Wireless router and Blueyonder

[gulliver]

I have 2 computers linked via Netgear wireless router to Blueyonder 1MB service via Surfboard cable modem.

I have a laptop using Win 2000 and Netgear wireless card which connects perfectly

I have a desktop with a D-Link Wi Fi card and aerial running XP SP2

The Router is a Netgear MR814 (v2) used in wireless mode

The desktop has problems acessing the internet and often fails to connect to the wireless network. Also cannot easily log on to the Netgear configurer (http://192.168.0.1). Even when wireless network is available it can connect occasionally to the WWW but subseqently fails with a cannot find DNS server error.

I have tried changing the frequency of the wireless transmissiion but to no avail

The laptop has Blueyonder IE extensions installed but the XP machine does not

The laptop uses Tiny Outpost firewall

Desktop uses XP Firewall

Any ideas?

[scuzzman]

Firstly, you do have WEP or WPA enabled on the wireless network? If so, which?

Secondly, try changing the Channel, Wireless mode (if router is multi-function) and SSID of the network, as this sometimes proves useful.

[gulliver]

WEP/WPA not enabled

I assume I do the following via the Netgear configuation tool.

Will try changing channel (from 1 to 2?)

Wireless Mode (to what?)

and SSID (currently "NETGEAR".... to anything I like?)

Thanks

[homecomputeraid]

The options for wireless mode are probably Access Point or Ad Hoc. You want Access Point.

Also remember to change channels and such on both the Router and the PC's.

[scuzzman]

The PC's shouldn't need any reconfiguration, as wireless clients tend to scan all channels.

I personally prefer channel 11 for wireless networks, this seems out of range for conflict with wireless phones and the like.

For wireless mode, I'm referring to B, B+, or G. Most newer routers/access points will broadcast all 3, sometimes confusing your wireless clients. Setting it to B or G only should remedy this.

Your SSID is like a name for your wireless network, and can be set to whatever you choose.

Also, you should have WEP/WPA configured on your network. This and should increase both stability of the network (WinXP will auto-configure for a secure network in precedence over an unsecured one) and security (at this point, I can sit outside your house with a wireless laptop and use your internet connection to download anything).