BleepingComputer.com: New router no connectivity from wireless adapter

HI,

My original Dell Wireless router seems to be dropping the signal and changing widely between excellent and low lately. It's effecting my home office productivity.

I bought a new Cisco Linksys E1000 wireless-n router.

I can connect my iPAD wirelessly and my wife's work computer but my DELL Dimension 8400 which is connected with the DELL Wireless 1450 WLAN USB 2.0 DT Adapter no longer connects. I can see the network display on Wireless Networks found but when I click to connect and enter the password it does do so. I can connect to the router via wire but this does not help since the computer resides in another part of the house.

The USB adapter has the most recent driver and it says its "working properly."

Network Mode is mixed on router ( I thought that maybe the adapter might be g and the router n)

Security mode is WPA/WPA2 mixed-mode

Any suggestions about what can be wrong? Do I need to buy a new USB adapter? I hope not.

Hmm. can you shell out a bit about your setup

DELL Dimension 8400 - operating system - Wifi utility being used.
Did you use WPA PSK with the DELL Dimension 8400.
Have you cleared you preffered networks setup on your PC?

I was finally able to connect the DELL Dimension 8400 with the DELL Wireless 1450 WLAN USB 2.0 DT Adapter as well as the Wii.

The issue with the DELL Adapter is that I had to change the router config from WPA/WPA2 mixed mode to WPA Personal.

When doing this I received the message:

WARNING: Your Wireless-N devices will only operate at Wireless-G data rates with the encryption type you have chosen. Please select WPA2-Personal encryption if you would like to have your Wireless-N devices operating at full data rates. Click OK to continue with this selection, or Cancel to choose another type of encryption.

Unfortunately, this means that I've dumbed down the router to operate like a wireless-G router instead of its full capability.

Lesson learned: In order to connect older devices (G-capatible only - operating on earlier encryptions and data speeds) and newer devices (N-compatible) to a wireless-N router, you need to make sure that you get a simultaneous dual-band router. Not even selective dual-band router because that only allows one or the other not both at the same time.

I took back the Cisco Linksys E1000 router which isn't dual-band and bought a different one.

Sorry but your lesson learned isnt entirely correct.

The band it operates on, 2.4 or 5ghz, does not determine which wireless capability (b/g/n) that it uses. Besides the Selectable Dual-Band and Simultaneous Dual Band Routers, the rest of the Routers operate on only 2.4ghz, including all the Wireless N150, N300, and N+N300. The type of wireless encryption would be the factor that determines whether or not your USB wireless adapter can "see" the signal. For instance, try connecting an X-Box with the older wireless b/g adapter to a WPA2 encryption, and you will see that it does not work. You have to "dumb" down the encryption to at least WEP for it to work.

The Dual band just give you the option to either select one, or run both, depending on whats better for your situation, to increase speeds and throughput - used because the old 2.4ghz band is so clogged with traffic for most people in a populated area, by the wireless home phones and other peoples wireless internet signals. The "newer" 5ghz routers operate above that and have much less traffic, giving your a clearer, stronger signal.

Other then that, im glad your finally connecting to the internet, enjoy!