gawguy Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 My router is sitting 10 feet away. I turn on thinkpad t41 and it sees other routers in the area, but not mine. I have a thinkpad t43 here too. I turn it on and it sees router and connects wifi immediately. As soon as the t43 connects, then the t41 connects automatically. What!??! Can any of you geniuses explain this phenomenon? Please. Thank you, Gaw Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlton68 Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 Odd. Brand and model of the router? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gawguy Posted September 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 Odd.Brand and model of the router? Hello Herr Carlton, Buffalo WHR-G54S Airstation Turbo G BTW: I have googled and binged this question and come up dry. Gaw Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlton68 Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 Hi Gawguy, not sure if it will help but it's a simple setting you may reset if it doesn't have the desired result Access your routers web interface. Go to 'Wireless Config' - '802.11g' There is an entry 'Framebursting' Most wireless devies don't support '125 - High Speed Mode', therefore better not to choose this. The manual doesn't tell which other options are available, maybe one that says '54g' or 'off'. Your T41 is only 11b and for sure doesn't support framebursting. Possibly the reason why it can't see the router at all. Once the T43 is connected I guess the router disables framebursting because it also can't use it with the T43 (which wireless device is 11g with 54 Mbit and not the highly difficult 125 Mbit). And once framebursting is disabled your T41 11b is able to see the router. And as said, if it doesn't help it's easy to reset this setting. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlton68 Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 Problem solved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gawguy Posted September 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 Problem solved? Hello Carlton, I was going to get back to you on this, I hoped with a good report. I didn't try your suggestion for a few days because I was busy and could always get online either by turning on the t43 or using ethernet cable. HOWEVER, I have a new roommate and his computer does not see the router unless I "activate" with the t43. I have to get him on internet and keep him on it. He has a Mac laptop, not sure which model at the moment. Anyway, when he reported problem last night I accessed the router and made changes to framebursting setting. Choices are "125 high-speed mode" "framebursting" and "do not use." Tried them all. Nothing works consistently. I turn the computers off, then the t41 back on, and my network does not appear. 15 other networks in the area appear. There is an owners manual page for Buffalo routers http://www.buffalotech.com/support/downloads/ There is an AOSS button on the router and there is an instruction to press that an then press the AOSS button on the wireless device. This is supposed to do an automatic set up, but I don't know about AOSS on Windows XP. Also r/m has Mac. I'm feeling a bit defeated on this issue now and wondering if changing router would be the best, most consistent solution. Thanks for your help and follow up. Gaw Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlton68 Posted September 12, 2009 Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 Hi, sorry it hasn't solved your problem. Forget AOSS unless you have wireless adapters that support AOSS as well. It's for easy setup of wireless devices, and most likely something special to Buffalo devices. So your Thinkpads won't have this. I'm on the same manual that you downloaded. As the framebursting setting didn't work I suggest three things: a) check which firmware your router is running. (manual page 52). There's a firmware version 1.40 available. If your firmware is older you might update. Firmware up to date and problems continue ---> if you are able to see which channels the wifi networks in your surrounding are using you may set your wireless channel to one that's not yet used. Difficult with 15 networks around and only 11 or 13 channels available. If there's no free channel choose one where the other network has a real weak signal. Not heelpng ---> c) set wireless settings to bare minimum, check if the T41 now is able to see the router even with the T43 off. Bare minimums are: page 41: Wireless radio enable SSID either use the default or whatever you like Wireless Channel Auto Channel Wireless mode 11b only BSS default Multicast rate Auto Frambursting do not use 11g Protection disable DTm 1 Ouptput power 100% page 42 try with no encryption and see if this helps. 11b wireless adapters mostly support WEP encryption only. When you change settings on the router and press 'Apply', does it take a while until the router is accessible again (and maybe the wireless connection off for a few seconds)? If not you may have to reboot the router for the changes to take effect. page 50 That's about all I'd try before giving up. What may also help and be easier and cheaper than a new router: buy a wlan usb dongle for the T41. cheap. supports 11g. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gawguy Posted September 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Hi Carlton, As you know, when you work thru these things you really can't keep track of what action had what effect. But... First, during the course of fiddling around, I did press the AOSS button on the router yesterday. After that my t41 connected every time on its own. Second, 12 hours after that, even though the computer was connecting properly, I updated the router firmware to 1.40, which is now confirmed by the router system info. Computer is now connecting. But, since I don't know what fixed the problem, I don't know if the problem is fixed. In other words, since I don't understand it, I don't trust it. And yes, I did have to restart the router to use it again after the update. BTW, you mentioned finding a free channel or weak signal and using that channel. I'm using XP and the list of available wireless networks shows 14 networks, but not their channels. Is there some way to see the channels with xp, or is that not available? Thanks very much for your help, GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlton68 Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 Hi, it's progress and that's fine. You may access the routers web interface again and have a look at the advanced wireless settings like on page 42 in the manual. Is there any setting changed due to starting AOSS? You're right, the windows zero configuration doesn't show the channels used by various networks. Many wireless devices bring their own configuration tools, maybe not for Vista but for XP. These tools offer more info than the zero configuration. However to get a stable connection it doesn't matter which tool one uses, if there's an option at all. Anyway, cross your fingers, knock on wood, it works and hopefully stays that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gawguy Posted September 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 The router has been working fine for all computers now for a couple of weeks. What I think "fixed" it was simply turning it off, then back on. GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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