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Troubleshooting: Dell Wireless Home Network
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Troubleshooting: Dell Wireless Home
Network
Common Problems
and Solutions � Getting Help
Common Problems
and Solutions
Base Station
Network Troubleshooting � Wireless Network Card Network
Troubleshooting
Base Station
Network Troubleshooting
| Problem / Symptom
|
Possible Solution
|
| Base Station lights
all flash yellow in unison; Wireless Network Cards won't communicate with
Base Station |
Open the Dell Wireless LAN
Card Diagnostics program. Select Set Up Base Station from the Options
pull-down menu. Click OK in the Set up Base Station With My Settings window.
Consult the Diagnostics section of this User Guide for information on
using the Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program. Consult the Diagnostics
section of this User Guide for information on using the Dell Wireless
LAN Card Diagnostics program.
|
| Can't play games
on the network |
Check that the IPX/SPX
protocol is installed and set up correctly on all the computers on your
network. On each computer's Start menu, select Settings and click Control
Panel. In the Control Panel window, double-click the Network icon. In the
Network window, click the Configuration tab. You should see the IPX/SPX
protocol. If the IPX/SPX protocol is not there, click Add, click Protocol,
select Microsoft, and double-click IPX/SPX. IPX/SPX should appear in the
Configuration window. |
| Computers seem to
be communicating, but don't appear in the My Computer window or in the Network
Neighborhood window |
Check that File and Printer
Sharing is enabled on all the computers on your network. On each computer's
Start menu, select Settings and click Control Panel. In the Control Panel
window, double-click the Network icon. In the Network window, click the
Configuration tab. You should see File and Printer Sharing at the bottom
of the window. If File and Printer Sharing is not there, click Add, click
Service, select Microsoft, and double-click File and printer sharing for
Microsoft Networks. Next, click the File and Print Sharing button in the
Network window. Select both check boxes in the File and Print Sharing
window and click OK. File and Printer Sharing should appear in the Configuration
window list.
Check that the NetBEUI protocol
is installed and set up correctly on all the computers on your network.
On each computer's Start menu, select Settings and click Control Panel.
In the Control Panel window, double-click the Network icon. In the Network
window, click the Configuration tab. You should see the NetBEUI protocol.
If the NetBEUI protocol is not there, click Add, click Protocol, select
Microsoft, and double-click NetBEUI. NetBEUI should appear in the Configuration
window.
|
| Data transfer is
sometimes very slow |
Microwave ovens and some cordless
phones operate at the same radio frequency as the Dell Wireless Home Network
LAN cards. When the microwave or cordless phone is in use, it competes
with the Wireless Home Network LAN cards for space on the frequency. Keep
computers with Dell Wireless Home Network LAN cards at least 20 feet away
from your microwave oven and any cordless telephone that operates at a
frequency of 2.4 GHz.
Check the Network Settings
on your Wireless Network Cards. Open the Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics
program on each computer on your network. Select Edit Properties from
the Commands pull-down menu. Data Rate should be set to Auto. Consult
the Diagnostics section of this User Guide for information on using the
Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program.
|
| Data transfer is
always very slow |
Some homes and most offices
are built with steel. The steel in your building may be interfering with
your network's radio signals. Try moving your computers to different locations
to improve performance.
Check the Network Settings
on your Wireless Network Cards. Open the Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics
program on each computer on your network. Select Edit Properties from
the Commands pull-down menu. Data Rate should be set to Auto. Consult
the Diagnostics section of this User Guide for information on using the
Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program.
|
| Computers won't
communicate with the network |
Check to see that the Dell
Wireless Home Network LAN cards are installed correctly. Re-install any
cards that seem loose or misaligned.
If your network has a Base
Station, check that its power cable is plugged securely into the back
of the unit and into an electrical socket.
Use the Dell Wireless LAN Card
Diagnostics to check the configuration of each Dell Wireless Home Network
LAN card. Select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu and
check the network settings. Each computer on the network should have a
unique name, but should use the same Radio Network Name and Encryption
Key. Data Rate should be set to Auto, and Base Station should be selected
under Network Type. Consult the Diagnostics section of this User Guide
for information on using the Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program.
|
Wireless
Network Card Network Troubleshooting
| Problem / Symptom
|
Possible Solution
|
| Can't connect to the Internet |
Check the Network Settings
on your Wireless Network Cards. Verify that they are identical except
for Computer Name. Open the Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program
on each computer on your network. Select Edit Properties from the Commands
pull-down menu. Make a note of the Radio Network Name and the Encryption
Key. These settings should be the same on each computer. Data Rate should
be set to Auto and Network Type should be set to No Base Station. Consult
the Diagnostics section of this User Guide for information on using the
Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program.
Check that the network protocols
are installed and set up correctly on all the computers on your network.
On each computer's Start menu, select Settings and click Control Panel.
In the Control Panel window, double-click the Network icon. In the Network
window, click the Configuration tab. You should see the TCP/IP protocol.
If the TCP/IP protocol is not there, click Add, click Protocol, select
Microsoft, and double-click TCP/IP. TCP/IP should appear in the Configuration
window.
Computer with Internet connection
should be up and running before you try to connect to the Internet with
other systems.
|
| Can't play games
on the network |
Check that the IPX/SPX
protocol is installed and set up correctly on all the computers on your
network. On each computer's Start menu, select Settings and click Control
Panel. In the Control Panel window, double-click the Network icon. In the
Network window, click the Configuration tab. You should see the IPX/SPX
protocol. If the IPX/SPX protocol is not there, click Add, click Protocol,
select Microsoft, and double-click IPX/SPX. IPX/SPX should appear in the
Configuration window. |
| Computers seem to
be communicating, but don't appear in the My Computer window or in the Network
Neighborhood window |
Check that File and Printer
Sharing is enabled on all the computers on your network. On each computer's
Start menu, select Settings and click Control Panel. In the Control Panel
window, double-click the Network icon. In the Network window, click the
Configuration tab. You should see File and Printer Sharing at the bottom
of the window. If File and Printer Sharing is not there, click Add, click
Service, select Microsoft, and double-click File and printer sharing for
Microsoft Networks. Next, click the File and Print Sharing button in the
Network window. Select both check boxes in the File and Print Sharing
window and click OK. File and Printer Sharing should appear in the Configuration
window list.
Check that the NetBEUI protocol
is installed and set up correctly on all the computers on your network.
On each computer's Start menu, select Settings and click Control Panel.
In the Control Panel window, double-click the Network icon. In the Network
window, click the Configuration tab. You should see the NetBEUI protocol.
If the NetBEUI protocol is not there, click Add, click Protocol, select
Microsoft, and double-click NetBEUI. NetBEUI should appear in the Configuration
window.
|
| Data transfer is sometimes very
slow |
Microwave ovens and some cordless
phones operate at the same radio frequency as the Dell Wireless Home Network
LAN cards. When the microwave or cordless phone is in use, it competes
with the Wireless Home Network LAN cards for space on the frequency. Keep
computers with Dell Wireless Home Network LAN cards at least 20 feet away
from your microwave oven and any cordless telephone that operates at a
frequency of 2.4 GHz.
Check the Network Settings
on your Wireless Network Cards. Open the Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics
program on each computer on your network. Select Edit Properties from
the Commands pull-down menu. Data Rate should be set to Auto. Consult
the Diagnostics section of this User Guide for information on using the
Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program.
|
| Data transfer is always very
slow |
Some homes and most offices
are built with steel. The steel in your building may be interfering with
your network's radio signals. Try moving your computers to different locations
to improve performance.
Check the Network Settings
on your Wireless Network Cards. Open the Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics
program on each computer on your network. Select Edit Properties from
the Commands pull-down menu. Data Rate should be set to Auto. Consult
the Diagnostics section of this User Guide for information on using the
Dell Wireless LAN Card Diagnostics program.
|
| Computers won't communicate
with the network |
Check to see that the Dell
Wireless Home Network LAN cards are installed correctly. Reinstall any
cards that seem loose or misaligned.
If your network has a Base
Station, check that its power cable is plugged securely into the back
of the unit and into an electrical socket.
Use the Dell Wireless LAN Card
Diagnostics to check the configuration of each Dell Wireless Home Network
LAN card. Select Edit Properties from the Commands pull-down menu and
check the network settings. Each computer on the network should have a
unique Computer Name and use the same Radio Network Name and Encryption
Key. Network Type should be set to No Base Station. Consult the Diagnostics
section of this User Guide for information on using the Dell Wireless
LAN Card Diagnostics program.
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Getting Help
Help is available to you through
several channels, some of which are accessible 24 hours a day. This section
explains how you can get help from Dell's Customer Support and Dell Bulletin
Board Service (BBS) or Internet web site.
Internet:
http://www.dell.com
FTP site: ftp://ftp.dell.com
The Dell BBS
The Dell Bulletin Board System (BBS)
allows you to read and send electronic mail, upload and download files, and
chat online with other callers. The Dell BBS supports a modem speed of up to
33,600bps with V.34+ and V.32bis, V.42 and V.42bis protocols. To access the
Dell BBS, follow these steps:
- Set your modem communications
software as follows:
Parity: NONE
Word Length: 8
Stop bits: 1
- Enter terminal mode in your communications
software. The communications software is in terminal mode when you enter AT
and press Enter, and the computer responds with OK on the screen.
- Dial the following phone number
to access the Dell BBS:
(512) 728-8528
Instructions for using the Dell BBS
are on-line when you dial in. Refer to your communications software user's manual
for instructions on uploading and downloading files.
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