After relocating USB WLAN adapter, connection woes aplenty

existentia · 31 Oct 2014

This problem is so danged FRUSTRATING! I already have a number of devices successfully connected wirelessly to my router, which I believe is a Netgear model B90-755044-15.

I recently acquired a desktop PC running Windows 7 and at first it was no problem at all connecting to my router's main SSID (named PLEASANT, always broadcasts), running WEP security plus MAC address access control. But the USB WLAN device I had was an older 2"+ long thing and I didn't want it sticking out the front where it could be vulnerable to mishap or something, so I moved it to a back USB slot. Windows 7 gave it a different sequence number, plus it always installs some device called "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter" whenever I move it. Anyway, I could NOT connect to my network then! The Troubleshooter tried resetting the adapter and retrying but to no avail. Details are available but they're verbose and you cannot Copy the text. Something about "Pre-Association: Success" followed by "Association: Fail". Why isn't there a utility where I can tell the software to Forget a connection and then later respecify it!? I tried EVERYTHING! I eventually tried renaming my Network's SSID. Of course I tried disabling ALL security but still no connection. Nothing worked. Interestingly, my router supports Guest Access which I normally have disabled. But I enabled it for this purpose (with WPA security) and my Windows 7 machine connects to it without a hitch, regardless of where I place the adapter. But that isn't what I want because Guests (naturally) cannot get to the router's control page. Eventually I purchased and tried a whole new WiFi adapter, one of the new tiny ones that don't really stick out. I placed it in a front USB slot and it has the very same issue! It will connect to my Guest SSID readily but refuses to connect to PLEASANT! What I really needed was a sensible configuration utility. Aha, my new adapter has an installable "Configuration Utility" under the Ralink trade name. I installed it but Windows 7 puts a giant black "X" through the resulting shortcut! I cannot run the supplied utility, not as Administrator and not with the Compatibility Troubleshooter and no way at all! If I could just have that utility software I could get my OS to just plain FORGET the past and start afresh. Dang! Double dang!!

Just so I've made myself clear, both adapters can SEE the Network to which I want to connect, plus that Guest access network, and each with superb signal strength; so I believe there to be NO hardware issues with either adapter. It's the software, some Windows 7 machination that is preventing my connection. At some point I could put the first adapter back in a front slot and it could connect to PLEASANT, but now it seems the entire scope is cut off. Help!! What am I to do?

I doubt it would help but I've attached ipconfig readout. I can supply more stuff as it is deemed pertinent.

And um, my router is set up as a bridge.

[edit] Sorry, using the first adapter, that long one, I can still place it in the top of my two front USB slots, and Windows installs it as WLAN Card #3, and it does successfully connect to PLEASANT. But I don't want it there, as I stated.

DMHolt57 · 31 Oct 2014

Set all security to WPA2 and check the Advanced tab under ipv4 properties, add the gateway address which is the router ip...
and welcome to the forum!

existentia · 31 Oct 2014

Many thanks, DMHolt57! Just switching to WPA2 cured the dilemma.

As for the other thing, perhaps I needn't go ahead with it. I think you're talking about the Wifi Connection Properties panel, I should select IPv4 line and click Properties and instead of having IP assigned automatically, specify the what? the (external) WAN IP shown at my router's main control page? or the IP specific to this one device/PC? ..what about DNS? Since things are working OK now and these parameters are getting assigned automatically, maybe I should just leave well-enough alone, but THANK YOU.

How come this happened, I wonder. Even switching off ALL security wouldn't make it fly but it seems to love WPA2 -- go figure. [I also wonder why the Ralink config utility wouldn't install and run as intended.]

DMHolt57 · 31 Oct 2014

Sometimes the adapter loses its way to the gateway(router) and in the advanced tab of the adapters ipv4 properties is an area to enter the ip address of the gateway, example... 192.168.1.1
if you add it in, it does a network check to make sure its right and kinda does a reset of the adapter so that it all works...go figure...

existentia · 31 Oct 2014

Thanks again, I'll resort to that if I must. But unfortunately, there are more problems now and I'm requesting more assistance if it's available. Now that I've changed the security (and password) of my main network, I'm going around to my other several devices and making them connect. But they are resistant, many of them. My Nook can connect without problem it seems. The iPad claims to have "authentication problems" and under detail it shows an assigned IP who first two (of the 4) codes differs from my WAN IP and that doesn't seem right. A PC running WXP tried to connect but ended up complaining of "limited or no connectivity". I'm not sure about my HTC smartphone. ONLY the Nook (and of course the new Windows 7 PC now) are showing up at my router's control page as connected. (A couple other PCs have wired connectivity.) So it's the iPad, the HTC phone and the old WXP Netvista machine still awaiting success. At the router control page wireless security section I tried unchecking "Group Key Update Interval" thinking that was adding unnecessary complexity. I'm still struggling with this whole horrible miasma and things might yet get ironed out -- but it does NOT look promising.

existentia · 31 Oct 2014

Yo never mind because I think I've got it whipped now. Changing from AES to TKIP seemed to help, and then I decided to power off the router and reboot after a breather. Things are looking good. Thanks for the leg(s) up!

existentia · 31 Oct 2014

Also note, I balked about the lack of a configuration utility but I've finally found the elusive thing. Under Network & Sharing CP, click "Manage Wireless Networks" and it has all the expected abilities thereat. Whew.