Unable to Browse Network w/Netgear wireless adapter

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Hi all:

I'm having problems with a newly installed wireless adapter and I've
been unable to figure things out.

The computer in question - a Compaq - has an ethernet card installed
and has worked fine on my home network for some time. Still does, when
going through the ethernet NIC. However, things are not so rosy with
my new Netgear WG311 wireless NIC.

Using only the wireless NIC (cable to the ethernet card detached) the
other computers on the network can browse the Compaq. Attempting to
browse the other computers from the Compaq results in a Windows "Unable
to Browse the Network" error. I've looked at every setting I can think
of and things seem fine. Looking at the router (Microsoft) it reports
the IP addresses of the two NICs, the computer Host name and NIC MAC
addresses correctly. The wireless network name, channel and encryption
type are correct. Windows device manager reports no conflics. The
driver for the Netgear NIC is the latest and greatest.

The Compaq can't ping the other networked computers but the other
computers can ping it, though at times I've gotten the following
puzzling results:

C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>ping 198.168.2.68

Pinging 198.168.2.68 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 207.253.250.164: TTL expired in transit.
Reply from 207.253.250.164: TTL expired in transit.
Reply from 207.253.250.164: TTL expired in transit.
Reply from 207.253.250.164: TTL expired in transit.

Ping statistics for 198.168.2.68:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>

I'm stumped and don't know what else to check at this point.

Anybody have any thoughts?

TIA.

Tom Young
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Well, I figured it out; removing the ethernet NIC did the trick. You'd
think the computer would be "smart" enough to understand that if the
ethernet NIC couldn't communicate because the cable isn't attached that
it'd route all network traffic through the wireless NIC. Guess not.

You'd also think that Netgear might be "comsumer friendly" and mention
this in their troubleshooting guides. Guess not.

When I emailed Netgear about the issue they replied "Ensure that there
is no firewall in any machine like... in machine that can cause this
issue with router", though I'd mentioned that I had no firewalls
installed when I emailed them. They were nice enough to inform me that
"NETGEAR would be glad to assist with the issue. However, your enquiry
falls outside the scope of support. NETGEAR has a Premium Support Line
specifically to help provide the advanced phone support you are looking
for." For a fee of only $32.95! Such a deal!

I think I understand now why this issue which I'd guess is relatively
common - a wireless NIC installed on a machine with an ethernet NIC -
*isn't* mentioned in Netgear's troubleshooting section.

Tom Young