Netbook Wireless

rctneil · 23 Jul 2009 at 18:46

Heya,

I came back from Mallorca a week ago and found a few wi-fi hotspots now an again. Didn;t spend enough time at each place to work out problems though. When i checked for networks around, I knew i couldn;t access the WPA or WEP secured ones but a few of the ones whcih said Unsecured, I tried connecting to but it just kept saying "Waiting". I am heading to Los Angeles in a weeks time and don't want the same issue there. What was the problem?

We stopped at a mini golf course before our flight home and was told they provided free wi-fi so i switched on and found the wifi convieniently named "MINIGOLF" and tried to connect but it just kept saying "Waiting"

The owner came out and told me the WEP code which i used but it kept saying waiting and never connected so i ahve no idea what was wrong with it.

Any ideas?

SpiderX · 23 Jul 2009 at 19:26

how strong was the signal strength?

rctneil · 23 Jul 2009 at 19:49

just over 50%

SpiderX · 23 Jul 2009 at 20:35

have you ever got it connected, say at home or a friends wifi?

rctneil · 23 Jul 2009 at 20:36

yeh, connects perfectly at home

SpiderX · 23 Jul 2009 at 20:48

hmmm.. have you tried anywhere else part from the golf course?
also what laptop/wifi card you got?

rctneil · 23 Jul 2009 at 20:49

It's an Asus Eee PC 1000HE

SpiderX · 23 Jul 2009 at 22:00

perhaps updating drivers?
also are you using windows wireless to connect or another program?

dbeckett · 24 Jul 2009 at 00:36

Is your wireless turned on? I know on one of my old laptop's there's a switch and if its turned to off you can still view wireless networks but can't connect to any of them

Sin_Chase · 24 Jul 2009 at 00:40

When you are at home do you have it on Mains AC?

If your out and about on battery the card is probably configured to be in low power battery saving mode which may affect your ability to connect.

Check it in the Wireless NIC hardware configuration page.

Duke · 24 Jul 2009 at 08:36

Turn off the wireless software (in the options of it) if using that & use the Windows built in one.

Black Hat · 24 Jul 2009 at 11:02

Id update the driver if i were you/check to see the power saving mode.

Kriist · 24 Jul 2009 at 11:09

rctneil said:
Heya,

I came back from Mallorca a week ago and found a few wi-fi hotspots now an again. Didn;t spend enough time at each place to work out problems though. When i checked for networks around, I knew i couldn;t access the WPA or WEP secured ones but a few of the ones whcih said Unsecured, I tried connecting to but it just kept saying "Waiting". I am heading to Los Angeles in a weeks time and don't want the same issue there. What was the problem?

Even the unsecured networks still have some form of security to stop EVERYONE connecting, usually its via a login page or you have to activate your laptop on their network/proxy. Very few places now give Unsecured wireless capability allowing you to connect and surf immediately.

rctneil · 24 Jul 2009 at 11:31

Duke said:
Turn off the wireless software (in the options of it) if using that & use the Windows built in one.

I am already using the windows wireless options.

Black Hat said:
Id update the driver if i were you/check to see the power saving mode.

I'll check the Asus website for newer versions of the wireless adaptor driver

Update: Just checked the support.asus.com site and there are 3 different Wireless drivers. Which do I choose? My eeepc says the AzureWave Wireless Network Adaptor has version 7.6.1.1491 of the driver. Here is a picture of the driver options available for download:

Kriist said:
Even the unsecured networks still have some form of security to stop EVERYONE connecting, usually its via a login page or you have to activate your laptop on their network/proxy. Very few places now give Unsecured wireless capability allowing you to connect and surf immediately.

I tried opening my browser and browsing to a page to see if a login screen appears but just got the message: "Page could not be displayed"

Anything else that could have caused it?

dbeckett said:
Is your wireless turned on? I know on one of my old laptop's there's a switch and if its turned to off you can still view wireless networks but can't connect to any of them

Yeh it is deffo switched on as there is no physical switch. It's a keyboard command.

Sin_Chase said:
When you are at home do you have it on Mains AC?

If your out and about on battery the card is probably configured to be in low power battery saving mode which may affect your ability to connect.

Check it in the Wireless NIC hardware configuration page.

I can ahve it on AC and battery and have no problems at home with wi-fi.

I have been into the options page for that adaptor and the power saving mode is set to Normal so if i have the problem in America, I'll switch it to Off to see if that improves.

Kriist · 24 Jul 2009 at 11:50

hmm are you using a static ip? or getting it automatically?

rctneil · 24 Jul 2009 at 11:58

auto by dhcp

Kriist · 24 Jul 2009 at 11:58

hmmm have you tried throwing it off a wall?

rctneil · 24 Jul 2009 at 12:02

hmmm, would rather look after my netbook!

Kriist · 24 Jul 2009 at 12:07

the asus eee's are built like tanks (at least the old ones are). I've had my eee for little over a year. it's been thrown off walls, fallen from overhead lockers, generally abused and is working absolutely perfectly (apart from a few minor scratches), as if it was just out the box

plus it was just a joke suggestion so chill...

rctneil · 24 Jul 2009 at 12:09

I realised