Configuration Utility Errors

When your wireless network won't work, first check the configuration utility settings for each network adapter. Get one slightly off from the rest, and it won't establish a link to the wireless network.

As mentioned earlier in the book, three settings provide most of the problems in an 802.11b network. Check these first when you're having trouble:

1. Make sure your network is set to ad-hoc, if you don't have an access point, or to infrastructure, if you do use an access point.

2. If you are using encryption, make sure it's on and at the same level on all the machines and on the access point (if you have one) on your network (Figure 11.3). If one wireless network adapter is set to 64-bit encryption, and another is set to 128-bit encryption, they will not communicate.

   Figure 11.3. Make sure encryption is disabled, or set to the same level at all your computers and at your access point.

   

3. Check to see if your Service Set Identifier (SSID) is the same on all machines (Figure 11.4). Like encryption, if you have the wrong setting on one machine, it won't connect to the wireless network.

   Figure 11.4. Make sure your SSID is the same on all machines.

   

   You can use the SSID ANY on many network adapters, which will allow the use of any SSID to connect.

Once your configuration software for your network adapters is set correctly you should be all set. There is, however, another potential software setting you can check if your network won't communicate. We'll look at software firewall settings next .