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Forums › New Zealand Broadband › New Fibre connection is good but laptop won't connect with WPA2 security


434 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Topic # 120896 17-Jun-2013 15:55
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OK I think we have a problem We got connected to Fibre last week - and all was good until we tried to connect my partner's laptop to the Telcom provided router (V5542)  He has an older NEC Versa which we upgraded a number of years ago from Vista to win7 

The default setup for the WIFI security is WPA/WPA2 auto - this works fine for my slightly newer HP laptop - but he can't even see the router from the NEC. From research it appears that their WIFI cards won't even recognise WPA2 security - and there is no way to update the driver because NEC doesn't support win7 for that particular laptop. 

So I connected to the router and tried to change it to one of the other options - WEP or WPA but neither will connect from my laptop because "WEP and WPA" security is not supported by 802.11n standard. So if we are both on wifi the only option I have left is no security on the  router - obviously not a long term solution. 

The only thing I can think is to buy some cable and connect my laptop by cable to the router (they are in the same room) and then reset the WIFI to  WEP or WPA - though I'm not sure hte iPad mini will be happy then? Any other ideas? 

I doubt many people realise that laptops no more than a few years old may not be compatible with telecoms current  routers. 




I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

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991 posts

Ultimate Geek
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  Reply # 838169 17-Jun-2013 16:00
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it must be a pretty old laptop. wpa2 has been standard since about 2004

it's probably more likely the case that his laptop doesn't support 802.11n
Does the router have a multi setting b/g/n?

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  Reply # 838170 17-Jun-2013 16:00
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Hi, it would be rare that it does not support WPA (no WPA2) can you lock it down. Also check what channel its on, use 1, 6 or 11, and finally check that its only set to 20MHz not 40MHz (may be labled HT20 as opposed to HT40).


Cyril

 
 
 
 


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Uber Geek
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  Reply # 838173 17-Jun-2013 16:02
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The case you see more and more now with the amount of WiFi devices out there.

Older hardware was never designed with the greater security levels in mind, so the firmware and or drivers often don't support it. I have multiple PCI wifi cards and PCMCIA cards in the same boat. All do 802.11b But not the enhanced security layers.

One laptop I got around it by installing the Intel wifi management software. Its a lot more enhanced over the inbuilt windows (XP) one, so if you are lucky to have an Intel based Centrino or similar chipset with wifi this may help you to try too

But then the HW itself may be well limited.

Dig out what the chipset for WiFi is and see if you can track down someone elses aftermarket drivers and or firmware update for it that are not necessarily out there for NEC specifically.



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Ultimate Geek
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  Reply # 838174 17-Jun-2013 16:03
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cyril7: Hi, it would be rare that it does not support WPA (no WPA2) can you lock it down. Also check what channel its on, use 1, 6 or 11, and finally check that its only set to 20MHz not 40MHz (may be labled HT20 as opposed to HT40).


Cyril


It may well support WPA - but my laptop with the n protocol won't allow me to chose that option. It seems that there is no backward compatibility for a card supporting the n protocol - which is a the real issue. 

The NEC  was bought in 2008 from memory 




I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

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  Reply # 838176 17-Jun-2013 16:05
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Yeah if all else fails get a USB wifi dongle, not the best wifi solution, but it will get around it for little cost.

Cyril

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  Reply # 838186 17-Jun-2013 16:15
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If my google fu is strong. And it has the popular Intel 2100A chipset. It supports WPA, and potentially WPA2 with later driver update.

So yes. Run a HW identification on it, or look at device manager and get the manufacturer drivers instead of looking for NEC W7 ones.



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Ultimate Geek
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  Reply # 838190 17-Jun-2013 16:22
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cyril7: Hi, it would be rare that it does not support WPA (no WPA2) can you lock it down. Also check what channel its on, use 1, 6 or 11, and finally check that its only set to 20MHz not 40MHz (may be labled HT20 as opposed to HT40).


Cyril


OK I checked the device manager and it transmist on channel 11 and b/g protocol - I've set the router to match - but no joy 

I saw nothing about hz 




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  Reply # 838195 17-Jun-2013 16:30
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Hi, Id next follow Oblivians thoughts on driver update.

Cyril




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Ultimate Geek
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  Reply # 838196 17-Jun-2013 16:31
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Oblivian: If my google fu is strong. And it has the popular Intel 2100A chipset. It supports WPA, and potentially WPA2 with later driver update.

So yes. Run a HW identification on it, or look at device manager and get the manufacturer drivers instead of looking for NEC W7 ones.


OK I found the device manager it's a WIFI 4569AG driver - which apparently is up to date 




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  Reply # 838208 17-Jun-2013 16:46
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Hi, follow this page see where it gets you.

http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/CS-025417.htm

Cyril



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Ultimate Geek
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  Reply # 838218 17-Jun-2013 17:21
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cyril7: Hi, follow this page see where it gets you.

http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/CS-025417.htm

Cyril
 


That helped a lot - thank you-  I updated the driver and then on the router turned off WPS changed the network protocol to b/g and the channel to 11 to match that laptop 

Now it seems to be working. 

Thank you - I pity those people who wouldn't  even know they have a device driver - I can't see the whole plug it in and run thing happening anytime soon! 




I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

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Ultimate Geek
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  Reply # 838225 17-Jun-2013 17:41
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setting the router to B/G will restrict your faster laptop to slower speeds.
is there no NG-mixed option?



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Ultimate Geek
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  Reply # 838229 17-Jun-2013 17:43
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farcus: setting the router to B/G will restrict your faster laptop to slower speeds.
is there no NG-mixed option?
 

I noticed that - I connected the faster laptop via cable as it's in the same room -  and I'd intended to do that to get the faster upload speeds 




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  Reply # 838326 17-Jun-2013 20:06
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Hi, definitely enable an N/G mode on the router if its possible.

Cyril

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