Problems connecting to Linksys WAP

[eakst7]

I've got a Linksys WAP Router and a Linksys Wireless PC Card and I'm having trouble getting any wireless signal at all. The card just keeps "Searching..." but never finds the router. The funny thing is, it was working for a brief period the first night I set it up.

Some details:

- I updated the firmware of the card and router to the latest versions.

- I can connect both directly through the cable modem and via the ethernet ports on the router, so I know the cable modem is working

- The SSID of the router and the card matches

- WEP is not turned on

- Both the card and router are set to "Infrastructure" mode and are using the same channel (though, if I understand correctly, the channel is only important in ad hoc mode.)

- I've tried resetting the router by unplugging it for a short time, using the reset button on the router configuration web utility, and by pressing the physical reset button on the unit.

- The green LED on the router indicates that WLAN is active

- I've reinstalled the drivers for both the wireless card and the ethernet card countless times, to no avail.

- The only time I'll get any signal at all (as indicated by the card configuration utility) is when I press the reset button on the router. When I do this, I'll get a signal for a few seconds and then it will disappear.

- My roommate is using an identical PC and wireless card and is having the same problem. I'd be willing to believe that I messed up the settings somewhere on my PC, except that I haven't touched his.

- I spent some time with Linksys technical support this morning, but they weren't able to help.

- It's starting to look like the wireless part of the router is bad. I'm going to test my PC with a friend's router to see if this is the case.

Does anyone have any ideas or things for me to try? I appreciate your time. If you need more information, let me know!

[Greenstead]

It does sound like it may be a problem with the router.

Testing your PC with another router will prove your PC card is good (thats another wireless router is it?).

The only other possibility is radio interference. To check that you can change the channel in the router. It normally defaults to channel 1. Move it up the other end (11 in the US, 13 in the UK).
The PC card should track and lock on, or to be sure you can change its channel in the driver configuration.

[eakst7]

Thanks for the reply!

Indeed, it does appear to be a problem with the router. I took my PC to my friend's place (who has an identical Linksys router), turned it on, changed the SSID to match his network, and it connected immediately.

I'm actually quite relieved, because I was out of ideas!

Thanks again!