BleepingComputer.com: wireless authentication settings

Does anyone have a solution for this problem I am having. My daughter has a laptop that is running Vista. I have 2 other computers on a network that was set up with windows XP. It all runs off of a D-Link router. The laptop used to connect to the network through a wireless connection. My daughter asked me to reformat the laptop to original condition. I did this but I can no longer connect to our home network. I keep getting a message telling me to check the wireless authentication settings. They have been set up as before. What could I be missing? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dean

Have you checked the WEP/WPA/whatever key to ensure that it's correct?

When formatted, the PC lost all of it's customization settings. Including the wireless keys, you must re-enter the keys. You only need to worry about authentication keys if you are connecting to a secure wireless network.

You may also need to run microsoft updates, and driver updates.

Go to the manufacturer's website and find the drivers section (support or downloads) and find your make and model..

to check the versions of the drivers, in the control panel, choose "device manager" under "show all"

expand each piece of hardware, if it is listed on the manufacturer's website, and compare the versions of all the drivers listed, by double clicking on the hardware and selecting the driver tab.

Drivers are likely not an issue, Windows would have indicated through Windows Update if there were any recent ones available. Unless you have a graphics card or some other device that has frequently updated drivers, waiting for WU to provide new drivers is always best.

After I formatted the laptop hard drive I connected to the internet with a cable and installed all updates so that is not the issue. There seems to be something that I am missing and it has something to do with the authentication settings. I do not like Vista.

Dean

Who made your wireless card? I had a Netgear and it never worked right with Vista 64-bit. Netgear drivers were to blame.

Pupil of PC, on Nov 30 2008, 01:49 PM, said:

I just went through a similar issue. Read my solution at the bottom of this tread: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic183410.html

When connecting with a cable there are no issues with security - it's only when connecting wirelessly that the issues will show their ugly face.

check to see that you have the right encryption type (wpa vs wpa2)