Windows doesn't find my network

Question

I have this new router, and I set up my connection like this:

• 2.4 GHz B-G-N
• Mode AP + WDS
• Channel width: 40 MHz
• Channel number: auto
• Security disabled (just for now)

My network card is the Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG

Anyone else can see and connect to the network, but I can't. I can also see other networks, just not mine.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to solve this problem?

Solution

Are your old wireless card and your new router both the right version for your country (or really, for your radio regulatory agency domain)? For example, USA's "FCC" radio regulatory agency allows only channels 1-11, and FCC rules are used the the USA and Canada (and perhaps Mexico). Whereas Europe's "ETSI" agency allows channels 1-13. If your wireless card was an FCC model and your router was an ETSI model, and your router auto-selected channel 12 or 13, then it's not much of a surprise that your FCC card can't see it on those channels it's not allowed to use. Even if it's not an FCC vs. ETSI issue, I've seen some Wi-Fi devices that perform very poorly on certain channels because of internal RF/EMI interference from the host system, or other radio/antenna design problems. Try manually setting the channel on your router, and try a few different channels in different parts of the band (like 1, 6, and 11) to see if the channel matters.

Another possibility is that your old B/G card is getting confused by the N-specific options it's seeing in the Beacons and Probe Responses of your new router. Try temporarily turning off N support in your new router to try to make it look like a plain old B/G router, and see if your B/G card works better with it in that mode.

Comments

[Giorgos Riskas]

after I figured out the connection and everyone could connect except me, I formated my laptop and the result was exactly the same. I can see all the wifi conections except mine and all the others can see my connection and connect properly (even me with my ZTE).

[BloodyIron]

It might be the router not properly implementing the 802.11 spec, or it might have been setup to block/ban your MAC address on your WNIC. Consider upgrading/replacing the firmware on the router. I saw this with my D-Link router I had like 7 years ago, and I stopped using D-Link since. It may just be a crummy router.

[Giorgos Riskas]

No address blocked... I have already updated router's firmware and 802.11 is enabled. ANYONE else can find this connection. I'm really frustrated. It doesn't make any sense.

[Giorgos Riskas]

Yes, I can connect to other networks and I can connect with ethernet too(I'm doing it right now). using windows firewall... nothing is blocked (even if I deactivate it nothing happens). The router has a firewall but nothing is blocked again. I disabled completely the security of network (nothing again). tried to add it manually (nothing). I'll try the last suggestions and answer after restart. Thanks for your time anyway.

[BloodyIron]

Consider using DD-WRT if your router is supported. if not, consider replacing the device with another brand, such as Asus or Linksys.

[Giorgos Riskas]

reseted everything. disabled Internet Protocol(no 6. Windows XP) still not working

[Giorgos Riskas]

I'm in Europe . The channels I could choose are 1-13. It was in auto and started choosing manually. When I put it in 1 it appeared. THANK YOU MAN! YOU SAVED MY LIFE. REALLY THANK YOU!!!

[Spiff]

@GiorgosRiskas Glad I could help. I'm the kind of nerd that really wants to know what the real problem and the solution was, and whether my comments helped, so thanks for the follow-up.

[BloodyIron]

I think we need to know what you did.

[Giorgos Riskas]

It's in the answer from Spiff