Chapter 11. Troubleshoot Wireless Connections

In this chapter...

• Are Your Drivers Current?

• Finding a Bad Network Adapter

• The Trouble with a Mixed Windows 98 and 2000 Network

• Configuration Utility Errors

• Firewall Hangup

• Printer Problems

• Other Common Problems

No matter how well you plan out your wireless network, you're bound to come across problems. These problems typically, frustratingly, seem to come out of nowhere, and they often at first blush have one thing in common: Your network isn't working and you haven't changed a thing.

Wireless network problems often resemble one of the following scenarios:

• Yesterday everything was working perfectly , and now nothing works.

• One machine is configured just like all the others, but it still won't connect.

• One computer has Internet access, but it can't be viewed by the other PCs on your network.

Most often, the problem is simple and you'll be up and running in no time. If you make sure you have up-to-date drivers (no small matter), make sure all machines have the same configuration settings (using the software that comes with your network adapter and in Windows) and make sure your connections are secure, you should find the problem, as long as you're patient and cover all your bases.

The first step is to forget what you know. Challenge the most basic assumptions, like whether your equipment is getting power or checking settings that you just know haven't changed. Then check out the tips in this chapter.