Problem with Dell TrueMobile 1300 Wireless in new Latitude 600

My home network includes a wireless access point connected to a DSL
modem (the access point "talks to" the modem using PPPoE). I have a
Dell laptop at home with a LinkSys WPC11 PCMCIA card, a Mac laptop
with an AirPort, and a desktop with a wireless bridge -- all can reach
the Internet through the DSL connection without a hitch.

I just purchased a new Dell Latitude 600 with the Dell TrueMobile 1300
WiFi card. When I try to get to the Internet, this system fails in a
curious manner -- I can see excellent signal strength (the icon in the
System tray), yet I can't reach the Internet.

Tried two other things. First, I took my laptop and my wireless
access point to work, and plugged them into the (hard-wired) ethernet
connection. Again, had excellent signal strength, but this time was
able to also connect to the Internet. That is to say, when the access
point was plugged into a "real" network port, everything worked as
expected.

Went back home, found that the same combination of laptop/WiFi
card/access point plugged into the DSL modem again failed to reach the
internet. So I tried taking the LinkSys card from my old laptop and
plugging it into the new Latitude, first disabling the TrueMobile
card. Sure enough, I can connect to the access point, and can then
browse the Web without problems.

So what's wrong, and how can I fix it? It looks like the "bad"
combination is Dell Latitude 600 + Dell TrueMobile card + wireless
access point + DSL modem. Change any one (i.e. use another laptop,
use a LinkSys card, or plug access point into campus EtherNetwork) and
everything works. Incidently, I called my DSL provider and went over
the parameters of the card and access point with him -- he seemed
pretty knowledgable, and we seem to have the setting right.

Any insights into this peculiar problem would be much appreciated. It
is bizarre that the old Dell systems work, and the new one fails!

Bob Schor

Bob Schor wrote:

My home network includes a wireless access point connected to a DSL
modem (the access point "talks to" the modem using PPPoE). I have a
Dell laptop at home with a LinkSys WPC11 PCMCIA card, a Mac laptop
with an AirPort, and a desktop with a wireless bridge -- all can reach
the Internet through the DSL connection without a hitch.

I just purchased a new Dell Latitude 600 with the Dell TrueMobile 1300
WiFi card. When I try to get to the Internet, this system fails in a
curious manner -- I can see excellent signal strength (the icon in the
System tray), yet I can't reach the Internet.

Tried two other things. First, I took my laptop and my wireless
access point to work, and plugged them into the (hard-wired) ethernet
connection. Again, had excellent signal strength, but this time was
able to also connect to the Internet. That is to say, when the access
point was plugged into a "real" network port, everything worked as
expected.

Went back home, found that the same combination of laptop/WiFi
card/access point plugged into the DSL modem again failed to reach the
internet. So I tried taking the LinkSys card from my old laptop and
plugging it into the new Latitude, first disabling the TrueMobile
card. Sure enough, I can connect to the access point, and can then
browse the Web without problems.

So what's wrong, and how can I fix it? It looks like the "bad"
combination is Dell Latitude 600 + Dell TrueMobile card + wireless
access point + DSL modem. Change any one (i.e. use another laptop,
use a LinkSys card, or plug access point into campus EtherNetwork) and
everything works. Incidently, I called my DSL provider and went over
the parameters of the card and access point with him -- he seemed
pretty knowledgable, and we seem to have the setting right.

Any insights into this peculiar problem would be much appreciated. It
is bizarre that the old Dell systems work, and the new one fails!

Bob Schor

Could be lots of things.

Type|Run|CMD
ipconfig /all

Is the card getting an IP address? Is it in the same range as the other
computers on the lan? Or is it a 'I can't get an IP address' of 169.x.x.x?

Have you tried disabling then re-enabling the card?

What is your OS?

Is Windows managing the connection or the card drivers.

If Windows is managing the connection and you are running XP, is the
'Wireless Zero Configuration' service running?

Is your wireless network encrypted? If it is, is it WEP or WPA?

If encryption is not being used or if WEP encryption is being used, have
you enabled '802.1x authentication'? If so, disable that.

On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 20:26:22 -0600, Jerry Park
wrote:

Could be lots of things.

Type|Run|CMD
ipconfig /all

Is the card getting an IP address? Is it in the same range as the other
computers on the lan? Or is it a 'I can't get an IP address' of 169.x.x.x?

I believe so, but will check.

Have you tried disabling then re-enabling the card?

Yes. Works every time the access point is plugged into the campus
Ethernetwork, works none of the time plugged into the DSL modem.

What is your OS?

Windows 2000 Professional, SP4.

Is Windows managing the connection or the card drivers.

Windows. The "card drivers" is whatever Dell installs (except when I
use the LinkSys card, and the LinkSys Configuration Utility).

If Windows is managing the connection and you are running XP, is the
'Wireless Zero Configuration' service running?

Not XP.

Is your wireless network encrypted? If it is, is it WEP or WPA?

No encryption. I'm trying to get this to work in "vanilla" fashion
before I get fancy.

If encryption is not being used or if WEP encryption is being used, have
you enabled '802.1x authentication'? If so, disable that.

No encryption.

I should mention that I have successfully installed about a dozen
wireless networks. This is the only one with the Dell TrueMobile card
I've tried.

Bob Schor