Did you ever check on the Plusnet support page? http://www.plus.net/support/support_index.shtml
The problem is your unwillingness to go into your Plusnet router setup.
Don't blame the poor T30, but its owner!

Yes. I have been into the Plusnet support page but couldn't find an answer to my problem. I have also contacted Plusnet and am now awaiting a response from them?

I have accessed the Plusnet router configuration settings and tried several different settings from Disabled to WSK and so on, but still it doesn't work.

Please don't blame the owner - as I have done all I can - but it looks as though I will have to have a wired connection unless Plusnet, or some kind person, comes up with a solution.

Ask a friend with a laptop to come to your house, and access the internet via your setup.
If he/she manages that, you most likely need to swap out that antique wifi card of yours.

Seems to me, we have all forgotten this fascinating bit of info from the first post in this thread.If our friend chirs301up, has this T30, the old 802.11b wireless card and Plusnet service all working "without any problem" in Linux, but not so in Windows...how can we blame the problem on hardware configuration?

Still looks like a Windows configuration/setup issue to me. Although, I can't explain why the same Windows setup works at the son's house, and not at home.

I will add, though, that a couple of years ago, I had an Orinoco 802.11b card that would completely lock-up the 600X I put it in (would not even boot), in the mere presence of a 802.11n signal. One didn't even have to try and connect...just being in the same house with the router set to "n" would give it fits. Might be something similar here...but then how does Linux overcome that? I dunno.

Thanks Thinkpadder. At long last someone who reads. and understands my problem!

The requirements that a router sets up are read differently by Windows and Linux.

I have the very same issue with a Westell router that hates Intel cards in XP and connects them within blink of an eye in Linux.

OP's son's router most likely has a different setup to begin with...

Yes. I fully understand.

What I can't get my head around is that when I had Sky everything worked without hitch. Now I have PlusNet I have a problem. If I go to my son's house it works fine on his Sky setup, and if I travel around various wi-fi sites it connects without issue. I have connected to TalkTalk, BT and O2 plus other providers.

In my opinion it's the Plusnet router that is simply incompatible and I don't see why I should change my hardware to suit the situation?

Please do what RBS has asked you to do (i.e. check router's config and invite friends to bring their laptops over to your house) and quit blaming the Plusnet router.

I don't know why you are so attached to your -11b PC card. Many modern wireless -11n routers don't even bother to downstep to -11b (but they will downstep to -11g). I became so annoyed with the fact that my old -11b PC card wouldn't connect with most public wi-fi services, that I bought a new -11g PC card over 3 years ago.

Firstly I do not have any friends with laptops so am unable to do what you suggest.

As you will note from my previous posts I have already changed the routers configuration.

Why can't I blame the Plusnet wireless router? It is very obvious from all my messing around that this is where the fault lies. I will say again my T30 with the existing wireless card works everywhere, but NOT with this router.

Sure. You obviously already have you own conclusion. Believe in it if you want.
But troubleshooting does not work this way. You have to provide information, not opinions, for us to be able to help you. Which brings us to the question: If you're so sure the router is at fault and not the wireless card, why ask us? We challenged your conclusion and repeatedly asked you to provide additional information, and you simply ignore us.

Also, even if the router was incompatible with the wireless card (which I still strongly believe to be false), why would you downgrade your internet service instead of upgrade your wireless card? It's like selling a new car and buy an old model just to use a box of wiper blades you happen to have that is only compatible to the old model.

Because drivers. In Linux, the RTL8180L chipset is supported by RTL818x open source kernel driver. This driver also support some newer chipsets, and is dated 2006, 2 years more recent than the newest driver for Windows. It is perfectly possible that the same chipset can perform much better, have much fewer compatibility issues, and even have more features under Linux because of the more advanced driver.

Also, to the OP: the fact that the same wireless card / router combo works perfectly under Linux is the perfect proof that your router is absolutely fine and does not have a compatibility issue with your wireless card.

I have read all your comments and appreciate your advice.

I have gone through the troubleshooting again but I am still in the same position.

Just to say that when I install Ubuntu, I have to install 'ndswrapper' and then the Windows drivers to get the wireless card to work, This, in my opinion, proves that the drivers, and the wireless card are working fine - and of course, with this set up - the router also.

So, just to recap, why did it work absolutely fine with Windows XP when I had Sky, and now it doesn't? And of course, why does it connect to all other networks, and NOT Plusnet? I still arrive at the same conclusion for the moment, but will stand to be corrected!

Remember also, its not just my laptop that doesn't connect, but my PC also?

Again, you're not providing useful information for us to determine anything. In this entire thread you've been repeating that the wireless card works on one provider and not another. You have not told us what hardware is involved, whether your ISP provides all the hardware (modem, wireless router), how the wireless network is configured. Indeed, you still hasn't confirmed that you're talking about a PC card wireless device after being asked by several members repeatedly, and we have to guess this!

Please answer these questions:
1. What model is your wireless router? Is it provided by your ISP, Plusnet? What model of wireless router were you using with Sky? Was it provided by the ISP? Have you updated firmware on either routers?
2. How is the wireless network configured? Did you take most of the default settings, or did you reconfigure it extensively? Post every single configuration item available to you except your password.
3. What is the symptoms of the problem? What happens when you try to connect to the wireless network? Is there any error message?
4. What exactly did you do to troubleshoot the problem? What steps did you take, and what output did the computer give you for each step?


Oh good, that's the first time you ever mentioned this. How is your PC connected? Is it wired or wireless? What network card is the PC using? How does it not connect? What is the error message, if any?


Without concrete, detailed information from you, we can only guess. And frankly, I'm tired of guessing.

Right.This is the last post I will probably make has I simply don't have the time or know what else to say.

I am not a computer wizz kid and although I can do most thing with a PC I don't understand a lot of the jargon!

The laptop and PC both connect wirelessly, but they simply will not any more.

The Sky router was provided by them but I cannot remember the model, and it has now been returned. My current router is provided by Plusnet and it's a Thompson 585 v8. Initially it was set up with default settings but since reading the advice posted on here I have been messing around with it quite a bit.

My initial problem with the laptop is that I am unable to reinstall my recovery disks. I have tried three (3) different sets, but not of them will complete the recovery process. I have used FDISK and reformatted the hard drive and now have a clean installation of Windows XP, but now I have the inability to connect wirelessly to the internet. The same applies to the PC, which has had Windows XP installed for many months.

Initially when scanning for wireless networks it displays many local services. I go through the process of connecting to mine, including inserting the 'key', but then then nothing. I then get a message "cannot connect to your preferred network" and then when I rescan I get a white blank screen.

I am obviously getting nowhere for the moment and am now awaiting a replacement router from Plusnet and will go from there?

Router received. plugged in and BINGO - problem now sorted. I am now using this T30 to update you all.

Thanks your help and advice. Irrespective of what some of you may think - I did read and carry out many of the suggestions - but I obviously wasn't going to get anywhere with an incompatible/faulty router?

Anyway, back to my other problem. Why doesn't the recovery disks work. As mentioned, have tried three different sets, but they don't complete the recovery process.

I doesn't really matter now if I don't get this sorted as I have now got a clean install of Windows XP etc..

It's probably a bad CD drive, if 3 different sets don't work.
Get another one.
I wouldn't bother really, they create the restore partition with XP from 2002, no service packs, no updates, no nothing.
It only wastes HD space.
I suggest you take an image of your current drive, using e.g. Acronis TrueImage, and keep that as a backup.
To restore an image takes a few minutes.
To use R&R takes you hours on end.
Your choice.

Thanks. I was thinking of doing that anyway, Probably use Norton Ghost which I have several copies of. I'll back it up to a spare hard drive I have to hand.

Congratulations on getting the problem fixed.

@chris301up,

I see that we've sent you a new router (presumably a 582n?) which has resolved the problem. Had you still been trying to use the 585v8 then the first thing I'd probably have suggested is that you disable wireless n via the HTTP interface of the router as per the instructions here.

Worth a go if you ever need to swap the router back in for any reason.

Best regards,