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April 27th, 2004 18:00
Mixed Ethernet/Wireless Network glitches - 27apr04
Please advise on whether my D-Link network setup is capable of a mixed
Ethernet and wireless full network connection, ie. sharing documents and
peer-to-peer workgroups &c.; and, if so, what questions I should put to
support (whether Dell, MS or D-Link or all of the above). Solutions, if
any, would be gratefully received and acknowledged.
Systems and software are summarised below: my problems are with networking
glitches in an attempted mixed Ethernet/wireless connection using MS WIN XP
Pro's setup. For the time being, all connections are set to obtain their IP
addresses automatically (DHCP enabled) and the Windows firewall and any
others (than that in the D-Link ADSL router) have been uninstalled. Norton
Anti-Virus remains installed, but could be removed.
The Ethernet connected computers (respectively Dell-01 & 03 on LAN's IP
addresses 192.168.0.4 & .3) do connect with each other and my broadband
connection for workgroups, shared documents, printer HP-01 &c.; but not with
the wireless enabled Dell-03's LAN IP address (on 169.154.102.182) nor HP-02
printer. Dell-03's LAN (IP address, 169.154.102.182) and the wireless
adapter (address IP, 192.169.0.5) also connects to my broadband connection,
its printer HP-02 and curiously with printer HP-01 (courtesy network support
from HP).
D-Link support say (charmingly) that if the wireless connection connects
through the ADSL router by its Access Point & adapter, then there is a
sufficient connection of their products to enable 'software' networking;
particularly so since the LAN connections' IP addresses can be pinged in
each direction (including the wireless adapter, if not Dell-03's LAN on its
IP address). For example, Dell-03 can open both the D-Link ADSL router and
Access Points IP addresses at their Admin pages (namely 192.169.0.1 & .50).
Apart from this forum, my next move for support is to Dell, in particular
since I depend on them re. my OS network software: part of the reason for
the glitches may well be that D-Link insist that the box in 'View available
Wireless Networks, Advanced .' & the invitation 'Use Windows to configure my
wireless network settings' be unchecked. If it is checked and Windows'
Wizard network settings are tried, Dell-03/its wireless adapter lose their
broadband and other limited connections, which are restored if the box is
then left unchecked.
If more information, is needed or should be provided to Dell/MS technical
support, please let me know. I am disabled and elderly and trying to put
together a small computer centre in our coffee room for my similarly retired
neighbours: the computers will do for the time being in that they are all up
and running and suitable for starter introductions to IT.
However, if I am to administer the system, I feel I must have at least a
working peer-to-peer network. Indeed I would really appreciate the forum's
kindly assistance and timely advice.
Regards to all: John Bertin
System: (1) Dell Dimension computers: 1 x 8300 (Dell-01) & 2 x 4600 (Dell-02
& 03); (2) HP Inkjet printers (HP-01 & -02) 1100dtn; and (3) software: MS
Win XP Pro, Office 2002 Pro, D-Link &c.Dell/MS Support re. OEM MS Win XP Pro installed on each computer Network: Dells-01 & 02 connected by Ethernet cable & Dell-03 by wireless,
with D-Link Equipment (1) ADSL router - DSL-504, (2) Wireless Access Point -
DWL-700AP and (3) Wireless USB Adapter - DWL - 122
0 events found
DELL-Cody
2 Intern
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2.2K Posts
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April 28th, 2004 22:00
The IP address of 169.254.x.x indicates that the system is not receiving a DHCP response, and therefore is more than likely not connecting wirelessly. If the wireless link is indeed up, then there is no DHCP server to assign a proper IP address.
Please elaborate on your network layout, and what exactly you wish to accomplish. If you have both a wired connection and a wireless adapter within the Dell-03 machine, this is not recommended, especially if the wireless network you are attempting to attach to is located within the exact same network as the rest of the machines.
If possible, it would be best if you could draw out the layout you wish to achieve. Barring that, you should expand on what hardware you wish to be able to connect to what other hardware, and which systems you want to be able to print from.
jbertin
3 Posts
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May 2nd, 2004 15:00
Cody-K: Thanks for the reply and helpful comments, which together with a Forum search for other solutions has pointed me in the direction of a solution to Mixed Ethernet/Wireless posted 27apr04 in particular, as follows:
(1) See MS KB 302348 (This article was previously published under Q302348) at url http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q302348&ID=KB;EN-US;Q302348#appliesto under the title "Bridge May Not Work With a Non-Promiscuous Mode Network Adapter Bridge": the solution (in my case) was to force both the NIC adapter (Dell supplied, otherwise of unknown origin) and the wireless adapter (D-Link DWL-122 USB adapter) ‘promiscuous’ (in accordance with the procedure outlined in MS KB 302348See article entitled "Windows XP Bridging and Media
(2) See "Support for Home Networking" (updated May 21 2003) at url http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/xpbrdgnt.mspx, of which the more important aspect is to hold down the CTRL key and highlight each material adapter to be bridged and while continuing to hold the key down click the mouse on ‘Bridge Connections’: see procedure described under the paragraph ‘How to Manage Bridge Connections’ sub-paragraph beginning "To bridge connections LAN segments of the connections together … " c. p5 of pp8 if printed landscape.
However, I did note your caution below and hence my further query. My solution seems to work without any perceived loss of performance through my D-Link DWL-122 USB wireles adapter: does your concern stem from possible 'promiscuous' logging of data by the adapter or some other glitch or malfuction in the network?
"Please elaborate on your network layout, and what exactly you wish to accomplish. If you have both a wired connection and a wireless adapter within the Dell-03 machine, this is not recommended, especially if the wireless network you are attempting to attach to is located within the exact same network as the rest of the machines.
If possible, it would be best if you could draw out the layout you wish to achieve. Barring that, you should expand on what hardware you wish to be able to connect to what other hardware, and which systems you want to be able to print from."
My present peer-peer-workgroup network is mainly ethernet connected between computers Dells-01 & 02 (also via a hub to printer HP-01) and connected by wireless access point and wireless adapter to Dell-03 (also by ethernet and hub to printer HP-02). Each computer is accessible by administrator and to each other by way of MS XP Pro network bridging software and by permitted users eg. to shared documents, printers &c. I plan to add a further computer Dell-04 close to Dell-03, which hopefully could be added to the existing workgroup configuration either by ethernet connection (Dell-04 to printer HP-02: which should I use - an ethernet connection (cheaper, since I have a spare NIC CARD) or a wireless adapter?
Again thanks again for your advice and please re-post this 'solution', if it merits being updated.
John Bertin
DELL-Cody
2 Intern
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2.2K Posts
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May 3rd, 2004 17:00
My main concern with the presence of two network adapters within one system, both of which I read to be attached to the same network. This could cause a bridging loop, which leads to broadcast storms and an essentially nonfunctional network, as no data is able to pass. This no longer appears to be a concern, as your network is successfully set up; I believe I may have been reading too much into your layout.
- which should I use - an ethernet connection (cheaper, since I have a spare NIC CARD) or a wireless adapter?
If you have no immediate need for a wireless adapter (for example, the system is in another room and running wire from the computer to the router would be ugly), I would use the spare NIC as a money-saver. If the computer is in a sufficiently remote location, but not remote enough to prevent a strong signal from reaching the wireless router, you may want to invest in a wireless adapter for that system.