Which Wi-Fi Router?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Also Dl-lin website says it is not compatible with Windows 7

How can this be possible? Surely, even Microsoft has to use the standard networking protocols?

[vina]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

How can this be possible? Surely, even Microsoft has to use the standard networking protocols?

Well MS doesn't say Win 7 is not compatible, the router's documentation says that.

By the way, though my new laptop takes a little more time (it also supports 802.11n, router is only g) to sync up - but as long as I'm using only the new laptop (which is Win 7) there is no problem.

The problem has something to do with the firmware the router has.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by vina

Well MS doesn't say Win 7 is not compatible, the router's documentation says that.

That is strange.. OS version on laptop has nothing to to with WiFi router. Which router is this?

[Thad E Ginathom]

some of these wifi routers have a sort of one-press setup button. Maybe it is the client software that is not compatible with W7?

I wonder if it runs on Linux?

[deep_bang]

Well. I had one experience which says there is some dependency of router on the OS. My OS was vista and router was a BSNL supplied UTstar one. Finally I got to know that there is a minor change in the DHCP search algorithm which does not work well with some routers. So I had to make some registry changes as suggested by a MS KB article and after this all was well.

My point is - I agree with Vina. Do check out compatibility first. There may be a solution but why bother about finding a solution when you might be able to buy a router that is certified to work well with win7 in the first place.

[vina]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

That is strange.. OS version on laptop has nothing to to with WiFi router. Which router is this?

This is a DLink DI-524, very old model.

OS version should have nothing to do with the router, except that MS started integrating the TCP/IP stack within the OS some decade and a half ago, and the TCP/IP stack compatibility may sometimes become an issue.

What the manufacturer means by saying "it is not compatible" is that while the product fully complies with standards, nobody has done tested it for the specific conditions in question.

As I wrote earlier also, the router works (I'm writing via that one right now) but has its own quirks when two machines with XP and 7 try to connect at the same time. This is not a problem if one uses the ethernet cable (which is what I do if both computers must connect at the same time)

By the way, some months ago I went to buy a 1TB wireless hard drive cum media player at Chroma. The box stated compatibility with XP and the guys there clearly advised me not to buy unless I had XP, there had been problems with some customers.

[rohan_iitr]

Originally Posted by vina

By the way, though my new laptop takes a little more time (it also supports 802.11n, router is only g) to sync up - but as long as I'm using only the new laptop (which is Win 7) there is no problem.

If possible, disable 802.11n in your new laptop and set it only for 802.11g.

Worth a try.

By the way, what exactly is the problem you are facing when connecting 2 laptops to the router ? Why do you say that the router gets confused ?

Rohan

[vina]

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

If possible, disable 802.11n in your new laptop and set it only for 802.11g.

Worth a try.

By the way, what exactly is the problem you are facing when connecting 2 laptops to the router ? Why do you say that the router gets confused ?

Rohan

did that, nothing happened.

The problem is, if you connect Win 7 machine - no problem. If you connect XP machine - no problem. If you connect both, after a while both say "no connection to internet". Modem is still working and if you try to connect via the ethernet cable it works.

But otherwise you have to turn off the router, turn it on again and restart the two laptops (some handshake issue between the two I guess)

I use WPA PSK.

[Thad E Ginathom]

It would be a real shame to have to disable 802.11n. "n" sings and zings and fairly zips along!

vina, I feel sure that there must be a configuration problem with your machines, but my Windows knowledge stops at XP. However, the first thing I would try is disabling DHCP and giving your machines static IP addresses. Personally, I have no time for DHCP and never use it (except where forced upon me by a device I cannot easily configure). Nothing really wrong with it, except it is just another factor in problem solving. Netfreak-B may say this is silly: I don't deny it

Initially, though, you should look at output from C:\ > IPCONFIG /ALL too see if your PCs are getting sensible settings and to check that their IP addresses are unique.

From something I saw on another site, I think W7 has much improved network status and trouble-shooting screens?

(Historically, W2000 had a re-written TCP/IP stack, which was greatly improved. Not so long before that, as is their way, MS had been desperately trying toignore the fact that the world had settled on TCP/IP, and were trying to impose their own networking)

[vina]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It would be a real shame to have to disable 802.11n. "n" sings and zings and fairly zips along!

vina, I feel sure that there must be a configuration problem with your machines, but my Windows knowledge stops at XP. However, the first thing I would try is disabling DHCP and giving your machines static IP addresses. Personally, I have no time for DHCP and never use it (except where forced upon me by a device I cannot easily configure). Nothing really wrong with it, except it is just another factor in problem solving. Netfreak-B may say this is silly: I don't deny it

Initially, though, you should look at output from C:\ > IPCONFIG /ALL too see if your PCs are getting sensible settings and to check that their IP addresses are unique.

From something I saw on another site, I think W7 has much improved network status and trouble-shooting screens?

(Historically, W2000 had a re-written TCP/IP stack, which was greatly improved. Not so long before that, as is their way, MS had been desperately trying toignore the fact that the world had settled on TCP/IP, and were trying to impose their own networking)

well enabling or disabling the "n" doesn't change the behaviour. Also, since my airtel connection is limited to 2Mbps (and I guess highest offered data rate for home use is 16Mbps right now), "g" @54Mbps is more than enough.

I tried DHCP too (more for security reasons than anything else) - didn't work.

Win 7 has more options etc. but is harder nut to crack - XP has a huge knowledge base on the internet, this one not so far.

It may have something to do with how many simultaneous IP connections can the router support per application. Like I said problem mostly comes (for Win 7 only scenario) when I use Bittorrent - that connects to hundreds of users and may be the router is not handling it very well. I just don't know.

In any case, I don't care much - right now it more or less works most of the time, and for critical times (meetings etc.) I just use the ethernet cable.

[tsk1979]

Its nothing to do with bittorrent. You are getting interference. Try changing the Wireless Channel of your Router. Is there a tikona or similar wireless access point in your area. They are very powerful, and if you are on the same channel, you can get problems.
But I really could not figure out your exact problem. You are getting frequent disconnections, right?

[vina]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Its nothing to do with bittorrent. You are getting interference. Try changing the Wireless Channel of your Router. Is there a tikona or similar wireless access point in your area. They are very powerful, and if you are on the same channel, you can get problems.
But I really could not figure out your exact problem. You are getting frequent disconnections, right?

It is not disconnection (unless the disconnection is momentary, leading to some kind of lock up) - wireless remains connected and I can probe the router directly from my laptop.

It just doesn't let me access the internet.


Also it is a WiFi thing only, same router also has ethernet cable points - those work.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by vina

It just doesn't let me access the internet.

So you are basically saying.
You can connect in your browser to 192.168.1.1 but cannot connect to lets say Google

Next time this happens, try to go to "74.125.39.99"

If you can connect to IP addresses, and not on to web addresses, then we will move to step 2.

[vina]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

So you are basically saying.
You can connect in your browser to 192.168.1.1 but cannot connect to lets say Google

Next time this happens, try to go to "74.125.39.99"

If you can connect to IP addresses, and not on to web addresses, then we will move to step 2.

I'll try that but I'm not very hopeful. I had tried putting IP address of my company's webpage etc. but it didn't work. The problem is easily replicated so I can try it tonight.

By the way, thanks for trying to help me out

[tsk1979]

When you stop getting to IP addresses, try going to 192.168.1.1, and see if you can see login page of router.