Help, please, with wifi settings....!

Question

Level 1

6 points

Help, please, with wifi settings....!

I am feeling like an idiot and am not having success finding clear, definitive help with wifi settings. I am trying to connect to the internet using my office wireless network via wifi. The office wireless network has pre-defined DNS settings and IP address, also a 10-digit WEP code is required. The network shows up on my wifi network list automatically. When I press the blue arrow to the right, I start getting lost.

IP Address and Subnet mask I understand. But router...? Is that the same as "default gateway"? And what is "Search Domains" and "Client ID"? What are they for? They don't correspond to any settings used when setting up a Windows wireless network. And where do I type in the WEP key?? I am not seeing any place to do that -- unless under "Choose a Network..." I select "Other" >> "Security". But I don't want "Other" -- I want the network that is listed there automatically with a check mark by it!

Can somebody help me here? Please?!

Rick A.

Message was edited by: rikinva

PC, Windows XP Pro

Posted on Sep 28, 2007 7:18 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 28, 2007 7:37 AM in response to rikinva

If you have DHCP selected and the wireless is broadcasting then all the fields should automatically fill in. If not, Router is the ip address of the router. You should not have to mess with the search domains or client id. You should be prompted for the password once you try to connect to the network.

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Answer 2

rikinva Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 28, 2007 7:48 AM in response to Markrw1958

Nope, that is not what is happening. I am getting the wifi symbol that indicates I am connected, plus the check mark next to the network name, but I am NOT being prompted for any password or WEP key. And despite the apparent connection, I have no access to the internet or email.

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Answer 3

nosidam

Level 1

135 points

Sep 28, 2007 7:50 AM in response to rikinva

Don't press the blue arrow, just press on the name of the wifi in the list. It will attempt to connect and prompt you for the WEP key. Type that in, and everything should work on its own, assuming that the admins set it up properly. If you connect and get a check mark, but you can't surf, then you may have to fill in information and your admins should be able to supply that.

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Answer 4

rikinva Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 28, 2007 8:00 AM in response to nosidam

I am getting a check mark, but also a locked symbol. The DNS and IP address are not automatically assigned - I must key in those numbers, which I have done. But I am not being prompted at any time for a WEP key. How do I enter that?!

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Answer 5

rikinva Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 28, 2007 8:17 AM in response to Markrw1958

I don't have to mess with "Search Domains" or "Client ID"? Why not? Why are these fields there?

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Answer 6

nosidam

Level 1

135 points

Sep 28, 2007 8:35 AM in response to rikinva

Search domains is a place to force automatic domain names to be checked when typing in just a host name. For example, if you just type in "www", the network will automatically add "foo.com" if it was in the search domain. It's the same as "domain suffix search" in Windows. It's not needed unless required.

Client ID is a way to force a network to recognize the client as a specific computer. It's sort of like a unique identifier, except that it doesn't have to be unique. For example, you can have a wifi ap reject all connections unless they have a client id of "foo". If it's not set up, it's not needed.

As to why you're not getting prompted for your WEP key, I can only surmise that it might not be needed. The iPhone will prompt you for the WEP key when it tries to connect. The fact that you're getting a check mark next to the connection, and not getting prompted leads me to believe that there is no WEP key, or it's not needed in your case. Did you update to 1.1.1? Maybe that broke something.

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Answer 7

rikinva Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 28, 2007 8:47 AM in response to nosidam

Interesting.... I figured out how to be prompted for the WEP key. I have to press the blue arrow on the right and select "Forget this Network". Then, when the network name appears in the list again, when I select it, I am prompted for the WEP key. But now, the only information that appears in the IP settings page are the IP address and subnet mask -- nothing else. No router, no DNS. And the IP address and subnet mask are completely different than what my laptop are using to connect to the same network! When I try to use Safari.... nothing. Nada. Zilch. The blue bar moves about 10% of the way across the URL address and stops cold. I am completely bumfuzzled.

BTW.... why in the world would the user's manual for the iphone not include the kind of detail you just provided in your explanation above?

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Answer 8

kjlake

Level 2

445 points

Sep 28, 2007 8:54 AM in response to rikinva

Just a thought, but since this is an office network, it is possible (or probable) that MAC address filtering is enabled. The behavior you are describing would lead me to believe that this may be the case. If your device's MAC address is not specifically allowed, it will not connect even though you may see it.

Just my 0.02...

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Answer 9

S7umpy

Level 1

20 points

Sep 28, 2007 9:00 AM in response to rikinva

Instead of selecting the available network. Select other -> enter network name -> then security enter wep or wpa or wpa2.

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Answer 10

rikinva Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 28, 2007 9:35 AM in response to kjlake

What??.... is a MAC address? How is that different than IP address -- or DNS -- or router -- or subnet mask. I guess I just don't understand. How many different codes and numbers do we have to set up in order to make wifi work on the iphone?? I don't see any field for MAC address....??!!

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Answer 11

kjlake

Level 2

445 points

Sep 28, 2007 9:45 AM in response to rikinva

A MAC address is a hexidecimal address that is assigned to the network adapter, in this case the iphone wifi adapter. One method that office environments use to control access to wireless services is to have a list of authorized devices using that MAC address. If the MAC address is not on the list, it will deny the connection to the network.

I don't' see where to find the MAC address on the iphone itself. I can see the MAC address when I look at my wireless router to see what devices are connected.

I would ask the network administrator if MAC filtering is enabled for the wireless network.

Message was edited by: kjlake

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Answer 12

nosidam

Level 1

135 points

Sep 28, 2007 11:15 AM in response to kjlake

To find the MAC address of the iPhone, go into Settings > General > About and it's listed as Wi-Fi Address.

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