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Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Hi,
Been tearing my hair out with this for past 36 hours or so, and can't figure what to try next, so hopefully someone will be able to come up with some ideas. I've been using a plain broadband modem for my main PC plusnet connection up til now, but seeing as I just got a new laptop I decided to dig out the D-Link DSL-2640B wireless router I got when I signed up with Plusnet and set that up.
I want my main desktop PC to remain connected to router by ethernet cable. Set it up ok and that's working fine. Connected to the net no problems. I can also plug my Asus X58L laptop (which is running Vista) by ethernet cable in to one of the other router LAN ports and that connects fine to the net too. Concurrent net connection with main PC and laptop is fine, so long as the connection is wired.
Unplug the laptop and try to get wireless connection with the router is proving one big blank though ... I'm getting constant 'Windows cannot find any networks' when I try to 'Connect to a network' from the laptop. The only break in this is when the lappie picked up an Orange Livebox wireless network which must belong to a distant neighbour. Luckily, I guess, that should tell me fault is not with the laptop wireless network adapter, since it at least for a while picked up a wireless network miles away belonging to someone else. It can't pick up my D-Link DSL-2640B router which right now is only about six feet away.  Sad
A quick run down of what I checked so far. The Asus laptop's got a Atheros AR928x wireless network adapter. In Device Manager, it says the device is working ok and a search doesn't find any newer driver than the one installed (driver version 7.7.0.384, driver date 9/5/2009). Since it found some distant neighbour's WAN, guess it would suggest the fault doesn't lie there.
On the D-Link DSL-2640B router, which I can connect to in browser from either main PC or laptop if they're wired connected, I've got Wireless Enabled. I've tried with WPA Personal set as security with own named SSID and WPA key ... I've tried with wireless security mode set to none ... I've tried with wireless network SSID hidden and unhidden ... I've tried auto channel scan on and off ... I've tried the 3 802.11 Mode options ... I've tried rebooting the router ... but none of it makes any difference; the end result is ever 'Windows cannot find any networks' when I try to see it wirelessly from the laptop.  Sad
The WLAN light on the router is permanently lit and green, which should mean I think that wireless ought to be working properly.
Don't have any other wireless enabled devices to hand, so at a loss about what to try next.
12 REPLIES 12
tonycollinet
Grafter
Posts: 1,140
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎14-08-2007

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Go back to the beginning and:
If you can, record your logon  details, then use whatever method the router has to set everything back to default settings. If you can't or don't want to do the following steps anyway. Then:
(Note - these are what i hvae in my Netgear router - I assume similar options will be in the d-link
Enable wireless access point
Turn off security (to start with)
Make SSID Visible, and set it to your own SSID
Ensure region is set to Europe
Channel 11
mode G&B
Finally check if the router has options to only allow certain MAC Id's (this is the id number for the network card in the PC) to connect. If so, make sure it is set to allow all.
Then try a scan - the laptop should now be able to see the SSID at least.

netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Thanks for the reply. Tried that and same result - 'Windows cannot find any networks' on wireless network search from the laptop.

Settings in router
Wireless Radio : ON
MAC Address : 02:1B:11:E1:C4:55  
Network Name (SSID) : mynetwork  
Channel : 11  [put that back to Auto Channel scan enabled now]
Hide Wireless Network: off
Security Type : WPA

Advanced Wireless Settings [Defaults]
Transmit Power - High
Beacon Period : 100
RTS Threshold : 2347
Fragmentation Threshold : 2346
DTIM Interval : 1
Router doesn't appear to have options to only allow certain MAC Id's, other than being able to set up a Static DHCP for LAN connections.
I've done a google search and see some people have had similar problem with this router, but I didn't find a solution to fix it from any links about it. Seeing as it was supplied by Plusnet, I'm assuming other Plusnet customers got one and they (or some Plusnet staff) might be able to point me to anything I might be missing.  
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

try disabling security
netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Tried that too. Had it as None and no difference.  Sad
Seeing as lappie picked up some neighbour's wireless network the other day, I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with wireless on the router out of the box.
jim:quote
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,575
Thanks: 5,411
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Quote
I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with wireless on the router out of the box.

That would be my guess too.
Quote
The WLAN light on the router is permanently lit and green, which should mean I think that wireless ought to be working properly.

That should only be on when there is a wireless connection, since you've never managed to make one successfully I wonder whether that has some other meaning. I've seen that mean ( which some other routers ) that the wireless is dead on the router...

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Oh, didn't know that. Thanks for the info. Hopefully somebody else who got this router from Plusnet could hopefully confirm that the router works that way or not.
It's first time I've had the router out of the box since I got given it when moved to Plusnet about 18 months ago. I've been using plain adsl modem before now for connection.
jim:quote
netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Further to the WLAN light issue on the router, just checked this by http accessing router. On this one, it just seems to be an indication of whether wireless is enabled within the router or not. Under Wireless Network Settings, if I set Enable Wireless to off then WLAN green light goes out. If I set it to on, the permanent green light returns.
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,575
Thanks: 5,411
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Quote
Under Wireless Network Settings, if I set Enable Wireless to off then WLAN green light goes out. If I set it to on, the permanent green light returns.

Ok , that sounds like the wireless ought to work then.
It looks like the wireless is not transmitting, It's not a problem with the aerial is it ?, although I'm not sure how you would determine that or not.
Does it have a detachable aerial ?

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Yep, it has a detachable aerial. Have tried it with aerial in and out and same difference. I'll get a wireless mouse to test after Christmas/Boxing Day and see if can get that to connect to router to try to see if I can narrow it down to whether it's some communication problem between this specific lappy and router, or whether it's just router in general which might be not broadcasting wireless signals full stop.
But willing to try anything else I didn't already in meantime if somebody comes up with something dumb I've missed.
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

dont think the mouse will prove any thing, its on a different frequency
netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Oh well.  Sad
dick:quote
netspeed
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎24-12-2009

Re: Can't connect wirelessly to Plusnet supplied D-Link DSL-2640B router

Wahoo, came home after a few drinks and decided to spend one more hour on this before hit the sack. And I've finally got a wireless connection established  Cheesy
The router came with Firmware Version: 3.06 Hardware Version: B2 on it. Frustratingly, it doesn't have any link to download any updated firmware, and actually says it doesn't recommend doing anything with firmwares unless specifically requested to do so by your ISP or D-Link. Since I had nothing to lose, I thought stuff it and went looking for any newer firmware. Found a link to a D-Link ftp and a newer firmware called UK_4.00 Hardware Version: B2.
I loaded that, reset router settings and fiddled around with some additional wireless settings that are available in the new firmware ... including one that allows creation of wireless guest accounts. Tried laptop again and got no wireless networks detected again. Was about to give up, when decided to reboot laptop and see if that would make a difference. It finally did ... laptop came back up recognising both the guest wireless option I'd enabled and my WPA enabled own network with SSID hidden.
I've now deleted the guest account option from the router. Have connected lappie to router via WPA on SSID account, and named and saved that in laptop for future use. Hopefully, it'll still be there next time I use laptop. The wireless networks actually shows two now - one the named SSID I saved and another as 'Unnamed Network' with same security enabling, which I guess is my wireless network again but with the SSID hidden. I suppose that's normal.
Anyways, if anyone has similar problem with this router, the solution seems to be update firmware. The one I'm using that finally worked I found here: ftp://ftp.dlink.co.uk/dsl_routers_modems/dsl-2640b/DSL-2640B_FW_UK4.00.zip. Use the version without lock that ends --> cfe_fs_kernel_wo_fw_lock.