Troubleshooting

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For more information about setting up an SSID, refer to your router manufacturer’s user guide.

The Link LED is solid, but you cannot connect to the Internet

If you have a signal but cannot get online or obtain an IP address, the problem may be that there is a mismatch between the encryption key settings in your computer and wireless router.

Check the WEP key settings to see if they match. The key is case-sensitive and the spelling on each computer and wireless router must be exactly the same in order for the card to connect to the router. For more information about encryption, see “Securing your Wi-Fi® Network” on page 13.

The data transfer is sometimes slow or the signal strength is poor

Wireless technology is radio-based, which means connectivity and the throughput performance between devices decreases when the distance between devices increases. Other factors that cause signal degradation are obstructions such as walls and metal appliances. As a result, the typical indoor range of your wireless devices will be between 100 to 200 feet. Note also that connection speed may decrease as you move farther from the wireless router.

In order to determine if wireless issues are related to range, we suggest temporarily moving the computer, if possible, to 5 to 10 feet away from the wireless router. See “Placement of your wireless networking hardware for optimal performance” on page 20.

Changing the wireless channel - Depending on local wireless traffic and interference, switching the wireless channel of your network can improve performance and reliability. The default channel the router is shipped with is channel 11. You may choose from several other channels depending on your region; see your router's (or access point's) user manual for instructions on how to choose other channels.

Limiting the wireless transmit rate - Limiting the wireless transmit rate can help improve the maximum wireless range, and connection stability. Most wireless cards have the ability to limit the transmission rate. To change this property, click Start, Control Panel, Network Connections, then double-click your card's connection. In the Properties dialog, select the Configure button on the General tab (Windows 98 users will have to select the Wireless Card in the list box and then click Properties), then choose the Advanced tab and select the rate property. Wireless client cards are usually set to automatically adjust the wireless transmit rate for you, but doing so can cause periodic disconnects when the wireless signal is too weak; as a rule, slower transmission rates are more stable. Experiment with different connection rates until you find the best one for your environment; note that all available transmission rates should be acceptable for browsing the Internet. For more assistance, see your wireless card's literature.