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Troubleshooting
The link LED is blinking slowly. You cannot connect to a
wireless network or the Internet
If your network adapter appears to be functioning correctly, but you cannot connect to a
network or you have a red wireless icon at the bottom of your screen, the problem may be
that there is a mismatch between the network name (SSID) settings in your wireless network
properties.
Check the SSID settings to see if they match. The SSID is case-sensitive and the spelling on
each computer must be exactly the same in order for the network adapter to connect to the
wireless router (or access point).
Note: To check the SSID settings or look for an available network, double-click the Signal
Indicator icon to bring up the Wireless Networks screen. Click Add if you do not see the
network you are trying to connect to and type in the SSID.
For more information about setting up an SSID, please refer to your router manufacturer’s
user guide.
The link LED is solid, but I cannot connect to the Internet
If you have a signal but cannot get online or obtain an IP address, the problem may be that
there is a mismatch between the encryption key settings in your computer and wireless
router.
Check the WEP key settings to see if they match. The key is case-sensitive and the spelling on
each computer and wireless router must be exactly the same in order for the network
adapter to connect to the router (or access point). For more information about encryption,
please see “Securing your Wi-Fi® Network” on page 12.
Data transfer is sometimes slow or signal strength is poor
Wireless technology is radio-based, which means connectivity and the throughput
performance between devices decreases when the distance between devices increases.
Other factors that cause signal degradation are obstructions such as walls and metal
appliances. As a result, the typical indoor range of your wireless devices will be between 100
to 200 feet. Note also that connection speed may decrease as you move farther from the
wireless router (or access point).
In order to determine if wireless issues are related to range, we suggest temporarily moving
the computer, if possible, to 5 to 10 feet away from the wireless router. See “Placement of
your wireless networking hardware for optimal performance” on page 20.
Changing the wireless channel - Depending on local wireless traffic and interference,
switching the wireless channel of your network can improve performance and reliability. The
default channel the router is shipped with is channel 11. You may choose from several other
channels depending on your region; see your router's (or access point's) user manual for
instructions on how to choose other channels.