UNSOLVED
Wireless Connectivity
I have recently had a problem when I tried to take my Dell desktop computer (running XP Professional) and make it wireless. I have a Linksys wireless broadband router (WRT54G) that works fine with another computer, my laptop, with a notebook adapter card. I tried to install a PCI card (also Linksys (WMP54GS) in the desktop. It originally appeared that it was fine. I installed the card, and went to install the software. It got to the point where it went to open the Internet connection (Internet Explorer) to get to the configuration utility. It told me I did not have a connection to the Internet. I did. The wired connection to the broadband was active. Somehow, I lost the ability to connect to the Internet.
I uninstalled the software, but found that I still had no broadband connection, wired or unwired. I then restored my computer to an earlier point, and was able to get back my wired connection. After hours on the phone with Linksys technical support I was told that somehow, at the very moment I installed the PCI card, the broadband router went bad. This didn't make sense, since I had a connection through the laptop.
Nonetheless, I went back to Staples and returned both the broadband wireless router and the PCI card, getting replacements for both. I then went to redo the installation. The laptop connected fine with the newly installed wireless router. Before I went to install the PCI card, I went into the configuration utility for Linksys (192.168.1.1) and set it up to communicate with the wireless router. I then installed the card. Initially, everything looked fine, I had an icon on the Taskbar showing excellent signal strength to the wireless router. However, when I tried to open up Internet explorer, I got a failure. For some reason, I did not have an Internet connection.
Back to Linksys technical support. This time, ended up getting to second level. After hours on the phone with them, doing system configuration, pinging, etc., etc. etc, I no longer had any Internet connection on you the wireless laptop, wired desktop or anything else. They then concluded the problem was with my cable modem. By again uninstalling the software and restoring my computer, I was able to get wired access to the desktop and wireless access through the laptop.
A long conversation with a Comcast technical representative resulted in a suggestion that a Winsock DLL extension was bad. He suggested that I go into C -- Windows -- System 32 and change the Winsock.DLL to Winsock.old. Further, I should go into wsock32.DLL and change that to wsock32.old. Then, he said I would need to reinstall Windows XP professional. After it was reinstalled, I should go to Start -- Run and enter sfc /scannow.
He said that that would take care of the problem. Before I do this, does anyone have any comments?
Microsoft offers no help -- when I put in my software ID, they said that they do not support it in that I should contact Dell.
I uninstalled the software, but found that I still had no broadband connection, wired or unwired. I then restored my computer to an earlier point, and was able to get back my wired connection. After hours on the phone with Linksys technical support I was told that somehow, at the very moment I installed the PCI card, the broadband router went bad. This didn't make sense, since I had a connection through the laptop.
Nonetheless, I went back to Staples and returned both the broadband wireless router and the PCI card, getting replacements for both. I then went to redo the installation. The laptop connected fine with the newly installed wireless router. Before I went to install the PCI card, I went into the configuration utility for Linksys (192.168.1.1) and set it up to communicate with the wireless router. I then installed the card. Initially, everything looked fine, I had an icon on the Taskbar showing excellent signal strength to the wireless router. However, when I tried to open up Internet explorer, I got a failure. For some reason, I did not have an Internet connection.
Back to Linksys technical support. This time, ended up getting to second level. After hours on the phone with them, doing system configuration, pinging, etc., etc. etc, I no longer had any Internet connection on you the wireless laptop, wired desktop or anything else. They then concluded the problem was with my cable modem. By again uninstalling the software and restoring my computer, I was able to get wired access to the desktop and wireless access through the laptop.
A long conversation with a Comcast technical representative resulted in a suggestion that a Winsock DLL extension was bad. He suggested that I go into C -- Windows -- System 32 and change the Winsock.DLL to Winsock.old. Further, I should go into wsock32.DLL and change that to wsock32.old. Then, he said I would need to reinstall Windows XP professional. After it was reinstalled, I should go to Start -- Run and enter sfc /scannow.
He said that that would take care of the problem. Before I do this, does anyone have any comments?
Microsoft offers no help -- when I put in my software ID, they said that they do not support it in that I should contact Dell.
