Connecting to wireless on DOMAIN

[johnkay21]

I have just purchased 3 netgear routers to be place around my school (small school).

 

What is the best way to confire the wireless routers to be attatched to the domain so students can logon anytime any where (within sachool)

 

I think i have done something wrong because the wifi connection is there but students cannot logon (although the laptops are connected to the router).

 

The routers are standard 54mbps Netgear Lan routers

 

any help woiuld be great thanks

[Scruff]

Are they really routers ? or access points ?

[tarquel]

When you say routers, do they have firewall in them and is it on?

 

That *may* have something to do with it.

 

Also, and i know it sounds stupid, but have you got the encryption settings right for the wifi? i.e. WPA-PSK etc.

 

Nath.

[plexer]

oh dear.

 

Did you do a search on the forums for wireless? if so then you'll have seen hundreds of postings with the issues we face.

 

If you still want to go ahead with it then some more information is required.

 

Have you done any setup or just plugged the things in a magically expected the laptops to connect?

 

in a basic setup for you you need to setup security on the access point, wps-psk or wpa2-psk I would suggest and then on the laptops you can view the available wireless networks and enter the wpa key when asked for it.

 

Ben

[johnkay21]

They are wireless access points not routers (whoops)

 

I have put WPA-PSK / TKIP encryption on them.

[greenfieldsupport]

Heres a good one,

Did you set the ip addresses on the correct subnet / class of network.

Annnd did you disable the DHCP option which many of these horrible things have.

 

also. when you say the laptops have connected okay. Do they have an IP address, and is it a real one from your dhcp server or is it one they have recived from windows Automated Ip Addressing

[Halfmad]

Chances are it's a problem with the laptops not getting an IP before they attempt to logon to the domain. Most network card drivers have some form of "pre logon check", I know the intel ones do. Essentially when anyone tries to logon it checks the domain is there, gets an IP and THEN tries to login.

[GWALT]

this a problem with the machine not firing up the wireless settings before the login box appears. make sure your using the windows client then go to -- start>run>type "gpedit.msc">computer administration>administrative templates>system>logon> theres a setting in the right window titled "always wait for the network at computer startup and logon" try enabling that then give it a go, works for me, well.. most of the time.

[starscream]

Sometimes it is down to the client card on the laptop as to whether they connect to the wireless network before domain logon. As far as I know only Intel Pro Wireless onboard cards do this best.

[plexer]

I've got to wireless laptops in my test lab at the moment both connecting fine for domain log ons.

 

One is an intel pro 2200BG I believe the other is a Broadcom A/B/G card.

 

For a guide to setting up your enterprise wifi securley have a look at:

 

http://downloads.techrepublic.com.com/abstract.aspx?docid=277380

 

Ben

[Heebeejeebee]

We get this all the time and I'm sure it's down to the issue of wireless NIC not connecting before the logon screen appears. It happens on just about every Acer we have (stupid things only turn the wireless on before login if it's powered from the mains), but never on our HP ones. We have changed the GPO setting as mentioned above but it's made no difference since the NIC has to be physicly turned on to enable it.

 

BTW if I turn on the NIC during boot up all is well. Stupid cheapo kit. Give me more money I say !!

 

HBJB

[starscream]

I remember intel even updated their drivers to allow to explicitly change the setting for the client card. Previously the cards used to please themselves. I think the key here is to get the very latest drivers for the client onboard wifi card and if that doesnt work, then change out the card with a better one. Usually the same make card and ap works well but I would always try and go with cisco to get the cross manufacturer compatibility that cisco kit seems to offer.