Wireless Tutorial

[H0OPERS]

Loads of people unable to browse wirelessly..

This tutorial is for windows versions up to XP only.

Don't ring Skys Techincal Support unless your using the Sky wireless adapter, otherwise you will not get much help, you will be told to contact your pc/laptop manufacturer after a few basic troubleshooting steps, simply because the agents are not trained up for anything other than the wireless adapter sold by Sky, which is logical and fair enough.

Make sure you have the software installed before connecting the Dongle to your pc/laptop, if your using a laptop with built in wireless adapter, sometimes there is a button or small switch on the laptop somewhere to turn the wireless on, have a look about.


A lot of firewalls ( Including McAfee ) will block you from browsing the internet wirelessly, disable all of them, including virus scans, to determine if this is the case, if so, then you need to configure your firewall settings, if you have Norton Antivirus.. best thing for that is to remove it altogether because its a resource hog and takes control of your computer.
Try disabling or removing these programs from your pc, then try and browse, if still no success read on..

If you are certain you have enabled your adapter, disabled firewalls/Security programs and have Windows Service Pack 2, then the following should be of some assistance.

(Step 1 )
To check your wireless adapter is enabled and has no faults;

>Right Click on My Computer Icon ( Normally found on Desktop )
>Select Properties
>Select Hardware from the Tabs along the top
>Click on Device Manager
A long list of hardware devices will be shown on your screen with + Symbols beside them.
>Scroll down until you see 'Network Adapters' and click on the + Symbol beside it
In there will be whatever network adapters you have installed on your pc/laptop, make sure there is one that has wireless mentioned it, and normally the make/model of the adapter you are using
Also make sure there are no Yellow Exclamation ( ! ) marks or Red Question ( ? ) marks at the end of the adapter you need, if there is then you may need to update or re-install the drivers for your adapter.
Try right clicking and updating drivers, then browsing.

If you adapter is there and is shown as working fine then you can close that screen and go back to your desktop.

(Step 2)
You need to allow windows to configure your wireless settings automatically
To check wether or not you are allowing windows to configure your wireless network automatically, do the following ( In Classic View )

> Click Start
> Select Control Panel
> Select Network Connections
> Once inside Network Connections, look for the icon representing your wireless network, there should only be a few there.
> Right Click on the wireless Connection icon
> Select Properties
> Click Wireless Tab along the Top
> In there it should say 'Allow windows to configure my wireless network'
Make sure you have it ticked.
> Also look on same page for a box which says above it 'Preferred Networks'
If there is anything in this box - Delete them ALL.
> Click Apply/OK at the bottom.

You should still be on your Network Connections Page where we were before we went into the wireless connection icon, if not then use above steps to get back in there.


(Step 3)
Now we will insert the Network Key.

This time you need to.
> Double Click on the Wireless Icon in the Networks Connection Page ( Step 2 ) and a page should open
> On this page it should have a list on the left, and at the top it should say 'Refresh Network List' and on the right it should have SKY1111 ( 1111 = will be different for everyone ) and should say Connect at the bottom.
> First Click on Refresh network List and it may bring up more than one network found within range, could be a neighbours..
If you click once on your network ( SKY1111 ) and click connect at the bottom it should ask you to insert your Network Key - This can be found at bottom of the router ( TYPE IT IN CAPITAL LETTERS )
Then simply try and Browse..

If you still can't browse then read on...

(Step 4 )
Now we will check that your router is configured properly and check the security settings.
(You may need to insert the yellow ethernet cable to do this )
(I will only go over the necessary checks )

>Open up an internet explorer page
>Delete the contents of the address bar and type in 192.168.0.1 then press enter
>Login to the Router Settings page using the following login details
Username = admin
Password = sky
>Once logged in click in Wireless Settings on the top left of the page.
>Check what Channel you are using, making sure it is either 1, 6 or 11.
>Scroll down near the bottom and look for where it says ' Security '
> Try Disabling the secruity first of all to establish wether or not the encryption settings are what is blocking you being able to browse, place a Dot beside disable and click Apply at the bottom, close the window take the ethernet cable out if you have it in, restart computer and try to browse, if you are sucessful, then you can either continue on browsing with a non security enabled network or you can re-enable the security of another kind.

Default settings for security on the routers is set at WPA/PSK.
This will not work with all computers, especially some laptops.

(Step 5 )
If you are able to browse while it is disabled but would rather have a secued network then you can re-enable it using the WEP encryption.

To do this you
>Open up an internet explorer page again
>Delete the contents of the address bar and type in 192.168.0.1 then press enter
>Login to the Router Settings page using the following login details
Username = admin
Password = sky
>Once logged in click in Wireless Settings on the top left of the page again.
> Scroll down to the bottom of the page to where it says Security, and insert a Dot beside where it says WEP.
> Once you do that 4 Boxes will appear immediately underneath
> In the box named Passphrase - Type in Your Year of Birth or any small word.
> Click on Generate
> Once you click generate the Key Boxes will automatically fill with a mixture of letters and numbers.
> Write down exactley as you see it, all the contents of the first box and double check it.
> Go to bottom of page and click Apply.
After completing step 5 refer to ( step 2 and 3 ) and do that again to insert your newly generated network key you have written down. ( IN CAPITAL LETTERS )
Once you have inserted your New network key, check to see if you can browse, without the ethernet cable.

If you can then good, you are now browsing with a secured network.

If you can't then either contact your Computer Manufacturer or else try and test with someone else if the wirless on your router is actually working, if it isnt then contact Sky who will replace it free if it is within 12 month warranty.

Thats about all i can think of, i did it roughly and quickly, i will edit it as i read over it incase i have missed any steps or see anything wrong.

Good Luck.

[RickyC]

I think this should be stickied

[NewsreadeR]

What do you mean? It already is

[H0OPERS]

It MAY! Just MAY! help someone... if it helps one person then yay!

[krisb1701d]

Not all people have the my computer icon
simply access system in control panel.
And there are no red "!" its a red X and a yellow "!"

[Adrian Conway]

Hi, I've tried all the set up suggestions and instructions you and the Sky manual give, with WPA, without any security, change channel from 1 to 6 and back to 1 again, nothing works.

My Philips X56 notebook uses the built in wireless hardware. I know it works as I've used it elsewhere. It always detects the sky SSID wireless connection, I enter the Network Key, goes to connect and even without any security I can't connect. I don't get an error message as such - win XP waits for the network and tries to connect but it never does and just returns to the Wireless network screen.

What else can i do?

Adrian

[david_s]

Originally Posted by Adrian Conway

Hi, I've tried all the set up suggestions and instructions you and the Sky manual give, with WPA, without any security, change channel from 1 to 6 and back to 1 again, nothing works.

My Philips X56 notebook uses the built in wireless hardware. I know it works as I've used it elsewhere. It always detects the sky SSID wireless connection, I enter the Network Key, goes to connect and even without any security I can't connect. I don't get an error message as such - win XP waits for the network and tries to connect but it never does and just returns to the Wireless network screen.

What else can i do?

Adrian

Was there ever any reply to this query because I am having exactly the same problem with my new laptop and have tried all the things suggested above with no success at all.

[supremegermalene]

Hi I just wanted to say you have helped at least one person as you have helped me!!!

I have been on the phone to Sky several times about this in the past 7 months and because I have a laptop all they tell me is I need to contact the wireless card manufacturer grrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I have had to resort to having it permanently plugged in with the ethernet cable which defeats the object of having a laptop. I have managed to get access before but very intermittent, and have been on the phone for 40 mins today with no luck even begging them for a new router or threatening cancellation. What Sky have never told me is laptops rarely work with the WPA settings only WEP which would have helped. (I had already tried changing it to WEP I must add).

Well, after following your instructions it is now connected (touch wood) however I have done most of the suggestions before, the only difference was I deleted my preferred network in the Wireless Network Connections Properties window and lo & behold up popped my network whereas previously it was unable to detect it.

Thank you!!!!!

All I need to do now is work out how to connect my pc upstairs (using a dongle) as at the moment it just doesn't connect although I can pick up the network so I'll look at all the firewall settings and see if that is the problem.

G