Can't connect Powerbook to Access Point

November 12, 2004 1:31 PM

My coworker's Apple Powerbook with Airport Extreme can't use the new D-Link DWL-2100AP. We can see the access point, can see that the access point sees and connects to him, but something about the apple's DHCP or networking config won't pull an IP and also won't work when we set everything manually. Any ideas?

We've tried configuring the access point in both DHCP server mode and pass-through DHCP back to the central linksys router. It's not the apple's networking config, because he can connect to the linksys wireless router in the next room over with no problem and pull IP addresses and stuff all the live long day.

posted by SpecialK to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

I don't know that it'll be the exact same thing -- I'd hope that D-Link would learn from their mistakes -- but the DI-514 wouldn't talk to Apple hardware without selecting "Long Preamble" in the advanced settings. (The place I discovered this, after much hairpulling, is here; I posted about it here.)

Let us know if that works!
posted by delfuego at 1:57 PM on November 12, 2004

Response by poster: Nope, unfortunately ... the access point doesn't have a setting for that. I tried changing a bunch of settings to things that worked for other people trying to get a connection to that particular access point, but that didn't work.

Funny, this is the first time I've had any problems at all with any DLink kit.
posted by SpecialK at 2:54 PM on November 12, 2004

Response by poster: Oh, and Jason, thanks for posting your experience with the Linksys range extender. I thought I was just an idiot for not being able to get it to work, even with a supposedly compatible linksys router.
posted by SpecialK at 2:55 PM on November 12, 2004

The Mac guy at work mentioned that there's some difference between Mac and PC handling of wireless encryption keys. If you're using encryption on the AP, and PCs connect but the Mac doesn't, then that may be your problem. Try without encryption to make sure the radio part works, then Google up the difference between Mac and PC wireless keys.
posted by spacewrench at 3:02 PM on November 12, 2004

I am also in wireless despair. I tried using a Linksys router and was able to connect different Macs on the local network (via ethernet and airport), but was unable to share the internet connection. I traded my Linskys for a D-Link DI-524 and was unable to connect at all. Also unable to access the config browser 192.168.0.1 page. Meanwhile, using a regular hub and ethernet cables, with internet sharing enabled, all macs have access without any problems. Searching didn't help much. Completely lost...
posted by ig at 7:30 PM on November 12, 2004

I had a UK-model D-Link modem which failed to communicate with TWO of the most common kinds of router (Sitecom and Linksys). I spent weeks trying to fix the problem, with tech support being no help at all. Eventually I found on the internet that D-Link had simply designed the product badly, and that it was fundamentally unable to do its job when used with some of the most common router equipment. I got a refund and swapped it for a Linksys.

I wouldn't be surprised if you have to do the same.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 9:00 PM on November 12, 2004

Response by poster: My bet right now is that it's the encryption being off that is causing the problem. It communcates fine with the router, plays nice with several other different internal and external wireless cards, and otherwise stays cripsy in milk.
I've had *much* better luck with D-Link than i have with Linksys. In fact, I've ebayed two linksys wireless routers and a normal linksys router. My entire home network, 'cept for the Intel wireless card in my notebook, is d-Link.

It's really not a big issue, my coworker just has no internet access in my part of the building. What's even worse is that the access point is wired in in his office, so he's gotta sit there and look at it while using a less-than-stellar connection halfway across the building.
posted by SpecialK at 12:54 AM on November 13, 2004