Computer "Forgets" Which Wireless Network it Should Join

OK. So sometimes when I bring my laptop home from an excursion to a coffee shop or the library or whatnot, I find that it will incorrectly join a random open wireless network called "linksys" instead of remembering to connect to my own network. Now this isn't a huge problem because I can then just choose my own network from the list, but why can't it remember?
Even stranger, my own wireless network gets full reception, but the one it keeps joining instead only shows up as 1 or 2 bars.

I had a similar problem and I wish I had detailed the magic steps that fixed it. I remember I had to delete all my settings and redo them -- specifically the settings for the airport card and the password required to join the network. And then it wouldn't come back up quite right until I had logged out and back in. Somewhere in there it would forget, but there seems to be only one point in the process when the computer seems willing to remember. Try this: re-do all your network settings associated with the wireless network, then reboot. When you first join the network again, if there's any checkbox about remembering the network, click it.

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MacBook Pro sees wireless networks but cannot join any. Connection timeout error

I have a MacBook Pro here that sees all wireless networks but cannot join any. It gives a connection timeout error with every one.
Internet access via ethernet cable works just fine.

It's not uncommon for you to "see" a great many networks, dozens even, yet you not be able to connect to any of them even if they are "open" (no lock icon). There may be a number of reasons for that, such as they're too weak for a reliable connection, or the router may limit connections to only specified devices.
There is only one way to achieve a reliable network connection, and that's for you to connect to your own wireless router. Even that doesn't work if its signal is too weak or if there are many competing wireless networks in your area.
If it's your own AirPort Base Station you're trying to use but can't, the latter could be the reason. The only way to mitigate the effects of wireless interference is to use 802.11n and 5 GHz whenever practicable. Even today you may only find one or two 5 GHz networks being used in an otherwise "crowded" area.

How do I use a wired computer on the wireless network?

I want to hardwire my desktop to my wireless router. I have a wireless adapter and my computers work fine on the wireless network. If I try to plug in the ethernet cable to the router and disable the wireless adapter, it doesn't work. The light lights up on the front of the router saying that the ethernet cable is plugged in and the 1394 network connection is enabled in the "network connections." However, I cannot ping the router when using the ethernet. On the desktop computer, I look in "view workgroup computers" and there are no computers listed there. On the back of the computer, there is a light that lights up when I insert the cable, so I know the computer has detected there is a cable plugged in there.
They way I set up my wireless network is by using XP's tool under network tasks called "set up a wireless network for a home or small office" (which is found in "My Network Places." I don't know how to combine a wireless network with a wired network. Please help me.
I am using WRT54G. We don't have broadband installed yet.

Correct…I would not mess w/ the bios. Do you have an extra cat5 cable long enough to plug into the back of your router to the back of your PC? Hopefully, it was not taken out when the wireless NIC was installed. Do you see a place to plug in the cable on the back of your PC? It looks like a phone connection jack/ modem, only bigger. If not, what kind of machine, OS (Win 2K, Win XP, etc).

What is an access point? How do I allow another computer on my wireless network?

First of all a basic question, what is an access point? I am trying to allow another computer to access my wireless network and have no idea where to begin. I have seached the Linksys product support website, but was not able to find the help I need and am confused as to what to do. The home computer that my router is setup up to is running Windows Vista. I want to be able get on the wireless internet at my home with my work laptop, which runs Windows XP SP1. I am new to having a router, and would greatly appreciate any help.

Hi Radeksgirl,
A wireless access point is where your wireless computer would connect to in order to be able to access the internet wirelessly.
Linksys wireless routers are also wireless access points, so you can connect a wireless computer to it.
In connecting wirelessly to the router or wireless access point, it would depend on the wireless utility used on your wireless computer.
Click here for an example on connecting a wireless computer to the router.
Hope this helped :-)
Good luck!

Airport "forgetting" my wireless network with CD2 iMac

I never had this problem with my Core Duo iMac, but now with a Core Duo 2, I have to manually enter my home wireless network periodically after waking the computer from sleep. Is there any way to "save" a network?

Try this:
If you use "Preferred Networks," instead of "Automatic" for your "By default, join" setting, try the following:
- Delete all preferred networks with encryption
- Add them again after manually connecting
It will be faster if you turn on "Automatically add new networks to preferred networks list" under "Options" of the AirPort network connection.

Which wireless network to connect to?

Hi, thanks in advance for your help. Sorry if this has been asked before but I have searched for quite some time!
I have my time capsule connected to my router via internet cable, and have the time capsule to set up a new wireless network.
Know when i choose which wireless to connect to I have two choises.
My Question is when using my macbook pro, Ipad or Iphone wirelessy to use the internet, For the best connection should i connect to the Time Capsule, Or should I connect to the main router.
I understand that when I want to backup my pro to the time capsule I should connect to that network.
But for just general use, or does it not really matter that much. I have Time Capsule setup to a 5ghz network but does that not really matter if the router it's connected to may not support 5ghz?
Thanks alot

The TC always transmits both 2.4ghz and 5ghz .. you cannot turn it off. You can set a different name for the two bands though so you can force connection to one or the other.
My Question is when using my macbook pro, Ipad or Iphone wirelessy to use the internet, For the best connection should i connect to the Time Capsule, Or should I connect to the main router.
or does it not really matter that much
Correct.. it just doesn't matter. Whatever works best for you.
And in fact you can do a roaming network.
Simply set the 2.4ghz in the TC to the same wireless name.. ie SSID as the router. Same security.. both should be wpa2 with AES = WPA2 personal in the TC. Same password.
And leave the devices to choose which is the strongest signal.
I would use a different name for 5ghz on the TC as that allows you to force the connection for clients doing TM backup.. the speed on 5ghz is far better as long as you are close.

Airplay from itunes to zepplin air will disconnect my computer from my wireless network

Hi there,
Relatively new subject matter, so haven't been able to find much online...
I recently purchased a Zeppelin Air - for those who don't know its an ipod speaker system with airplay built in. I'm running a Windows Vista x64 machine with the latest version of iTunes.
When I open up iTunes and go to play a song, everything works fine for about 30 seconds and then the audio stops and my computer disconnects from my network. My network icon in the system tray shows disconnected and of course a new browser window won't open my home page.
I then tried using a program called Airfoil to stream Spotify to my Zepplin speakers and it works fine. Go back to itunes to test out (streaming from itunes now, and not the Airfoil program) and it makes it past a minute, but then after a few minutes it starts getting choppy. I press stop and start another song... a whole song finishes. Next song about a minute in it disconnects my computer from my home network again.
Next I open up Airfoil and have it hijack itunes rather than using the airplay feature in itunes. I make it a few minutes into one song, decide to skip to another, no problem. No disconnects.
Back to itunes, no airfoil this time, back to using the airplay feature from itunes. 25 seconds into a song, it gets really choppy, drops audio. I press stop and try another song... really choppy can't seem to keep a solid connection. I try a few songs, one makes it through, then I go back to another and my computer loses connection to my network again.
So point being is it appears to be an iTunes issue and not a Zeppelin issue. In fact this is my second Zeppelin, I returned the first one because it was having the same problems.
The only functional difference I can see is that iTunes seems to be more responsive in the congrols for pause/play/volume where as Airfoil has a slight delay. I feel that maybe iTunes is pushing too much data out for my wireless adapater to handle?
Also streaming Pandora from an ipad works no problem...
I'm going to be trying a new adapter soon, but curious to see if anyone has any insights.
Thanks,
Travis

I've narrowed down the problem to a combination of my Windows Vista 64 machine and streaming directly from iTunes.
I tested my laptop with XP and had no problems streaming from iTunes.
I then connected my Vista machine directly to the router and when streaming directly from iTunes I had all sorts of skips and pauses, but when streaming from Airplay no problem.
I attached an image of my network stats from the same song via iTunes and Airplay. The spikes in the network traffic seem to be the problem when streaming from iTunes...

How do I add another computer to my wireless network

My brother from Calgary is visiting me with his older MAC book Pro and we cannot seem to get him set up on my wireless network. I am using DLink wireless router with Airport.

Hi Brenda,
Can his Mac "see" your network?

Printing to a printer connected to a Windows computer on a wireless network

In my home I have a DSL internet connection, a Linksys router, one wired Windows computer to the router, and one wireless Mac and one wireless PC. In this configuration, the printer is connected to the wired Windows PC. How can I print directly from my iMac to the printer connected there?
-- Before purchasing the iMac I had a Windows based Laptop that was able to print this way (I would have the wired computer and printer turned on, and then press print on the laptop, and it would come out of that printer). How can I duplicate this for the iMac? Thanks!

No, the problem wasn't ever solved. So I compromised and finally hooked up the free printer that came with my Mac. Although I wasn't able to share a printer, I was able to access files and print them kind of the hard way by enabling windows sharing under Sys Prefs > Sharing > Windows Sharing. And then you need to click on accounts and enter your password. Then use the key that the Mac gives you (Should be something like \\192.168.1.1##\shortname) and then on your PC, go to "My Network Places" and click on "Set up a network place." When prompted choose to enter the location yourself and enter the number address given on the Mac. After that a box should pop up asking you for your name and password (which is that of the Mac) and then you should be able to access all of the files that are on your Mac from your PC and print directly that way. Hope that helped someone. And if anyone can still help me print wirelessly, please do!
iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)

MacBook Pro forgets its wireless & network internet settings...

Hi...
I'm having problems with my MacBook Pro 'remembering' its wireless and network internet settings. I'm connecting via Airportto my Belkin 54g wireless router which is what has been running happily for the last 18 months.
Here's what happens - AirPort says it's connected, the internet works fine but when the MacBook Pro 'sleeps' or is restarted it 'forgets' its network and internet settings and cannot log on to the internet.
I get the Network Diagnostics appearing and I go through the options and eventually Network Diagnostics will show everything is fine, except there is no internet connection. I click through next options available on screen and I manage to get the MackBook Pro to restore its internet connection. All is fine until the MacBook Pro goes to 'sleep' again or is switched off.
This hassle began out of the blue - I haven't changed any settings on the machine, I haven't installed any software or anti-virus programs - it just spung up!
Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
philip

Hi,
I have not encountered this particular problem yet, but I have just bought a Belkin 54g adsl and wireless router. It has connected up to my home pc with no problems and it has also connected up to my macbook pro (leopard) okay, but the range on the internet connection is really poor. It works up to about 50 feet, but I can't use it upstairs, which granted is more than 50 feet away from the source, but at 80 quid I thought it would perform better.
I contacted Belkin support which is local rate and they suggested changing the wireless channel from 11 to 6, but when I did this it would even find the network using Airport.
I would like to be able to use the laptop over 50ft (i.e. in my bedroom) as well as all over the house, but so far I only get as far as the next room!
If anyone has any suggestions I would be grateful? NB: I am not a very technical user.
djmiz1

Printer won't work with either computer on the wireless network

Yesterday I went to the HP website and downloaded the rcommended drivers associated with my Win 7 computer and Officejet 7310 printer. Ever since I can't print at all. My other laptop connected to the network (Win Vista) won't print either. My computer indicates that my printer is offline. How do I get these devices talking to one another again
This question was solved.
View Solution.

Download and run this diagnostic, it should tell us what is going on.
The IP address looks right for the printer. The DNS server and gateway (router IP address) are often the same at x.x.x.1
I suspect a firewall issue, but let's see what the diagnostic tells us.
Say thanks by clicking "Kudos" "thumbs up" in the post that helped you.
I am employed by HP

Can't scan to a computer on a wireless network

I have an HP Photosmart C4780 wireless printer and have it on my network. I can scan to a laptop but cannot scan to my PC. Is there a setting to change this?

Your PC may have a firewall blocking access from the printer. Run the Network Diagnostic Utility and the Scanner Diagnostic Utility from here: www.hp.com/go/tools
Say thanks by clicking "Kudos" "thumbs up" in the post that helped you.
I am employed by HP

How to hack into another computer on my wireless network?

Hi, just downloaded a program called "who is on my wifi" and it shows me that there are 2,3 people are on my network. sometimes my network gets slower. I want to connect to their computer and check what is going on on their desk top. to actually see what they are doing. and who it is. Please help....

MerfMan wrote:
Just to continue this in another vein somewhat..i found a google search call HAHA google search html document on my computer desktop. I had enable for a short time, the google chatback feature on one of our websites and accessed it through gmail. Was it done through there and is there a way to protect against that kind of thing?
Since this appears to have nothing to do with Apple Remote Desktop, Apple's software for managing networked Macs, I'd suggest you ask in a more appropriate forum, perhaps the Mac OS X Networking forum. You'll be more likely to get opinions and advice on this issue there.
Regards.

Sometimes my computer stops detecting wireless networks.

I know it's the computer because no networks are listed - not just mine. It's happened a couple of times now. Turning off and turning off airport doesn't work... restarting does though. What's the cause and how can I fix it?

Almost certainly none of the above! Try each of the following in this order:
Select 'Reset Safari' from the Safari menu.
Close down Safari; move <home>/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db to the trash; restart Safari.
Change the DNS servers in your network settings to use the OpenDNS servers: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
Turn off DNS pre-fetching by entering the following command in Terminal and restarting Safari:
defaults write com.apple.safari WebKitDNSPrefetchingEnabled -boolean false

Connecting computer & printer with wireless network

Operating with a MacBook Pro and a HP Photosmart 7510.
Both devices on are on the same newtwork but as I am attempting to install the printer on my computer it is not picking the printer up?!

What router?
Say thanks by clicking "Kudos" "thumbs up" in the post that helped you.
I am employed by HP

Computer "Forgets" Which Wireless Network it Should Join

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