Hello all!

I have a very basic knowledge of PC's so your help would be greatly appreciated!

Problem is as follows:-

I have a new laptop which I cannot access a wireless network in order to do some surfing! The laptop I am currently using to type in this forum is working fine - obviously! The laptop with the problem normally works fine with a different network so I reckoned it was a security issue. It was! However after entering the password for the WPA network it then started "Acquiring network address". It is still trying to do this so I cannot go any further hence my call for help!

Thanks,
Spicey


Moved from XP section.

It won't be able to aquire a network address from the wireless router if the router isn't trying to act as a DHCP server (i.e. it isn't actually trying to hand out an IP address to anyone that connects). By default, most routers have a DHCP server function enabled but you can't assume that this one has unless you know that to be the case.

Also, you may need to find out what the DHCP IP address range is and then add that IP address range to the "trusted" settings on your firewall. If this was the problem, then disabling the firewall (just whilst the laptop is trying to connect to the network) ought to let it connect properly. Switching the firewall back on would then block communications again.

Let us know if that helps

Hi DJNafey!

Thank you for your reply!
I have found the router and I have access to the server but I can't seem to find the router settings to check out about the DHCP!

Spicey

Do you know the IP address of the router? If so, go to a web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) on a connected PC and type http://YourRoutersIPAddress as the address, e.g. http://192.168.0.1. That should take you to the router's web-based configuration pages.

If you don't know the IP address of the router, open the Command Prompt on a connected PC and type ipconfig - the router IP address is normally what appears as the "default gateway".

Ok - I have found the web pages for the settings. Under basic settings it is set up to use a static IP address and under router status in the internet port it says the DHCP is "fixedIP". Under LAN port is says the DHCP is "on". Does that help or hinder my case?!!

Thanks,
Spicey

That's good as it means that your DSL or Internet service provider has given you a static ("fixed") IP address for your router's connection to the outside world. Your router is also acting as a DHCP server to allocate IP addresses dynamically to anyone that tries to connect inside your own network.

Unfortunately, your laptop isn't picking up one of those addresses that the router is giving out.

Have another look under the "LAN port" settings on the router and see if it tells you the IP address range that is being allocated, e.g. "Start 192.168.0.2, end 192.168.0.254" or something like that. If you can identify the range, you might then be able to add those addresses as a "trusted" range in your firewall software (assuming that you have one, e.g. Norton Internet Security, McAfee SecurityCenter, etc.).

Let us know whether that helps .... and also if you aren't sure how to do that and we can help a bit more

Sorry, you should also check that there isn't another DHCP setting on the router specifically for wireless connections (e.g. a "WLAN" page in addition to the "LAN port" settings).

I just looked back over a previous comment that you made about a "server" as well and so I have a further question for you. Is this a business network with a dedicated system running Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 or something similar?

Hi DJNafey!

Yes you are correct - it is a business network! However my problems are over! After spending hours on this I have at long last got connected!! I have no idea of exactly what worked but with the connected laptop next to me I went through each section and copied one onto the other! I have a feeling it was something to do with the default gateway / IP address section as I entered the same numbers etc. as on the working laptop or else the firewall settings as you mentioned earlier!

Thank you for all your help! I really would be after getting nowhere if it wasn't for you! Even the contracted "IT guy" couldn't solve my problem over the phone - although I must say he seems to be totally clueless!! Anyway, thanks again! Be sure to let me know if you have any technical problems and I'll do my best to solve them for you!!!

Spicey