unable to connect to D-Link router with speedstream pcmcia card

[Felipe1982]

I have a speedstream 1021 PCMCIA card [link] (http://kb.efficient.com/article.asp?article=45947&p=351) on my Compaq Armada700 laptop computer. My router is a D-Link WBR-1310 with WEP enabled. I have successfully configured 5 wireless laptop computers and one wired desktop computer to share internet through this router, and for some odd reason, I can't get my Armada to connect at all! I have verified the WEP three times, and uninstalled/re-installed the driver's for the PCMCIA card. I've tried rebooting too, but I can't get it going. I read the sticky at the top of this forum, but I can't fix this problem.

*ps. I'm using the SpeedStream Connection Utility that came with the PCMCIA card. Are there other programs I could use? WINXP doesn't let me. It doesn't show up, unfortunately.

[M/Q]

If WEP is disabled will the connection work? If so try entering the passphrase in Hex instead of ASCII. Some vendored equipment does not develop the encryption key the same way.

[Felipe1982]

I used a WEP Key Generator (http://www.andrewscompanies.com/tools/wep.asp) because I did not want to use my own passphrase. I have not yet tried the connection without WEP because I do not want to distrupt the other users on the network. Will it distrupt them? I can warn them in advance that some maintenance has to be done to the network and their connections might suffer for 20-30 minutes or so...

[M/Q]

It might affect them, as you are going to shut off the encryption. As for the encryption do you enter the Hex Code or ASCII? Try entering the Hex Code if you are not all ready using it.

[Felipe1982]

...As for the encryption do you enter the Hex Code or ASCII? Try entering the Hex Code if you are not all ready using it.
I didn't know the differences mattered. I will have to try that and see. So you mean to tell me that, for example, ...7F5e3d4d5a in ASCII is *different* from ...7F5e3d4d5a in HEX? I think that the connection utility that I use on the laptop to connect to the router does not present me with a choice of either HEX or ASCII. Which can I assume it is? Or is trying both the only way?

ps. do you know of a good & free wireless connection utility [client?] available?

[M/Q]

I do not know all of the details, or if I am going to explain it correctly, but different vendors hash or create the hex code differently. I have seen this happen when using WEP time and time again.

Also if you enter 7F5e3d4d5a as the ASCII it will turn out to be 37463565336434643561 in Hex Code. Test it with your generator.

As for the client application are you the Windows one or the device's? Have you tried using the other one?

[Felipe1982]

Thanks for all of your help so far M/Q.

I am using the connection utility that came on the cd-rom with the pcmcia card when I bought it. Windows recognises the card it as a wired adapter, not a wireless one - funny...

[M/Q]

You did not mention the outcome of the tests you ran. Also if you are still having issues, can you publish the results of an ipconfig /all here.

[Felipe1982]

I'm not too sure if you want an 'ipconfig /all' done on my laptop or some other wired comp on my network.

Without WEP, everything is fine. But when I use WEP (HEX only - i have verified that the connection utility i use is HEX only) it fails to connect to the router. I have even tried: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa as my WEP key, but it still won't connect!

[M/Q]

If you used all a's then you are still entering the passphrase as ASCII. Try all zeros once or an actual hex code that you developed on that website. Make sure to enter the hex code exactly the same on both devices.

[Felipe1982]

I am 100% sure that I used HEX in my routers wep settings. The acsii only allows about 13 chars (or so), whereas the hex allows 26. I entered 26 A's, and it failed. I'll try zero's, but I think the same results will occur. I'll get back to you.

ps - MQ thanks for your patience. I'm struggling to figure this out. Nothing like this has happened to me since the days of windows 98!!

[Felipe1982]

so far, i have been completely unsuccessful in negotiating this problem. There are two remedies to alleviate the problem, however.

1) using MAC address filtering to keep out intruders
2) buy a new pcmcia card

I think i'm going to buy a new card. The one I have now is just a 'b' but my router is a 'g'. Time to open up the wallet, you stingy bastard. :D

[M/Q]

I would agree just from the throughput and security aspect. What kind of wireless adapters are you using on the other computers?

[Felipe1982]

All of the other comps have built-in wireless adapters. Not sure of which type exactly. Thanks for ALL of your help. I'm going to buy a new card :D

[M/Q]

I truly do not feel like I have done much to help. I hope that the new card solves your problem.