Wireless Network

kdusna84,

Knowing that you're connected to the correct router (yours!) is most easily achieved by changing the wireless network name from its default value, "wireless", to a unique name you select. You're correct - changes to the wireless network name and other router settings have to be done by connecting to the router. There's nothing that needs to be downloaded to the router in order to configure it. The router has a built in Web-based configuration utility that you can easily use from the Web browser on your PC.

This article from PC Magazine discusses the steps needed to set up WPA security on your router and PCs connecting to it wirelessly.

The complete 2300 manual is available online from Dell Support. Once you've reviewed the manual, please post back if you have more questions.

Jim

kdusna84,

Here's a quote from the " Web-Based Configuration Tool/Overview" section of the manual that should get you started:

On a Windows-based computer, Click Start and Run, and then type the following to bring up the configuration screen of the router:

http://my.router (or the default address http://192.168.2.1.)

If this is the first time configuring your Wireless Broadband Router, or if the username and password have not been changed, type "admin" both in the User Name and Password boxes, and then click OK.

After you have successfully opened the configuration screen as illustrated below, select a topic such Basic Settings and click the corresponding tab on the top navigation bar to manage your router.

Incidentally, I recommend configuring the 2300 using the Web-based tool. No additional software needs to be installed on your PC. You can just use your Web browser to make configuration changes. Note that even if your wireless connection isn't functioning, you can use the Ethernet connection to the router to make changes. In fact that's better, since some security and other changes will result in an immediate loss of the wireless connection to the router.

Jim

Jim,

I have made great progress thanks to your suggestions.  At this point, it looks like I have configured the router and followed the steps for a secure system.  I went to the laptop for a test run.  I put in the password and got connected. The signal was nice and strong.  However, I did notice a warning that said "Little or No Connectivity."  A look at the details revealed the following message that stated:

"You might not be able to access the internet or some network resources because the network did not assign a network address to the computer." I acutally thought the network name (SSID) was the same thing. On the internet connections page of the basic set up, I have the host name, domain name and MAC address typed in.  Further down, it says please set up the above settings for your cable modem if needed.  Can I assume they are correct for cable modem connection?  I didn't see a way to do this. The hard copy instructions say no additional settings are required, so I figured I was okay.

A further look showed I had values for the physical address, IP address, and subnet mask.  However, no values were showing for the default gateway, DNS server, or WINS server.  Should there be?  I went back into the configuration tool to see if I could assign a network address to the computer, but with no luck.  And as the message indicated, although I have an excellent signal on the laptop when connected to my network, the lack of an address is preventing me from connecting (I tried several sites).  I think if I can clear this last hurdle, I should be okay.  Any thoughts?

However, no values were showing for the default gateway, DNS server, or WINS server.

kdusna84,

If the IP address listed begins with 169.254, and the listed "subnet mask" is 255.255.0.0, then the IP address is being automatically assigned by the PC, because it is unable to obtain an IP address automatically from the DHCP server in the router. The "network address" referred to in the error message indicates a problem obtaining an IP address from the router.

Is the Ethernet adapter in the laptop able to obtain an IP address from the router, and use it to connect to sites on the Internet successfully? If it can, but the wireless interface cannot, then there may be a mismatch in the security settings on the router and those on the laptop. Start troubleshooting by removing all security settings (WEP or WPA) from both the router and the laptop. If that works and you're using WEP, you'll need to transfer the WEP keys from the router to the PC. If the router and the wireless adapter aren't from the same vendor, transferring the "passphrase" won't work, because the method of generating the WEP keys from the passphrase is unique to each vendor.

If neither can connect, when you moved the Ethernet cable from the laptop to the router, did you power the laptop, cable modem and router down for about five minutes, then power the cable modem back up. Then, after the cable modem has re-established a connection to the cable system, turn the 2300 back on. Once it's initialized, turn the laptop back on. That series of maneuvers allows the cable modem to detect that it's been connected to a different Ethernet device by clearing out the old settings for the connection.

As far as special settings in the 2300 for the cable modem, most cable systems don't require any, except that one and only one Ethernet device be connected to them. The cable system vendor would be the best source of any special settings required, though.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the information.  I will work on this in a few days when I get back from an out of town meeting.  In the meantime, I did remove the security settings.  No problems with the connection when everything is set up that way.  I'll let  you know what I come up with around Friday.  Thanks for everything.

Karl

Karl,

That's actually good news. It means all the hardware's working. If you post the model of the wireless adapter as well as the XP Service Pack installed on the 6000, and which type of wireless security you're attempting to set up, perhaps I'll be able to put together some more troubleshooting notes for you.

Jim