# Trouble with Linksys Card connecting



## JTyler (Jul 14, 2005)

Friends:

I have two desktop computers running windows 2000. The wired one is connected to a Westell versalink 327w router modem; the other uses the Linksys PCI adapter WMP54Gv4 for a wireless internet connection. Verizon provides the dsl service and provided the Westell piece. The internet connection was working fine on both computers for a while. Now, I can only get the wired computer onto the internet. After several fruitless contacts with Verizontech support and Linksys tech support who offered a variety of tweaks, each claims it must be something with the other hardware setup. Each has taken me through the steps of start run ipconfig and pinging resetting refreshing, reconnecting, setting and disabling WEP and apparently are satisfied that the communication between machines is right. 

The Linksys monitor reports in its site survey window that " You are connected to the access point, but the internet cannot be found" The signal is strong 90% and now I have moved the computers close to each other in case it was a proximity problem. Each time the same message reappears.

One element they asked about that I cannot answer is concerning a firewall.
I had downloaded a free version of Kaspersky Anti Virus (apparently a suite of programs with a control centre) which I can't for the life of me figure out how to uninstall or even disable. I don't know whether that is a culprit in this scenario or not. I haven't tried reinstalling Windows in the wireless machine but will as a last resort. 

What do you suggest?

thanks


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Open a DOS window and type:

IPCONFIG /ALL >C:\RESULT.TXT

Open C:\RESULT.TXT with Notepad and copy/paste the entire results here.


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## JTyler (Jul 14, 2005)

Here is the results of the DOS script



Windows 2000 IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : pavilion
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : 
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : myhome.westell.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : myhome.westell.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.46

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, August 28, 2005 9:54:59 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, August 29, 2005 9:54:59 PM


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

The problem appears to be the MAC address of FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF, that's not a valid MAC address. I suspect something with the Linksys drivers, but that's just a guess. It's certainly within the configuration of the laptop, I don't think it's a router issue.


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## JTyler (Jul 14, 2005)

I don't have any idea what the MAC info means or what to do about it. 

FYI, The adapter card is in a desktop not a laptop. So what do you suggest reinstall the drivers? Reinstall Windows 2000? Also, any sense about the firewall or Kaspersky AV issue? Is there a way to determine if there are any software-based problems or conflicts?


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## phubeone (Aug 23, 2005)

> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF[


That's the MAC Address.


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

You'll need to recode the MAC address. This can sometimes be done with utilities that come with the card or something external.


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## JTyler (Jul 14, 2005)

Dudes (and Dudettes)

In my quest to recode the Mac address, I found information about the Mac address (a six item set of double digit numbers that was identified on the Linksys site survey monitor).I then navigated through the hardware device manager tabs until I found a tab that identified a local mac address. The corresponding screen appeared blank and I entered the address. I think it only accepted 4 pairs. I also returned to the site survey monitor and refreshed and reconnected and I think tweaked other options.

The short story is the reconnection is solid and I am on line on both computers.

The long story is that I did so many little things in random order that I cannot truly identify what worked. (My personal theory is that Evil aliens caused the problem and they just died from the germs on this planet and by just being annoyed by Tom Cruise) 

Bottom Line: IT WORKS!

So thank you for your part in the fix whatever that may have been.

JTyler


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Glad to see you got it going.


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