Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

[Linkmeister]

Mom was given an ASUS eee netbook, Windows 7 for Christmas. I'm trying to get it to connect to my pre-existing network (Ethernet, DSL, DYNEX Wireless-G router). It gets as far as locating the network, but then when I select it and click "connect" it asks me for a PIN from the router display screen. This router has no display screen. It offers me an alternative: "enter security key." I don't think I set up a password for the router, so what could it want here?

Any ideas?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Sounds like your router is encrypted. Either that or just press OK and see what happens with no key.

Otherwise do a hard reset on your router and see if that clears it up.

[Linkmeister]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Sounds like your router is encrypted. Either that or just press OK and see what happens with no key.

Otherwise do a hard reset on your router and see if that clears it up.

I tried the press OK option, and it really really wants a password.

Off/on the router, huh? Hmm. No i/o switch, so unplug. Okay, I'll try that. Probably should have before I asked.

I'm pretty sure when I installed the router I did set it up so it would be difficult for somebody else to cannibalize the signal; damned if I remember how, though. There are three other networks showing up on the "available networks" page, so my neighbors apparently aren't worried about that.

It occurs to me that this machine is using Vista and the new one is using Win7; Dynex claims to be OS-independent, but maybe not.

[helen]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Do you have other computers that have been setup with that wireless network? If so you might want to compare settings.

Also are you sure it's your wireless network and not some neighor's wireless network (the best way to confirm that one is turn off your wireless router and see what your computers detect)?

[Linkmeister]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Do you have other computers that have been setup with that wireless network? If so you might want to compare settings.

None that are wireless. This one's cabled into it.

Also are you sure it's your wireless network and not some neighor's wireless network (the best way to confirm that one is turn off your wireless router and see what your computers detect)?

Oh, it's mine. At least, the network icon in my systray on this machine is Timberlake, which is also the one I'm trying to access.

I do notice that it's called "secured" when I hover over its name in the network list. One of my neighbor's is also "secured." Another, cleverly named "linksys" is unsecured, and when I try to access that one (sig quality only fair) it tells me "info over this connection could be available to others" before it decides the quality of the signal is too lousy to connect.

I really don't remember setting up a password for the router, but I suppose I could have. Do you suppose that's what the Asus software wants?

[helen]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Now I am confused. Are you trying to hook up the ASUS eee netbook, with the Windows 7 operating system via a cabled Ethernet or via Wireless?

If you are trying to connect it via the cabled Ethernet, is the netbook plugged in to the A/C adapter? If not, you should do so. Laptops tend to turn off the Ethernet adapter while running on batteries.

Also if the system is connected via cabled Ethernet, disable or turn off the wireless adapter on the netbook, that way you are sure which connection you are setting up.

[Linkmeister]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Now I am confused. Are you trying to hook up the ASUS eee netbook, with the Windows 7 operating system via a cabled Ethernet or via Wireless?

If you are trying to connect it via the cabled Ethernet, is the netbook plugged in to the A/C adapter? If not, you should do so. Laptops tend to turn off the Ethernet adapter while running on batteries.

Also if the system is connected via cabled Ethernet, disable or turn off the wireless adapter on the netbook, that way you are sure which connection you are setting up.

No, sorry. The machine on which I'm typing is a Compaq desktop; it's cabled to the wireless router via an Ethernet wire thru DSL and is running Vista. The one I'm trying to hook up wirelessly is the ASUS running Win7.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Helen not all laptops disconnect the ethernet while on batteries. My Thinkpad and my iBook G4 will run ethernet connections on batteries.

Either way though if you're running wired ethernet there shouldn't be any password protect on a cabled system.

One thing you may want to try is to shut down your firewall, reboot your netbook and try connecting again. If it connects, then turn on your firewall and reboot again.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

What is the exact model of your router ? It seems you are trying to access the router wirelessly. Hence you need to check your router setup utility page (usually accessed through a web browser).

You need to look under the security options and configure your router's security (and password). This password is used to restrict/allow access to your wireless router.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

What is the exact model of your router ? It seems you are trying to access the router wirelessly. Hence you need to check your router setup utility page (usually accessed through a web browser).

You need to look under the security options and configure your router's security (and password). This password is used to restrict/allow access to your wireless router.

He doesn't believe his router is password protected...but according to what his router is asking, it is.

[Linkmeister]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

What is the exact model of your router ? It seems you are trying to access the router wirelessly. Hence you need to check your router setup utility page (usually accessed through a web browser).

You need to look under the security options and configure your router's security (and password). This password is used to restrict/allow access to your wireless router.

Aha! That may solve it. I had to draw a network map to get access to the router's security settings online, but there was indeed a password there. We'll see.

Thanks.

Hey! That did it! Thanks, everybody!

[Linkmeister]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Postscript: I found the password (who remembers they set up a password for a router that hasn't been required or even looked at since the day it was plugged in?), entered that when asked by the Asus Network connections prompt, and away it went to find it. Success!

'Course, I was then surfing around and turned off the desktop machine and flipped the surge strip off like I always do at night, which meant the router shut down, so then the connection to the Asus dropped. Took me a minute or two to realize why I was getting "Page not available" alarms from IE 8.

Thanks again, folks.

[Amati]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Postscript: I found the password (who remembers they set up a password for a router that hasn't been required or even looked at since the day it was plugged in

I've had that same problem of not even remembering that there WAS a password. Thankfully the teenager remembered the password once I asked. My computer motto: When in doubt, ask a teen.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

when setting up WPA or WEP protected wireless networks in a home or small office network, I will put a label on the router itself with the encryption key on it. Some people will say it's not a good idea to put it there, however these routers are usually in server rooms or tucked near one computer in a small office where all users need to know the key to begin with.

I also label the Windows OS disk with the CD Key because if you lose that COA, you are SH*T out of luck. Keep the CD Key printed directly onto the CD/DVD disk. Two things that never should part ways is the CD Key AND the OS disk. Lose either and the one saved is worthless.

[cyleet99]

Re: Hey! Recognize my network, darn it!

Hey, I got that same netbook from Santa, too...connected easily to our home wireless, so I wander through the living room and kitchen with my netbook in hand. I like it!

Thanks Santa! LM, I hope your mom likes hers, too. I'm having to get used to the mouse pad, but I am getting there. (I could cheat and connect a mouse.)