Wireless Connection for Inspiron 14z

Hi Breadfruit,

Please tell me the steps you took to setup the wireless router. Also want to know the ‘manufacturer password’ that laptop is not accepting. Is it the ‘Wireless Network Security Key’ or some other password? Also mention the error message that you get (if any).

Please provide more information to the following questions, to get a better understanding:

1) Do you have the Inspiron 14z plugged into the ‘Belkin Router’ or are you trying to connect wirelessly?

2) Is ‘Belkin Router’ a recently purchased device or has it been working in the past, wirelessly?

3) Is there any other wireless device that successfully connects to the router?

4) Do you have the ‘Wireless Network Security Key’ for connecting to the router?

5) What type of internet connection do you have: Is it a DSL or a Cable internet?

6) Please tell the name of the Internet Service Provider (ISP).

7) Which security software is installed on the system? (Check Program List).

Note: I need the exact system details of your Inspiron 14z. Kindly click the following link to capture the detailed specifications of your computer: www.dell.com/.../ProductSelector

(Please enter the Service Tag of the computer in the empty field and then hit the “Submit” button).

As Inspiron 14z is a wireless capable computer, it can connect to the wireless router. You may try the following steps to try connecting to the router wirelessly:

1) Unplug the Ethernet cable from your old 600m computer and plug it in the new Inspiron 14z laptop.

2) Click ‘Internet Explorer’ icon.

3) Type “192.168.2.1” in your browser (you do not need to type in anything else such as “http://” or “www”).

4) Press Enter key.

5) Click on the “Login” button in the top right-hand corner of the screen. You will be asked to enter your password. If you have never set a password, leave the “Password” field blank and click “Submit”.

6) Click “Wireless” in the left-hand menu. Then click “Security” just below that.

7) Note down the ‘WEP/ WPA / WPA2 Key’.

8) Locate the wireless-network-connections option on your computer (At bottom right corner).

9) Select your ‘Belkin Router’ from the list of available networks. You can identify your ‘Belkin Router’ by locating the network name (SSID) from the card located underneath the foot of your Router.

10) Enter your network password (located on your network information card).

Please check if you can get the laptop to connect to the router wirelessly. Do write back with the answers. I would be glad to provide you with further troubleshooting steps.

Thank you for your time and effort.  The problem was resolved this morning by uninstalling McAfee and then reinstalling with the assistance of a McAfee tech.  I learned there are "issues" with McAfee updates which interfere with access to internet.

Mine is the third story I've seen where McAfee security caused problems.  To the other posters with the same problem, thanks for sharing.  I would not have guessed to check out McAfee had I not come across your stories.  Thanks.

Tony.45, ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!  After days on the phone with Dell, Belkin and my ISP techs this morning I called McAfee simply to activate the program ... not to correct my wireless connection problem.  But to my shock, amazement and jubilation the two problems were connected to each other and once the program was uninstalled access to the internet was immediate.  The McAfee tech then helped me successfully reinstall and activate the program.  

After 2 hours on the phone with a Dell technician last night whose approach to the problem was to reinstall the wireless and wired drivers without success, he tried to talk me into buying a year of software support services for $129.  I almost came unglued but I declined and waited another 20 minutes for the hardware department to help me.  No one in that department answered my call so it was after midnight that I finally fell asleep.  But after a night's rest, I woke this morning with a different approach in mind and that was to just activate McAfee.  Little did I know I would hit my solution target at its core.  

The sun is now shining bright outside my window and inside my spirit.  This has been a challenging ordeal but resolution is now achieved, I have plenty of notes, phone numbers, and websites to reach out to in the unfortunate event that I need help again.  Thanks Tony.45, yours is the second post I've read suggesting that McAfee might be the core of the problem.  Thanks tons!  In my case, you are spot on!!!

Hope the sun is shining brightly in your corner of the world,

Breadfruit

Thank you.  Problem resolved.