Win XP laptop doesn't see wireless network

I'm a new mac user trying to set up my first wireless network. I'm getting some good information here, but have three questions.
1. on my mac how do i find the ABES name?
2. on my tochiba where do i go to change the channels?
3. on my mac where do i go to change the channel?
Thanks for the help!

I am not new to Mac, but my Toshiba will only connect at 54Mbps, and as I move away from the AEBS b/g, it will just loose connectivity rather than step down it's speed.

As far as AEBS, you need to open the Airport Administrator Utility and it will give you all the information you are looking for.

Good luck with the Toshiba, I have no idea why it will not function like a 802.11b/g card! =:-0

1) Open the airport admin util, it will show you the base station's name, which can be different from the network name.

2) There is a version of the Airport Admin Utility for windows. If it wasn't on the disk which came with the airport you purchased, here is a link to one that should work with all but the new extreme.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120273

3) Changing the channel on the network can be done in the Airport Admin Utility.

And to all those Windows users having trouble seeing, connecting, etc to the network. First thing to try is disabling the security options on the Airport network. Some PCs have poor network cards which can't handle some of the security features.

If your PC still cannot connect, set the base station to a set channel, you can try another channel if need be.

Try manually connecting to the network. I have no idea how to get it to do this, but on the Mac; you go to the icon up top and choose 'other' as if you were to join a "closed" network; so I imagine the PC can't be too dissimilar.

If by some odd reason you STILL can't get on it; try to get one someone else's network to check at least SOME connectivity with the card.
Worst case, you might need to buy a better quality card for the PC; which isn't a bad idea anyhow- a good card an handle the most encrypted networks; which will help prevent people from stealing your info off the wireless network.

I've had the same problem for weeks. Thought it was my wireless card but changing that didn't help. I went into the Airport Utility and turned off the closed network setting. Apparently this prevent other computers from seeing the network.

This is how I am able to use our Intel iMac as a wifi basestation for the whole house.

1.) the iMac gets its internet connection via Ethernet
2.) once you have the iMac connected to the internet via Ethernet and have a green dot next to Network Status in Network Prefs. Pan. go to step 3

3.) Open up Sharing Prefs. Pan.
4.) Under Services Make sure that Personal Web Sharing is checked and started
5.) Turn Firewall off (security risk) ONLY if you are connecting an XBox 360 or PS3 (not sure about Wii). This is because the gaming systems require a bunch of ports that are uncommon to be opened. You can search the web and find these ports and then create new Firewall exceptions; doing so will allow the devices to connect to the ad-hoc wifi network and allow you to keep your firewall connected. I have a hardware firewall so turning off the software based one on the iMac allowed me to connect my PS3 without finding all the ports (something that only the mac os x built-in firewall prevented and my hardware firewall did not - not sure exactly why this is but I think it has to do with added security on apple's part when sharing is on and firewall is on. At any rate I dont really care because I was finally able to connect the PS3.

6.) On the Internet Tab Select Built-in Ethernet from the drop down menu. In the box below check the box next to Airport and then select AirPort Options. The AirPort Options I used are as follows - Chan. 11, OPEN (if you want security on your wifi network then you can only use WEP and it has to be 5 alpha digits. Nothing more or less and it cant contain numbers only letters...so the WEP password could be 'apple' but not 'appl3' and not 'app' or 'appleisnumber1'. I used OPEN so it was easier to just have the machines connect. I am all about allowing others to hop on my wifi network...its all about sharing the love...plus its nice when you have Fiber running to your house and enough speed to not even notice if someone is checking their email or watching a movie while you are on iTunes and doing the same...if you have the option to get FiOS to your house/apt. I am telling you now GET IT!!!! Its great...plus with a laptop and a UPS power backup for the router you can still access the internet during power outs..which is great during hurricane season on the carolinas coast line.

**If WEP is enabled you have to make certain settings on the Windows machine to match...the network is shared with web and you have to put the channel in so that it knows how to access it correctly...its just easier leaving your WiFi open....but again (security risk)

I am going nuts!!! Here's the deal...I have a new MacBook Pro which is awesome. I will never buy another PC again. I also have a Airport Extreme 11n that connects seamlessly and easily with the Mac. My PC laptop also connects wirelessly with the Airport Extreme....so, what's the problem? My PC Desktop that connects via a lan cable does not connect to the internet. However, when I open the Network Connections utility, everything seems normal, i.e. have IP, subnet mask, DHCP and DNS server, etc addresses. But when I go to open either IE or Firefox, I am not able to connect to the internet. I'm missing something simple, but I can't figure it out. Help!

I had a problem with a Toshiba laptop not being able to access the Extreme network, or only being able to access intermittently. All other computers, including PCs were able to access it without any problems. I had the problem described by others where the Toshiba could see the network but would "connect with limited connectivity" or be "unable to connect".

The solution in my case was to enable SSID broadcast ie uncheck "create a closed network". I was able to leave all the other security settings ie WPA2/firewall/access control lists in tact.

Dave.

Message was edited by: David Griffiths5

I started having the same problem over a year ago and, after reading through these forums and posting here, only found the solution (setting a fixed channel below 11 on the Airport Extreme) about 6 weeks ago.

Quite frankly, this is a basic issue that Apple needs to include in the user manuals and troubleshooting guides.

I'm having this problem on a brand new laptop running XP Pro. I've checked all the settings referenced here and can't find any problems. I've tried setting my Airport to use several channels lower than 11 and nothing seems to work. The laptop says that it cannot find any wireless networks. My Macs can find it without problems. The only thing I haven't tried is taking the laptop to a local coffee shop to make sure it can find a wireless network when non-Apple hardware is in use. I've connected other Windows computers to it in the past.

I'm having this problem on a brand new laptop running XP Pro. I've checked all the settings referenced here and can't find any problems. I've tried setting my Airport to use several channels lower than 11 and nothing seems to work. The laptop says that it cannot find any wireless networks. My Macs can find it without problems. The only thing I haven't tried is taking the laptop to a local coffee shop to make sure it can find a wireless network when non-Apple hardware is in use. I've connected other Windows computers to it in the past.

I'm having this problem on a brand new laptop running XP Pro. I've checked all the settings referenced here and can't find any problems. I've tried setting my Airport to use several channels lower than 11 and nothing seems to work. The laptop says that it cannot find any wireless networks. My Macs can find it without problems. The only thing I haven't tried is taking the laptop to a local coffee shop to make sure it can find a wireless network when non-Apple hardware is in use. I've connected other Windows computers to it in the past.

I apologize for the multiple posts. I got error messages on the first two and was not taken back to the thread to see they had posted until after the third attempt went through without error.

I had simular problems getting my Toshiba Satelite to see my Airport Express Base Station (AEBS). Mac was networked to aebs, working fine on internet and remote printing.

Setting port 8 on the aebs, made it visible to the PC.
When I connected I was getting 'little or no connectivity' displayed on the PC.

It seems XP has a problem seeing different passwords for the Mac network and Airport express, so.....
I set both my passwords the same , (using wep 128) with a 13 letter password.(I read somewhere you have to put this password on the PC as Hex ??? but didn't have to on mine).
Made the windows password the same, now it all works fine.

I won't take credit for this as I found it on the net somewhere else, forget where now.

Dave.

Something simple - Proxy settings?

The solution posted here (setting the channel lower) did eventually work for me. For some reason I had to restart the laptop before it recognized my Airport network.