[SOLVED] WiFi troubles

[mike the car guy]

Old home built machine, XP obviously, though not by me, ~2003-4. A secondary (tertiary?) machine that does still see a little use. Anyway, WIFI was fine with a USB adapter until my old WIFI router died when I went to one supplied by the ISP. And now it won't work. So I plugged in the USB adapter I use on an almost as ancient laptop (that often wouldn't connect on the road anymore) that has self contained software in the dongle and it didn't work, but did and does on the laptop. So I bought one off Amazon and it doesn't work. They all see the network, but can't connect. Signal is strong, thru a wall but 8 feet away and bars show max. The first one was already installed, with software, years ago. The second and third I did install software but they still won't work. Any ideas?

I suppose I could run a network cable, but I try to avoid drilling thru walls.

 

[kanewolf]

Old home built machine, XP obviously, though not by me, ~2003-4. A secondary (tertiary?) machine that does still see a little use. Anyway, WIFI was fine with a USB adapter until my old WIFI router died when I went to one supplied by the ISP. And now it won't work. So I plugged in the USB adapter I use on an almost as ancient laptop (that often wouldn't connect on the road anymore) that has self contained software in the dongle and it didn't work, but did and does on the laptop. So I bought one off Amazon and it doesn't work. They all see the network, but can't connect. Signal is strong, thru a wall but 8 feet away and bars show max. The first one was already installed, with software, years ago. The second and third I did install software but they still won't work. Any ideas?

I suppose I could run a network cable, but I try to avoid drilling thru walls.

My first guess is that the new router doesn't support old encryption standards. Test by setting the WIFI to unencrypted for a few min. See if you can connect then.
Second though is that your adapters are "B" standard and the router has "legacy" support disabled by default.
Start by checking those two things.

 

[bill001g]

Although I would recommend you spend the money on powerline units the way you get past lack of drivers etc for wifi is to use a device hooked up via the ethernet port. These devices many times are sold as "extenders" and you can run them in client-bridge mode. They used to sell simple client-bridge adapter but I guess it is no more expensive to sell a extender/repeater.

In this way you pc would think it was a ethernet connection and the box since it will be newer will connect to modern routers without your pc knowing anything about it.

Still I would see if powerline networks is a option then you don't worry about wifi.

 

[mike the car guy]

Is the encryption in the adapter or the computer itself, I'm guessing the MOBO? Part of what I find so confusing is the one adapter, the only one I've crosschecked, works on the ~2005 laptop, which was an ultra cheapie at the time, but does not work on the desktop which while a year or two older was a modest, but not cheap build. The ISP supplied router is pretty locked down, I'm not sure if I even have the option to unencrypt it, even temporarily.

My ISP which is usually pretty helpful, really blew it off the first time, then after I took them to task about the reply, only suggested a reset, even though it works on 5 other devices, or replacing it with their latest version.

 

[bill001g]

The actual encryption is done by the chips in the adapter BUT the pc needs a driver to be able to talk to the chips in the adapter. So you could buy a adapter that supports the correct encryption but there would be no driver you could load in the pc to talk to the adapter. This is purely they did not want to bother to write a driver to support older OS. In some cases with the newest adapters they only support windows 10 running in 64 bit mode.

 

[mike the car guy]

OK, I think I'm starting to follow what you're saying, thanks for bearing with me. I suppose I could research for updated drivers, but finding them for a 17 year old MOBO would be like finding a winning lottery ticket on the floor of the grocery store? Looks like I'm going to be drilling a hole in the wall. Rather enlarging a hole to run a network cable along with the phone line for DSL that's already in there. Fortunately one side is a closet and the other is behind a desk.

 

[bill001g]

You might want to consider putting in wall plates with keystone jacks. Will be more work and cost more than just running a cable but you would have something that looked more professional.

 

[mike the car guy]

Good idea, I like the sounds of that.