Computer Tech Question; Networks

[Lionheart]

Hey all,

This is a sophisticated Tech question for the computer gurus (Mike, I hope your reading this and know the answer).


I have WinXP 32bit, and I recently converted to wireless Network (we have a wireless router, but I was plugged in with a cable through the wall before converting). I did this because my new printer is wireless.

However, I am having some really odd issues with Wireless going offline all the time, intermittently, every so many min's, then comes back on again.


Is it possible to go back to the Wireless Lan Cable version Network 'easily'? It didnt have a Network to begin with. Somehow I was able to create one when I was installing my printer (took 3 days to do all of that).


Does anyone know how to go back to Cable setting instead of Wireless mode?


A thousand thanks for any idea's and help..



Bill

[harleyman]

Bill..to do that all you should have to do is go into the printer properties and turn off wireless...if you do not find that, then just hard wire it to your roughter and let the network discover it...You may need to know your computer name...

How far is the computer to the printer?

you can get printer cables that are up to , well, as long as you want them pretty cheaply..Order them, do not go to wally world as they charge to much..

I use Cables to Go for all my specific and unusual cable needs....

I will get you that link..


A good tutorial on adding a network printer..

http://www.tips4pc.com/Articles/Windows%20Vista/How_to_add_a_network_printer_in_windows_vista_or_w indows_xp.htm



Cables To Go http://www.cablestogo.com/

[Snuffy]

Ahh! The joys of being leading edge! LOL!! :bump:

[Crusader]

I've used Cables To Go http://www.cablestogo.com/ (http://www.cablestogo.com/) also as Harleyman mentioned .

Pretty good stuff for the price .

Rich

[SW]

Hi Bill,

I didn't quite understand whether you're having trouble with the PC going offline every few mins, or the printer?

To put your PC back on cable, just plug the original cables back in and remove your wirless adaptor (I'm assuming this is just plgged into a USB port - turn off the computer and unplug it), it should be as simple as that. I'd do this before fiddling with the printer anyway, as this will quickly and easily show whether it's the printer or the PC that's giving trouble.

The printer may have an ethernet port in it - if that is the case and you have spare ethernet ports on your router and a spare ethernet cable, you can still have a networked printer without using wireless - in that case there's no actual reason to use wireless unless you want to.

Good luck,

SW

[hey_moe]

What type router do you have and how far is it away from the access point. If it is a Linksys you can see how strong the signal is to each add on.

[WND]

Bill:

I'm not a big fan of "wireless" - everything I have hooked up is "hardwired" thru ethernet cable and on some occasions it can be as much as 40 feet away.

One experience I did have tho that might be of interest to you was a conflict between my Linksys router and my modem until I found out that my modem was sort of a router too and you can't "piggyback" 2 routers!!

I experimented by turning my Linksys into a "hub" and everything at that point worked great until I realized I didn't have enough ports on the Linksys to play with!! I run 3 computers (sometimes 4 if I'm working on one) AND a printer..

I solved the port issue by replacing the Linksys with a Netgear 8 port hub and things with me are just fine.. Each device has it's own address (created by the outbound side of the modem and I haven't had any issue's with anything since..

I hope this helps ya..

Bill

Edit: BTW, I run DSL with a Westel modem...

[aeronca1]

As said above, if you're just talking about the PC being hardwired, simply plug in a LAN cable and you'll be good to go. If you're talking about connection to the printer in wireless mode then several factors can enter the picture.

Recently my nephew wanted to set up a new wireless printer and during the install, it stated that a USB cable was needed for the initial setup. The cable was not included with the printer and it wasn't your standard USB connector such as the one a mouse uses. I had those as well as the smaller ones used by cameras, but what we needed was a 3rd version that resembled a capital letter "D".

After that, we had no connection problems and he can print from anywhere in the house.

Apologies if the above is a red herring.

[Lionheart]

Many thanks guys.

Mason, the printer is fine. Its being online that is the part that is not working right, unfortunately.


The network on the computer is plugged into the router, which is about 8 feet away, plus through a wall. The computer is plugged into the wireless/cable router. But the computer is in bluetooth or wireless mode for some reason, which is how I got it to work with the printer, creating a new wireless network.

Unfortunately I cannot unplug the wireless transciever in my computer as its in the case, not a plugin. Funny thing is, Mac OSX can handle this fine, but WinXP (my other fave OS) has no idea whats going on. Its plugged in and everything.


I could never understand how you never had to setup a Lan link to a computer for broadband, but you did with everything else, lol... Why? And why cant I figure out how to go back to Lan 'cable' link? lol.. arrgh...



Bill

[harleyman]

Hmmmm

Thats why I like cables....

So..The printer is just offline then , on a MAC ? Right.


It was working..Then it just quit?

No clue there......

Maybe gut the wireless all together and try to hardwire it..

Typically if you use a router, and cable your computer to it and then the printer, the discovery hardware will fine it..The worst that happens then id if you have two computers and use print share. the slave Computer need s the drivers for the printer, and the host computer name...


But you just have one computer correct?

[Bjoern]

So if I get this right the WiFi works for the printer and OSX but not XP?

[harleyman]

Maybe on XP and LAN it needs a static IP address applied...:kilroy:

[Lionheart]

So if I get this right the WiFi works for the printer and OSX but not XP?

Oddly, its working now..

Its worked all day today.

Last night it was running 2 min's on, 2 min's off, all night. It was doing that 2 days ago as well, so I was trying to convert back to LAN cable link instead of bluetooth or wireless.


Crazy.


Mike, its a Linksys unit, 5 plugins and antenna's.

I might have to hire a software programmer to create a windows sub program to handle what I wish the darn thing to do, lol...

Kidding aside, I think I need to figure out why the router was doing that. It shouldnt have been cutting out. Perhaps something was jamming the signal that has bluetooth?



Bill

[Wing_Z]

I have a Netgear WiFi router that does this.
It is just so full of %^&*.
I had a Vista machine with a USB dongle which used this for its internet connection.
After much pain I discovered there is a bug in Vista (A BUG? No! Really!) which loses WiFi when coming out of sleep mode.
Now on Win7 it still sometimes loses its internet settings on the other side of the router (the WiFi stays live).
How do you troubleshoot a series software/hardware issue??
Gah...in this age of PnP you shouldn't have to.
I'm going back to wires.

[Lionheart]

I have a Netgear WiFi router that does this.
It is just so full of %^&*.
I had a Vista machine with a USB dongle which used this for its internet connection.
After much pain I discovered there is a bug in Vista (A BUG? No! Really!) which loses WiFi when coming out of sleep mode.
Now on Win7 it still sometimes loses its internet settings on the other side of the router (the WiFi stays live).
How do you troubleshoot a series software/hardware issue??
Gah...in this age of PnP you shouldn't have to.
I'm going back to wires.



Well, if you ever go to Apple, they seem to have a handle on things. I have no issues in Apple mode. Only in Windows. Mind you, I love my XP, but I wish MS had the ability to figure things out and have them more manageable in this field of operations...

Did you know, Apple is so 'wireless' that they sell home WiFi transmitter stations that are these small little things, have all computers so they can talk to each other, printer too. They have a backup thing called Airport, the size of a iMac Mini, but lower (smaller), and they have a free App that lets you control all of these computers and iTV, etc, with your iPhone or iPod Touch? I can turn on the saved iTunes music in my computer with iPhone and play some Antonio Vivaldi on my office rig, click on anothers computer and run a DVD saved movie on the HD... All wireless....


So its not 'wireless' that is the problem.. Its the management program that handles it..

Bill

[Wing_Z]

Much as I'd like to argue with you, I can't. :kilroy:
My daughter's Macbook uses the same WiFi router and never has issues.
Apple does have a way...

[Bjoern]

Oddly, its working now..

Congratulaçion!



Kidding aside, I think I need to figure out why the router was doing that. It shouldnt have been cutting out. Perhaps something was jamming the signal that has bluetooth?

Well, the next thing I would have suggest would have been a firmware update.

I had to do that a few years ago since the routers my ISP gave out had their fuctions cut down with a castrated firmware. To unlock everything you first had to flash that thing with the real deal. Oddly enough, after my last move, I got a "real" router from them from the start.
Updated the firmware nonetheless. Since it's a walk in the park once you've done it right.