[gangaspeed]

The Problem: Wireless network in my home that will show up on other laptops non-Mac, does not show up on my PB G4. It is a D-Link wireless router.

What I have tried: I took off the bottom cover thinking that the internal airport card was d/c, it was not. When i put it all back together I turned on my Airport card and the network showed up for 10 minutes I entered the password and it said there was an error connecting to this network. Then the network no longer showed up on my PB.

Any ides?

[Cold Warrior]

can your PB see any other wifi networks (those known to be in range/exist)?

[gangaspeed]

There are no other networks in my area will take the PB in to work in the morning and try there.

[highstakes]

I had similar problems (with a PC, I got "invalid network") with my Linksys router, so called up Linksys and they told me to reset the router to factory defaults and trying again; it worked like a charm. I am not sure if this will work with D-Link as well, but you can try (usually its a tiny button in the back that you reach by using a paper clip).

[gangaspeed]

I have done that but will try again in the morning.

[ghporter]

You may also have a problem with your keychain, especially if you're running WEP (which is poo, by the way). Deleting the keychain entry for your home location, or maybe better, delete that location and create a new one. If you are using the "Automatic" location, create a new location for home-Either of these will provide a way to get the setup fixed.

[ghostdawg]

Maybe you can try this solution to a problem I had with a DI-524 wireless router. Using dsl I kept getting disconnected from the internet after 10 minutes or so.

Basically, the modem and router were using the same IP address, which was causing my problem.

After reconnecting the dsl modem straight into the computer, I was able to find the modem's setup page and read that it is setup for IP x.x.0.1 and I needed to set the router's IP to x.x.1.1. Since doing this, I haven't had any more drop connections so far.

Thnx.

[gangaspeed]

ghporter-There are no saved locations for a Wireless Network.

ghostdawg- I am not getting connected at all. And with this setup others can connect to this network.

[gangaspeed]

Anyone else?

I took my PB in to work with me and was still unable to see any other networks.

[Big Mac]

That sounds like a problem with your PB's wireless hardware. Try reseating the Airport card perhaps.

[Sherman Homan]

Originally Posted by gangaspeed 

Anyone else?
I took my PB in to work with me and was still unable to see any other networks.

Does your System Profiler see the Airport card?

[gangaspeed]

Originally Posted by Sherman Homan 

Does your System Profiler see the Airport card?

AirPort Card Information:

Wireless Card Type: AirPort
Wireless Card Locale: USA
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 9.52
Current Wireless Network: wireless network not available



Yes it does.

[Sherman Homan]

Delete the <com.apple.networkConfig.plist> file, log out, log in. Create a new Network Location in your System Preferences: DHCP over Airport.
All of your worldly problems will be solved, all of them.
Maybe.

[gangaspeed]

Alright that is an awesome thing, one question where shall i find thus named file?

[Cold Warrior]

hard drive > library > preferences

[gangaspeed]

Thanks much appreciated.

[gangaspeed]

There is no file of that name there, I have found a com.apple.airport.preferences.plist file?

[Sherman Homan]

No such file? There really should be, Spotlight <networkConfig> and see if it shows up.

[ghporter]

This is a global preference file, right? It will NOT be in the user > Library > Preferences folder. It's in the "your hard drive name" > Library > Preferences folder. It's easy to get confused and look at the user's library instead of the global library.

[gangaspeed]

Sherman- I will look when I get home at 7 for that file with spotlight.

ghporter- I know what you mean and I did indeed look in the global library and not my user library.

[gangaspeed]

Sherman- Performed a Spotlight search for networkconfig and no results??

[Sherman Homan]

Well slap me silly. I don't get it. There should have been a networkConfig file regardless of how you connect, ethernet, firewire, Airport... Tis very odd. How about Plan B? Or are we up to Plan 9?!
Try this: create a new user account with some brilliant name like "Test" with admin privileges. See if you can connect with that.

[gangaspeed]

Plan B or 9 whichever one we are on completed, and didn't work.

[ghporter]

Have we tried creating a new user and seeing what happens with that? A new network location? This is just so darn odd...

[Sherman Homan]

Hmmmm.....
How about a permissions issue that is preventing the config file from being written in the first place. Boot up, log in, fire up Disk Utility and run Repair Disk Permissions.
I will hold my breath until you reply.

[gangaspeed]

Sherman- No Such Luck with the Repair Disk Permissions.

porter- Tried a new user no luck, new network location? In order to establish a new location don't you have to see a network? I am not seeing any networks whatsoever.

[Sherman Homan]

Can you connect over ethernet?

[gangaspeed]

Yes

[Sherman Homan]

Go to System Preferences, Network.
Show: Airport, Check Mark: Show AirPort status in menu bar
Click: Apply now, Quit System Preferences
Go up to the cute little Airport icon in the menu bar.
Select Internet Connect
Anything listed there?

[gangaspeed]

There is nothing listed there, however for the first time since owning this, I selected Network and was notified that a Built-In Firewire was found, and it says that This Computer Had Not been Connected to the Net before?? Weird.

[gangaspeed]

Ok, something very interesting here, I clicked on Create Network just to be curious, typed in the neccessary data changed from Channel 11 being automatic to using channel 6, and I am now connected to the internet, however I cannot see other networks in my area that I know are present??




Actually, after disconnecting my ethernet cable because I thought I was connected, I hit submit reply and then it showed that I was not connected to the web??? Even though it showed excellent signal strength and still does show signal.

[Sherman Homan]

Well now, that just keeps getting curiouser. You do not want to "Create Network", that is a totally different animal and we do not want to go there yet. You need to revisit your Network preferences, make sure that your Airport location is just that, Airport only, at the top of the list, all other connection possibilies unchecked.
You want to see a TCP/IP address that does not start with 169. Depending on your router, you want to see an IP address of 10 or 192, most likely. You may need to reboot.
Incidentally, you will probably find that elusive networkConfig file. No need to delete it now.

[gangaspeed]

I do not have a IP address or anything for airport not TCP nadda, I did find that file you speak of however.

[gangaspeed]

anyone??

[Sherman Homan]

I give up, my friend. You need someone to lay their hands on that laptop and pray.

[gangaspeed]

I was afraid you were going to say that Sherman, thanks for your continued help on this one.

Do you think that if I copied the main portions of this and emailed it to Apple Customer Support that theyd help? I am out of warranty.

Anyone else wanna jump in?

[ghporter]

I think it would be better for you to take the machine to an Apple Store and have one of their Genius Bar people look at it. What you're seeing is Not Right™ in a number of ways. Aside from trying to reinstall the OS, I can't think of anything that would be even remotely useful right now.

Whatever you do, BACK UP ALL OF YOUR DATA NOW. It's likely that the fix will require not just a backup and reinstall but a wipe and reinstall (at least as far as the Genius Bar is concerned), and the sooner you get your data backed up the better.