4-680-297-11(1)

Wireless LAN Converter

(2.4 GHz/5 GHz IEEE 802.11a/b/g)

Troubleshooting Guide

This document provides solutions to common problems encountered with the Wireless LAN Converter.

Please refer to this guide before contacting SonyCustomer Information Services.
PCWA-DE80

© 2004 Sony Corporation Printed in Japan

Contents

Cannot connect to the access point. ........................................................

Case 1

Cannot establish a connection even after using the

 

 

. .................................................................................Quick Setup switch

Case 2

 

 

 

When starting the Converter Setup Utility, the message “Converter not detected. Do you want to see Online Help?” or

“Failed to scan the Wireless Converter. Make sure the network cable is plugged in to the Ethernet port and the Wireless Converter is turned on.

Do you want to see Online Help?” appears. ............................................

Case 3

When starting the Converter Setup Utility, the message “Failed to open Converter Setup Page. Do you want to see

 

Online Help?” appears. ............................................................................

Case 4

When starting the Converter Setup Utility,

 

 

the “IP Address Setup” dialog box appears. ............................................

Case 5

Cannot display the Wireless LAN Converter Setup Page with

 

 

. ......................................................................the Converter Setup Utility

Case 6

On the Wireless LAN Converter Setup Page, the Encryption

 

 

(WEP) key text box cannot be used. ........................................................

Case 7

The Status indicator is slowly flashing white, but communication

 

 

with the access point is not possible. .......................................................

Case 8

Unable to connect after the access point settings

 

 

are changed. ............................................................................................

Case 9

Unable to connect after the access control

 

 

(MAC address filtering) of the access point is enabled. ...........................

Case 10

 

 

 

Cannot create a peer-to-peer network. ....................................................

Case 11

Cannot communicate with a device other than the computer

 

 

used for setup ..........................................................................................

Case 12

 

 

 

Forgot settings or want to reset. ..............................................................

Case 13

 

 

 

What are the factory default settings? .....................................................

Case 14

What are the Wireless LAN Converter functions

 

 

and how can I make advanced settings? .................................................

Case 15

 

 

 

...........................Computer firewall function and browser proxy settings

Case 16

 

 

 

The Troubleshooting Guide of the Converter Setup Utility is also part of Help. To display Help, click “Start”, point to “Programs” (when using the Windows XP operating system, select “All Programs”), point to “Wireless LAN”, and then “Converter Setup Help”.

Instructions for using the Wireless LAN Converter Setup Page can be found in Help that appears when

clicking .

Case 1 Cannot connect to the access point.Are your access point security settings configured to “WPA” or “IEEE 802.1X”?

If this is the case, the Wireless LAN Converter cannot connect to the access point. Change your access point security settings to “WEP” or “WPA-PSK”.

Case 2 Cannot establish a connection even after using the Quick Setup switch.1Is your access point Quick Setup switch setting set to “Disable”?

If this is the case, change this setting to “Enable” in the access point Setup Page.

2Are your access point security settings configured to “WPA” or “IEEE 802.1X”?

If this is the case, the Wireless LAN Converter cannot connect to the access point. Change your access point security settings to “WEP” or “WPA-PSK”.

Case 3 When starting the Converter Setup Utility, the message “Converter not detected. Do you want to see Online Help?” or “Failed to scan the Wireless Converter. Make sure the network cable is plugged in to the Ethernet port and the Wireless Converter is turned on. Do you want to see Online Help?” appears.

1Is the Wireless LAN Converter connected correctly to the computer?

Check the connections between the Wireless LAN Converter and computer, the Wireless Unit and Power Unit, and the Power Unit and power outlet.

To power outlet

Power Unit

Power cord

Wireless Unit

Ethernet cable (not included)

zHints

When power is supplied to the Wireless LAN Converter, the Status indicator is lit or flashing. However, if the indicator is set to OFF in the Wireless LAN Converter Setup Page, the indicator only operates in special cases.

When the Wireless LAN Converter is connected to a computer or other device, the LINK/ACT indicator flashes. For details about the location of the LINK/ACT indicator, refer to the separate Read This First.

2Is the Ethernet device inside the computer enabled?

Check whether the Ethernet device inside the computer is enabled.

Windows Me models

1

Right-click “My Computer” on your desktop, and click “Properties” on the shortcut

 

menu that appears.

2

In the “System Properties” dialog box, click the “Device Manager” tab.

3

Double-click “Network

adapters” to display a list of adapters, and verify that the Ethernet adapter you are using is enabled.

zHint

You can also display detailed information by right-clicking your adapter and clicking “Properties” on the shortcut menu that appears.

Windows 2000, Windows XP models

1 With the Windows 2000 operating system, click “Start”, point to “Settings”, and click “Network and Dial-up Connections” to open the “Network and Dial-up Connections” window.

With the Windows XP operating system, click “Start”, and then click “Control Panel”. In “Control Panel”, double-click “Network connections”.

2 Right-click the Wireless

Network Connection icon to be connected and click “Enable” if it is available on the menu. (The illustration shows the Windows XP operating system window.)

3If the computer connected to the Wireless LAN Converter is running the Windows XP operating system, is the “Internet Connection Firewall” function enabled?

If the “Internet Connection Firewall” function is enabled, communication may not be possible. For details, see case 16.

4When using virus scanning or network security software, is a personal firewall function enabled?

For details, see case 16.

5If the computer connected to the Wireless LAN Converter is running the Windows XP operating system, is the Ethernet interface set up to act as a network bridge?

Confirm that the Ethernet connection is not acting as a network bridge.

1

Click “Start”, and then click “Control Panel”.

2

In “Control Panel”, click “Network and Internet Connections”, and then click

 

“Network Connections”.

 

zHint

 

If “Network and Internet Connections” does not appear, click “Switch to Category View” on the left.

3

Confirm that the Ethernet network connection is not acting as a network bridge.

4

If the Ethernet network

 

connection is configured as a

network bridge, right-click the local area connection icon, and click “Remove from Bridge”.

zHint

If “Remove from Bridge” does not appear on the shortcut menu, the Ethernet connection is not acting as a network bridge.

Case 4 When starting the Converter Setup Utility, the message “Failed to open Converter Setup Page. Do you want to see Online Help?” appears.

Did the “IP Address Setup” screen appear?

If communication cannot be established with the current IP address of the computer connected to the Wireless LAN Converter and the IP address of the Wireless LAN Converter, the following dialog box appears.

If you click “Cancel” in this dialog box, the Wireless

LAN Converter Setup Page cannot be displayed.

1

Click “Start”, point to “Programs”

 

(when using the Windows XP operating system, point to “All Programs”), point to

 

“Wireless LAN”, and then click “Converter Setup” to restart the Converter Setup

 

Utility.

2

When the “IP Address Setup” dialog box appears, verify its contents, and then click

“Execute Setup”.

The IP address of the Wireless LAN Converter is temporarily changed so that the computer can open the Wireless LAN Converter Setup Page.

Note

If the computer connected to the Wireless LAN Converter is also connected to another network, make sure that the new IP address does not duplicate the address of a device on that network.

zHint

When you turn off or restart the Wireless LAN Converter, the IP address reverts to its original setting.

• Sony, VAIO,

,

, and the Eco Info logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

In this document, Microsoft® Windows® Millennium Edition is referred to as Windows Me, Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional is referred to as Windows 2000, Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition and Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional are referred to as Windows XP.

Netscape is registered trademark of Netscape Communications Corporation.

All other names of systems, products and services are trademarks of their respective owners.

In the document, the ™ or ® marks are not specified.

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