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DotNYC
June 1st 04, 10:45 PM
Hello Wizards,

I have been trying real hard to help a friend of mine in setting his
home wireless network. I did pretty well so far but I can't add a
Windows 98 SE desktop to join the network. Here is the setting:

Cable modem;
Microsoft MN-700 wireless router;
Desktop 1: Windows XP w/ Microsoft MN-510 wireless adapter (works
great);
Toshiba Laptop: Windows XP w/ Microsoft PCMCIA wireless adapter (works
great);
Desktop 2: Windows 98 SE w/ Microsoft MN-710 wireless adapter (doesn't
connect to Internet and network).

At first we used the MN-510 adapter for the Win 98 computer as well.
The guy from Microsoft recommended replacing the adapter - So we did
(Microsoft paid).

When it still didn't work, the other Microsoft guy said that the
computer "can't get an IP address from the DHCP". I know a bit about
computers but I couldn't figure out how to fix the DHCP.

The wireless adapter recognized the router and has an excellent signal
with it. The computer just can't get to see the network and/or the
Internet. Running ipcfg returns 0.0.0.0 and running ping times out.

I tried to release and renew all addresses - didn't help.

What do you suggest? I am a big fan of searching for answers and
spending some time in front of the problem but this one requires
better capabilities than I can offer. Any help is greatly
appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Dotan.

Steve Winograd [MVP]
June 2nd 04, 02:43 AM
In article >,
(DotNYC) wrote:
>Hello Wizards,
>
>I have been trying real hard to help a friend of mine in setting his
>home wireless network. I did pretty well so far but I can't add a
>Windows 98 SE desktop to join the network. Here is the setting:
>
>Cable modem;
>Microsoft MN-700 wireless router;
>Desktop 1: Windows XP w/ Microsoft MN-510 wireless adapter (works
>great);
>Toshiba Laptop: Windows XP w/ Microsoft PCMCIA wireless adapter (works
>great);
>Desktop 2: Windows 98 SE w/ Microsoft MN-710 wireless adapter (doesn't
>connect to Internet and network).
>
>At first we used the MN-510 adapter for the Win 98 computer as well.
>The guy from Microsoft recommended replacing the adapter - So we did
>(Microsoft paid).
>
>When it still didn't work, the other Microsoft guy said that the
>computer "can't get an IP address from the DHCP". I know a bit about
>computers but I couldn't figure out how to fix the DHCP.
>
>The wireless adapter recognized the router and has an excellent signal
>with it. The computer just can't get to see the network and/or the
>Internet. Running ipcfg returns 0.0.0.0 and running ping times out.
>
>I tried to release and renew all addresses - didn't help.
>
>What do you suggest? I am a big fan of searching for answers and
>spending some time in front of the problem but this one requires
>better capabilities than I can offer. Any help is greatly
>appreciated.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Dotan.

Check the wireless settings on the router and make sure that:

1. You've specified the right encryption type and encryption key on
the Win 98 computer. It's usually easier to set up a wireless network
with encryption disabled and then enable it after everything is
working.

2. If MAC address filtering is enabled, the MN-710 needs to be in the
allowed list.

If there's a firewall program on the Win 98 computer, disable it and
try connecting to the router again.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

DotNYC
June 2nd 04, 04:22 PM
"Steve Winograd [MVP]" > wrote in message >...
> In article >,
> (DotNYC) wrote:
> >Hello Wizards,
> >
> >I have been trying real hard to help a friend of mine in setting his
> >home wireless network. I did pretty well so far but I can't add a
> >Windows 98 SE desktop to join the network. Here is the setting:
> >
> >Cable modem;
> >Microsoft MN-700 wireless router;
> >Desktop 1: Windows XP w/ Microsoft MN-510 wireless adapter (works
> >great);
> >Toshiba Laptop: Windows XP w/ Microsoft PCMCIA wireless adapter (works
> >great);
> >Desktop 2: Windows 98 SE w/ Microsoft MN-710 wireless adapter (doesn't
> >connect to Internet and network).
> >
> >At first we used the MN-510 adapter for the Win 98 computer as well.
> >The guy from Microsoft recommended replacing the adapter - So we did
> >(Microsoft paid).
> >
> >When it still didn't work, the other Microsoft guy said that the
> >computer "can't get an IP address from the DHCP". I know a bit about
> >computers but I couldn't figure out how to fix the DHCP.
> >
> >The wireless adapter recognized the router and has an excellent signal
> >with it. The computer just can't get to see the network and/or the
> >Internet. Running ipcfg returns 0.0.0.0 and running ping times out.
> >
> >I tried to release and renew all addresses - didn't help.
> >
> >What do you suggest? I am a big fan of searching for answers and
> >spending some time in front of the problem but this one requires
> >better capabilities than I can offer. Any help is greatly
> >appreciated.
> >
> >Thanks in advance,
> >Dotan.
>
> Check the wireless settings on the router and make sure that:
>
> 1. You've specified the right encryption type and encryption key on
> the Win 98 computer. It's usually easier to set up a wireless network
> with encryption disabled and then enable it after everything is
> working.
>
> 2. If MAC address filtering is enabled, the MN-710 needs to be in the
> allowed list.
>
> If there's a firewall program on the Win 98 computer, disable it and
> try connecting to the router again.
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>
> Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
> http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm


Thank you Steve - I will try it.
The wireless adapter's status window shows excellent signal strength
to my router (showing my SSID). Doesn't it mean that it had the right
WEP key? I tried connecting without a WEP key as well - didn't help
to get to the Internet.
Just to make sure, does my wireless router serve as the DHCP server?
If so, I guess I won't get an IP address until I manage to reach the
router, right?

Thanks again,
Dotan.

Steve Winograd [MVP]
June 2nd 04, 04:33 PM
In article >,
(DotNYC) wrote:
>> >I have been trying real hard to help a friend of mine in setting his
>> >home wireless network. I did pretty well so far but I can't add a
>> >Windows 98 SE desktop to join the network. Here is the setting:
>> >
>> >Cable modem;
>> >Microsoft MN-700 wireless router;
>> >Desktop 1: Windows XP w/ Microsoft MN-510 wireless adapter (works
>> >great);
>> >Toshiba Laptop: Windows XP w/ Microsoft PCMCIA wireless adapter (works
>> >great);
>> >Desktop 2: Windows 98 SE w/ Microsoft MN-710 wireless adapter (doesn't
>> >connect to Internet and network).
>> >
>> >At first we used the MN-510 adapter for the Win 98 computer as well.
>> >The guy from Microsoft recommended replacing the adapter - So we did
>> >(Microsoft paid).
>> >
>> >When it still didn't work, the other Microsoft guy said that the
>> >computer "can't get an IP address from the DHCP". I know a bit about
>> >computers but I couldn't figure out how to fix the DHCP.
>> >
>> >The wireless adapter recognized the router and has an excellent signal
>> >with it. The computer just can't get to see the network and/or the
>> >Internet. Running ipcfg returns 0.0.0.0 and running ping times out.
>> >
>> >I tried to release and renew all addresses - didn't help.
>>
>> Check the wireless settings on the router and make sure that:
>>
>> 1. You've specified the right encryption type and encryption key on
>> the Win 98 computer. It's usually easier to set up a wireless network
>> with encryption disabled and then enable it after everything is
>> working.
>>
>> 2. If MAC address filtering is enabled, the MN-710 needs to be in the
>> allowed list.
>>
>> If there's a firewall program on the Win 98 computer, disable it and
>> try connecting to the router again.
>
>Thank you Steve - I will try it.
>The wireless adapter's status window shows excellent signal strength
>to my router (showing my SSID). Doesn't it mean that it had the right
>WEP key? I tried connecting without a WEP key as well - didn't help
>to get to the Internet.
>Just to make sure, does my wireless router serve as the DHCP server?
>If so, I guess I won't get an IP address until I manage to reach the
>router, right?
>
>Thanks again,
>Dotan.

You're welcome, Dotan. It's possible for a wireless adapter to
associate with an access point and show excellent signal strength even
with the wrong WEP key. That's why I recommend turning encryption off
while setting up the wireless network.

Unless you've explicitly changed their settings, the router should act
as a DHCP server and the wireless adapter won't get an IP address
until it reaches the router.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm