Troubleshooting your Wireless Adapter with your ECO.
Although there is such a broad range of products available for wireless access, PRC can only supply basic support and suggestions that may help to resolve any problems with third party software. When available, it is suggested that you find a Wireless Adapter with the same brand of Router for the best compatibility and support.
Troubleshooting for wireless networking with Windows XP™ requires the customer to gather the information needed for troubleshooting. Before troubleshooting can begin you will need to check the drivers to make sure you have the latest update, verify that the hardware you are installing is compatible with Windows XP™, and making sure your wireless settings are configured correctly.
Information you will need to gather but not limited to includes:
- What brand of wireless card/adapter and model are you using? Is it compatible with Windows XP™?
- What driver version did you load into the device? Have you visited the Manufacturers website to see if there are any driver updates available?
- What brand and model number of a wireless router are you using?
- Are you using the Windows XP™ wireless settings configuration or did you load the third-party program software?
- Are you getting any error messages? If yes, record the full error message, then enter the message in an internet search engine to find articles on the error and discover what may be causing the problem.
Troubleshooting wireless network connections in Windows XP™:
There are various routers and wireless adapters that work hand and hand with each other. Before making your decision, make sure that the products you choose are compatible with Windows XP™ and match Wireless B, Wireless G, or Wireless N. Wireless N appears to be the most flexible, compatible and quickest when sending information.
Once again, if you haven’t already, check to make sure you have an updated driver for your Wireless card/adapter. You can do this by going to the manufacturer’s website. If you use an older driver, your configuration and functionality may be limited.
You will also want to hold onto the latest driver and keep it in a safe place in case you need to restore your ECO and your wireless adapter manufacturer has discontinued your model of adapter.
You will also want your driver to work in conjunction with the Windows XP™ Wireless Zero Configuration service.
To verify that your driver is working with this service:
- Click START then click Control Panel.
- Select Network Connections
3. You should now see under LAN or High-Speed Internet that your card/adapter brand is listed and that it says Connected, firewalled. If you do not see the Wireless Network Connection icon in the Network Connections folder, or if you cannot view the properties, there is a problem with the driver for the wireless network adapter.
4. If you can view the properties for the Wireless Network Connection icon, but you do not see a Wireless Networks tab, then you more than likely have a driver that does not support Wireless Zero Configuration service. To resolve this problem make sure you have the latest driver available from the device manufacturer then visit support.microsoft.com searching on Driver Installation Issues for Wireless Network Connection.
When loading drivers into your ECO, you should be aware that loading the entire contents of the CD may cause the Eco to run slow, may take up valuable memory space, and require the user to have to enter a password before starting Windows™. Whenever possible, PRC recommends only loading the Windows XP™ drivers from the CD that came with your wireless adapter and allowing the adapter to run through the Windows XP™ Wireless Zero Configuration software.
If you have further problems getting your Wireless components set up, you can check with your IT Department or check with the manufacturer of your wireless products.
Note: What is Wireless Zero Configuration? It is a set of techniques that automatically create a usable IP network without configuration or special servers and may automatically locate network services.
Important Information: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and WPA2) is a certification program administered by the Wi-Fi Alliance to secure wireless computer networks. This program was created to resolve serious weaknesses researchers had found in the previous system, Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Windows XP™ often does NOT support WPA security without downloading an update. This advanced protocol will not work with some older network cards .
Products: PRC has experienced success with various routers and wireless adapters. Keep in mind that as technology progresses, these products can become obsolete. Some that we have tested include but are not limited to:
AmbiCom Compact Flash WL54-CF
Summit 802-11g Compact Flash
Dynex Wireless G Notebook Card - interoperable with 802.11b and 802.11g networks.
Belkin 802-11g Wireless Notebook PC Network Card
Belkin Wireless G Notebook card (part # F5D7010)
Netgear USB WG111
Netgear RangeMax USB adapter (WPN111NA)
Dynex USB DX-WGUSB wireless dongle.
These items were all tested with the Linksys Wireless G Broadband Router, although it is always a good idea to keep the adapter and router of the same brand for compatibility and support reasons.
Note: It is very important that you choose products that are Windows XP Compatible.