fireman Stud,

Let's leave the router settings alone. Just check the channel. I would switch the channel to channel 11, there should not  be a problem with everything connecting. I had this setup on my network with a 12 character password instead of a 13 chanrcter password.

Try running the setup for the 3300. Press and hold the reset button in the back of the 3300 for 30 seconds. That should reset the 3300 back to factory. Try to connect to the neighbors network and fake a password. It will tell you it won't connect. Then try your own network and it should connect.

Whick green lights are on? The printer will need to be turned on 24/7 in order for this to work. I had the screen on my printer turn off after 10 minutes. I had it setup for a Dell 964 Printer. I still have mine in the closet, so I can check

Rick

Some progress to report.  When I change the settings of my router to disable the encryption, the 3300 can be successfully configured to connect to the network BUT ONLY AFTER A FULL RESET OF THE 3300 (BY PRESSING THE TEST BUTTON WHILE CONNECTING THE POWER LEAD).    

It appears the WPA/WPA2 PSK encryption will only allow AES and not TKIP (that may be obvious to those who understand the jargon !?) because if I have the router with WPA/WPA2 PSK and change my PC adaptor settings to TKIP, the PC loses connectivity with the network / router.

So it would seem that my original connectivity issue is down to the fact that the 3300 does not support AES encryption.   Guessing that there is no way of updating this ??

Fireman Stud,

From what I've seen, I had the 3300 attached to my network using WPA-PSK(TKIP) Security(Personal) In my notes, I did not see that WPA-AES was supported. The 3300 Firmware is needed if you look under fixes and enhancements.

The adapter works best on channels 1, 6 or 11. I used channel 11. The higher the channel, the smaller the antenna, meaning that the connection would be better.

Rick

mmmm........ , More progress but now proved that this adaptor will not function with encryption using the equipment running my network - even with the firmware update "R139145".  Heres how I did this :

I changed my router settings and network properties (using the advanced settings link)  to have no encryption.  Ran the 3300 set up utility again - bingo - adaptor joins the network.

I then spent hours trying every different permutation of encryption, and the adaptor fails to join the network with every option.  

The router setting options are clearly defined - WEP; WPA with PSK; WPA/WPA2 with PSK or Disabled.  There is no option to fine tune the WPA's to AES or TKIP.  That bit has to be done by changing the advanced settings when viewing the wireless network properties - nothing inside the router settings.

I'm using Draytek USB wireless adaptors.  When changing the advanced settings of the network properties,  I can set  to TKIP but the PC then loses sight of the internet.  Still can see the network broadcasting but have to manually connect.  As soon as I do this, the TKIP is automatically replaced with AES.

Conclusion :  Dell 3300 is not compatible with my network hardware because the network can only run with AES encryption.

Hope this info proves useful to somebody - if only to prevent them spending the amount of time that I've wasted on the matter.

If anybody knows of a AES compatible Wireless Printer Adaptor to suit a Dell 924 Printer, please fell free to post a message.  Cheers.

Fireman Stud,

I had this adapter work for WPA-PSK (TKIP) Security (Personal)

Rick

I can too but the the wireless adaptors on the two PCs will not run TKIP.  So if I get the Dell adaptor to connect to the network,  I lose connectivity on the desktop.  

I think if I had different adaptors for the PCs I may be able to run everything in TKIP mode but I'm stuck with two quite expensive Draytek adaptors - which are now proving to be nearly as much of a pain as the Draytek router that I had previously persevered with and then exchanged for the Billion.

Thanks for your input.

Anywhere I can download the Wireless config Utility, Cant seem to find it. Can Anyone Help??!?! PLEASE!!!

mrARCADIAN,

The 3300 utility can be found in the first theread here, Setting up the Dell Wireless Printer Adapter 3300

If using Windows 7, you have to install the utility in the Vista(I used Vista SP2) Compatibility mode

Make sure to read the special notes in the first thread.

If you need further help, fel free to ask.

Rick

Rick,  I have a v313w wireless printer that I defaulted settings after a power issue here in NY,,,I cant seem to get an IP addrtess or Gateway address on printer to use on home network...I can connect directly and works fine, all my PC's work fine on Linksys wireless router...Printer will not access router...

Thank You

billiam0126,

Are you using the wireless adapter in the V313w Printer?

Rick