Wireless annoyance...

[Little-Miss]

Over the holiday i had a managed wireless system installed which was mainly for the Netbooks (grrr) so they're all setup using the AD authentication. The staff laptops are in are just using a bog standard *insert teminology here* where they need to have the key to connect to the internet. Make sense?

 

Anyhoo, most of the staff laptops have gone on as usual, no problems. But im getting a few that say

Windows is unable to connect to the selected network. The network may no longer be in range. Please refresh the list of available networks and try to connect again.

well im pretty much underneath one of the AP's.

 

So i tried this You cannot connect to a wireless network access point that uses shared authentication from a Windows XP-based computer or a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005-based Tablet PC now i dont get the above message but now it sits forever "Aquiring Network Address" and waiting for server to be ready.

 

It's an XP machine that im currently upgrading to make sure its not that...

 

Any ideas?

[CadlaM]

Little-Miss,

I presume you use WPA encryption and know the Wifi Key? I would suggest going into "change order of preferred networks" and Remove the preferred network. Then re-enter key when the Wifi adaptor finds it again. Sounds like you are connecting to the Wifi but not getting an IP address. Could try turning off/on the WAP and local LAN switch too. then try and connect again. Giving it a few minutes to settle down.

[accura2000]

Try updating the wireless card drivers, or they could be incompatible with WPA encryption. Also, if they are connecting, make sure they dont have 3rd party firewalls stopping then obtaining IP addresses or you could try reset the winsock for windows by going to a command prompt and typing netsh winsock reset ...

[witch]

...I got this when the encryption key was wrong - it didnt actually tell you that, just put up random messages, usually ending up on 'acquiring network address' for ever

[torledo]

Over the holiday i had a managed wireless system installed which was mainly for the Netbooks (grrr) so they're all setup using the AD authentication. The staff laptops are in are just using a bog standard *insert teminology here* where they need to have the key to connect to the internet. Make sense?

 

Anyhoo, most of the staff laptops have gone on as usual, no problems. But im getting a few that say well im pretty much underneath one of the AP's.

 

So i tried this You cannot connect to a wireless network access point that uses shared authentication from a Windows XP-based computer or a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005-based Tablet PC now i dont get the above message but now it sits forever "Aquiring Network Address" and waiting for server to be ready.

 

It's an XP machine that im currently upgrading to make sure its not that...

 

Any ideas?

 

do you have AES or TKIP setup on the access points ? I seem to recall having an issue with a new access point when i tried to connect from a windows xp netbook

using TKIP. stuck in 'acquiring network address' status it was.

[Little-Miss]

I think its TKIP.

 

It does get to connecting at times but its not permanent and flicks on and off.....

[m25man]

The management system should tell you if the client has associated with the AP/system.

If the association has worked and you have got packets hopping from laptop to LAN then it's worth making sure that you have STP disabled on all of the ports between your AP or controller and the DHCP server.

 

If you can't see the client as associated with the wireless system it is most likely to be a driver or update issue.

[alan-d]

An extract from our KB, you may be able to pick something out from that.

 

Subject

 

Connecting to wireless networkContents

 

• Connect the machine to the network via an Ethernet cable
  
• Add the machine to the Domain if not already done
  
• Add the machine to the RadiusAccess Security group in Active Directory
  
• On the laptop open the run box and type in “regedit”
  
  • Right click in the right hand panel
    
  • Select “DWORD Value”
    
  • Then type in AuthMode then hit enter
    
  • Right click on the new value and select “Modify”
    
  • Input a “2” into the Value Data box
    
  • Click OK
    

• Restart the computer
  
• When the computer has restarted login and view available wireless networks
  
• Select [Name of wireless network] and click connect
  
• The laptop should connect but give a message saying that the machine can’t authenticate
  
• Click on Change advanced settings on the left side under Related Tasks
  
• When the dialogue box opens click on the Wireless Networks tab
  
• Select the wireless network [Name of wireless network] and then click properties
  
• On the Association tab
  

o Tick in the “Connect even if this network is not broadcasting” box

o Network Authentication should be “WPA2”

o Data Encryption should be “AES”

· On the Authentication tab

o EAP Type should be “Protected EAP (PEAP)”

o Tick in “Authenticate as computer when computer information is available

· On the Connection tab

o Tick in “Connect when this network is in range” box

· Click OK on all the dialogue box and the machine should connect to the wireless network.

 

Troubleshooting

 

o If you have a message about no certificate add the certificate manually which is available from [location of certificate]

o If the machine doesn’t connect restart the machine

o If it still fails after this take the machine off the domain and then add it back again

o Recheck all the settings

 

Edited September 22, 2010 by alan-d

[witch]

Do you have access to the WAPS to create another network? (as you do with the Ruckus Zone Director?) If you do, set up a network with a much simpler key (just for test purposes) and see if they can connect to that. If they can, then it is a key problem

[Little-Miss]

Ok, it now seems to be connecting...i wish i new what id done though as i tried loads of things!

 

One minor issue though....there are the 2....i dunno ssids (can never remember the name to use). There is the one with the key and the one with the Certificate. Now if i put both in the one with the key seems to take precedence over the certificate one. Not a major issue but i would perfer it if they used the certificate over the key....... Or is it because ive missed the point completely and shouldnt have both of them?!

[Little-Miss]

Aaaaalllllssssoooo.......Im still messing with my laptop setups and at the moment they have a local and domain login. Will the certificate only work on the local login, even though the machine is actually on the domain?

[tommej]

We had the inital issue before, its because XP SP2 didn't support WPA out of the box, you need to install this update: Download details: Windows XP Support Patch for Wi-Fi Protected Access

 

or alternatively update to Sp3

 

The error message it gives is really uninformative.

[TechSupp]

Had a similar issue today with netbooks connecting to the access point thgen disconnecting and so on, untill it dawned on me the key was wrong...why?...only had num lock on and I though I was typing the correct key but because it was hidden what was being typed was not the correct key! No light on netbook to show num lock was on, light to show caps lock but not num lock! KerChing! Turned num lock off in bios and away we went. Just though I'd share that, one to check there if you're having problems connecting.