HELP! D-Link Wireless router .....

[Lazgoat]

Building a system for a friend, its all complete but the Wireless ADSL modem router is proving very difficult.

Its a D-Link DSL-904 and I installed it as per the instructions, drivers & utility first, rebooted then installed the USB dongle.....no connection!? After a few more attempts I rang D-Link and they said it was a common problem, just uninstall the drivers, disable the XP Firewall and any Antivirus and then reinstall.....Did all that and still no connection.

The ADSL modem/router works fine, I can connect wirelessly with my Laptop no problem and even installed the USB dongle & drivers on my personal machine and got it working fine after two attempts. It just will not seem to work on his machine? Any ideas?
I thought it may be the USB ports, but whenever the dongle is installed Windows recognises it and the D-Link Network Connection Utility fires up and tries to establis a connection.

[Toro]

is the Dongle set to any specific channel and the router to another or anything like that?

[Lazgoat]

Not that I can see...Its weired because the Dongle/adapter works on my PC ok, but without the D-Link Connection Utility thought its installed, and will not work on the otehr PC with the D-Link Utility installed?

Iv'e tried restoring the PC to a few days ago and trying again, but still nothing.

[Toro]

tried a different USB port?

[Lazgoat]

Originally Posted by Toro

tried a different USB port?

Yup

[Toro]

does the dongle require USB ver 2.0 or anything like that?

[Got EpOx]

The problem with the dongle is that it hates being anything than a few meters away from the AP. Move the router closer and see if it can find the connection. BTW it works with USB1.1 or 2. Just drops to 11mbps with 1.1.

I recently had to RMA that particular router and dongle set as it completely died on me, it wouldn't find the ADSL line anymore.

[Lazgoat]

Originally Posted by Got EpOx

The problem with the dongle is that it hates being anything than a few meters away from the AP. Move the router closer and see if it can find the connection. BTW it works with USB1.1 or 2. Just drops to 11mbps with 1.1.

I recently had to RMA that particular router and dongle set as it completely died on me, it wouldn't find the ADSL line anymore.

Grrr...I'm hoping you are wrong as when its set up at my friends house it will be more than a few meters away from the AP! At the moment it works in the PC that is probably 1.5m from the AP and does not work it the PC that is 3m away. Surely these things have a better range than that!?

[Got EpOx]

Yeah but D-link are very poor quality and generally die after a year or so hard work. Btw do you have the latest firmware?

[robbie]

Try a motherboard mounted USB port, and not a wired one.

[Got EpOx]

That might work, hopefully it will.

[Toro]

if the range doesnt go 3 meters, whats the point? stupid dongle

[Lazgoat]

I finally gave up with the dongle. I downloaded the latest D-Link Software for the USB Adapter and things seemed to be improving in that the little LED lights now lit up and flashed indicating life in the damned thing.....still no connection however.....

Borrowed/bought a Linksys PCI Wireless card....installed, rebooted, connected second time round.

The weired thing is that I'm writing this and listening to Shoutcast Radio via the wireless router with the USB dongle in my PC!!? I'll never udnerstand these things...

[Got EpOx]

How strange. Sometimes computers and technology have a weird way of working.

[Toro]

or a weird way of not working!

[Kaitain]

I'm a little late to this thread, and the problem seems to have solved itself, but this might lend some background. Don't treat this as absolute fact, 'cos I'm not 100% clear on all points, but it should give a starting point for your own research:

Just as a side note, not all D-Link hardware is crap - my wireless card's been doing nicely for over a year now.

USB hardware is often a bit tricky where power is concerned. USB only specifies that the bus must be capable of providing 500mA power. A single device can draw all of that current, however devices operating near this limit can have other complications. Now, my laptop provides exactly 500mA to each port. This is not quite enough to run a portable HD, which needs about 800mA and so the cable has been designed to allow me to draw power from 2 ports.

My desktop on the other hand will put out well over an amp to each port (proven in that I can daisy chain these portable HDs successfully).

Now when a wireless card connects, it draws a very small amount of power while it listens for available networks. All the power in the signal comes from the AP, elsewhere. After this it then tries to connect to the network and, to do this, ramps up the power so that it can start to transmit. If the relevant machine doesn't put out enough power, it'll be unable to transmit more than a gnat's fart (if it works at all).

[Got EpOx]

Thanks for the info Kaitain.

[Lazgoat]

Thanks Kaitain, I suspected that myself as I'm using a generic 350W PSU that came in the case. The USB ports work ok for printer and Digital camera though and now with the Wireless PCI card installed its all ok and delivered it this morning! I'll keep an eye on the PSU though...

[Got EpOx]

I'll need to keep an eye on mine 2 it's a cheap unit. Generic 350w.