SUBJECT:

How to make the connection between Wireless Access Point and WLAN network card working?

QUESTION:

I've bought an NDC Wireless Access Point and a WLAN network card for laptop but can't get them to work. I'm working from a XP professional platform. I've installed it as per instructions but didn’t get any connectivity. Also get a 169 IP address. Any help would be appreciated.

ANSWER:

1. Please make sure the NDC WLAN PCMCIA card you used is installed properly:
- You can check it by Device Manager of System Properties from your Control Panel.
- If you see "!" or "?" sign beside your WLAN adapter, that means your PCMCIA card is not installed properly, please reinstall the adapter.

2. If the Link Quality indicator of NDC Utility (which means four smart icons on the right-top corner of Windows desktop) is black, please follow steps below to check the wireless connection:
- Check if the Network Mode field of Configuration tab of Adapter Properties from NDC Utility is set to "Infrastructure" mode or not.
- Check if the SSID (Domain Name) field of Configuration tab from Adapter Properties is set as the same as the one of your Access Point or not. Please note that the SSID is case-sensitive.
- Check if the WEP setting of Encryption tab from Adapter Properties is set as the same as the one of your AP or not. Both wireless card and Access Point (AP) must be assigned to use the same 40-bit/128-bit Method and Passphrase.

3. Please make sure the LED status of your AP (Access Point) is normal.
- If you see its Power and Status LED is blinking, please check if you open the APCOMFig Tool program at the same.
- If you do, please close the APCOMFig Tool because it will cause AP to disable wireless and Ethernet connection.
- If the Link E/N Link LED is off, please check if the Ethernet cable connected with Ethernet port of your AP is stuck or not.

4. If you have DHCP server in your network, please use "ipconfig" command to renew an IP address for your wireless adapter:
- Open 'Command Prompt" from Start menu.
- Type "ipconfig /release" command and press Enter key to release current IP address.
- Type "ipconfig /renew" command and press Enter key to get an IP address.

5. If you don't have DHCP server in your network, please assign an IP address for your wireless adapter manually:
- Open Network Properties from Control Panel
- Assign an IP address to TCP/IP Properties