M11x R1: Doesn't detect my wireless network, does detect others

As the title says, my lovely M11x has decided to make me furious by not connecting to my wireless signal. Background:

1) Wireless IS TURNED ON VIA FN+F3
2) Detects other networks in the area, just not mine (all are secured so can't connect to them)
3) Wireless desktop and iPhone connect perfectly well the network
4) Yesterday, I rebooted the modem because the laptop was not connecting to my VPN. Upon restarting the modem (and possibly rebooting the laptop), my wireless signal was no where to be found.
5) Can connect via wired perfectly
6) Have tried restarting in safe mode with networking and adding the SSID manually via Manage Wireless Networks to no avail.

Assistance would be appreciated. I think it's done this once or twice before but I don't remember how it got resolved specifically. I think just rebooting took care of it.

I'm getting ready to throw my little laptop across the room. This is frustrating beyond belief.

 

It could be that the Router has an incompatible configuration. Did you try setting up the network in 2.4 instead of 5ghz? That could be an issue.
Also make sure that the security setting is set to WPA (AES) Otherwise it might not work.
If it is working on other devices then the issue is just compatibility within your network. Even a firewall could have you blocked. try adding the network manually on your wireless adapter (on the lappy).

 

What wifi card are you using? Maybe try resetting the router back to default settings.

 

The adapter is just the standard (?) Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter. Had been working fine up until power-cycling the modem 2 days ago (worked fine at work and worked fine at home prior to the modem power-cycle).

I just tried sticking in the wireless adapter I use on my desktop (some Netgear USB adapter), and same thing. Would detect other networks, just not mine.

I haven't fiddled with the modem settings at all, just power cycled it. Everything else still connects just fine with no adjustment, so I doubt anything has changed. As far as I know it is running on 2.4ghz and the wireless key is WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK(TKIP/AES).

I've also tried uninstalling the wireless adapter and reinstalling. Windows pulls the drivers from online (via wired connection) and still the same behavior: detects other networks but not mine.

I'm literally sitting right next to the modem and it will not pick up it's signal. Even adding the network manually via "Manage wireless networks" did nothing.

I'm hesitant to reset the modem because 1) the modem seems fine, considering everything else connects to it fine and 2) setting back up is a pain, as it's all in Japanese and my reading skills aren't the greatest.

Any other ideas?

 

Is SSID hidden? My laptop sometimes has trouble with that setting.

 

The SSID is visible on my desktop and my iPhone (i.e. I can disconnect from the network and it'll still show up in the list). Also, I'm 99% sure (would have to double check) I do have the modem set to broadcast it.

Again, all I did was powercycle the modem and now I've got this fest.

Debating just reformatting the laptop... the wife comes home in 5 days and she will NOT appreciate the modem stretched out to the middle of the room with a cable running from it to my laptop.

Oh technology...

 

Start over... elim VPN as a variable. Are you using corp provided VPN tools?

Channel: is the wireless profile specifying the channel with manual config? Maybe it changed when you rebooted AP. Alternatively you can see what channel other devices are using and diagnose from that direction. If you are now on Channel 13 for Japanese AP but using Western market M11x then it will never see it. This to me is most likely.

 

VPN is eliminated. It's not a constant on thing, only use it when I want to watch Netflix. It's not "corporate" but it is a subscription service. I.e. it's not ghetto-ringed thing, and has worked (and continues to work via lan cable) just fine.

When you speak of the channel config, do you mean on the router? I'll take a look at it, but again, it boggles me as to why it would only be affecting the laptop and not the desktop or iPhone. Does the change need to be made on the modem or on the wireless profile? I tried the "copy this wireless profile to a USB" on my desktop, but for some reason Windows decided not to recognize my USB drive at all...

 

Yup. Routers purchased in your market probably allow for 1 or more additional channels than in say North American market. This means that if you buy a laptop from NA and use it in Kagoshima it MIGHT not work if channel 13 is disabled on laptop. Its kinda like region codes on DVD.

One of our own here ran into a similar issue in Australia (?).
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/667855-m11xr1-dw1520-wifi-channel-13-a.html <-- our discussion

The test is simple: what channel is your router using? If 13, manually set it to something lower. Like "6" and test.

 

The plot thickens...

My wife just returned and now her laptop won't connect at all either (same behavior as mine). Her's connected fine as well prior to visiting back in the States.

GNandGS, I'll give your idea a try. With my wife here, she can help me navigate the Japanese menus better than I can. I'm still puzzled as to why my desktop (bought/built in the States) works just fine.

Is this channel issue only accessible on the modem? I.e. can I change the channel the laptops are looking for? Or is it all through the modem?

Worse case scenario, I'm going to reset the modem to factory default and start from scratch. When we got it 6 months ago, everything connected to it flawlessly out of the box, so hopefully starting from scratch will work at least.

I'll report back after my wife wakes up.

Edit: So doing a little work while the wife sleeps. I looked up the channel on my desktop, it's using a NETGEAR WG111v3 Wireless-G USB. On the advanced properties it lists it's Channel as "1". It connects just fine, never had an issue with it here.

Checked on my m11's Broadcom 802.11n and down on "WZC IBSS Channel Number" (there is no other discernible "channel" value except that) it was set on 11(20MHz). I set it to 1(20MHz) and restarted. No dice. Still won't connect.

I'm gonna plug into the modem directly and see if I can figure out what channel it's broadcasting on. I'd think "1" since my desktop connects but not sure why the laptop isn't connecting now then...

Edit2: Just gonna toss this out there: Recently (perhaps around same time as my issue started), my Wireless Network Connections list has become populated with several (5-8) random wireless connections that I never picked up before. Is it somehow possible that these random connections are "bumping" my connection off the list? They all show up as only 1 or 2 bars so that doesn't really seem plausible, but thought I would ask.

Edit3: Fixed!!! But, bizarre...

The modem was broadcasting on "automatic". I tried, "reset wireless channel broadcast" but that did nothing. I then set the channel to "1" (same as the desktop) and switched my M11x to 1 and it connected!

Tempting fate, I tried switching the M11x and the modem to channel 13 (arbitrarily picked) but no connection occurred. Revert back to 1 and we're good.

So... I'm not really sure what happened? Desktop was on channel 1, so perhaps that's what the modem was broadcasting on the entire time? Or maybe the Netgear adapter on my desktop auto switched over when I reset the modem and the modem switched over to "auto". Then somehow, my M11x was stuck on channel 11.

No clue... but it works now, so I guess I'm not going to be too picky.

Just checked my speeds on speedtest.net pinging Tokyo. The M11x did as expected, ~80Mb up, ~20Mb down (god I love fiberoptic). Desktop performed below expectations, ~20Mb both ways. I'm hoping fiddling with the Channel settings didn't mess up my bandwith any.

Finally, thank you everyone for your help. Much appreciated! This was quite an annoying ordeal!

Edit4: Ok... well I think I figured out the problem with my speeds... my desktops wireless adapter sucks. Hardlining into the modem I got this:



Ya, prior to getting a wireless adapter for it and just lan cabling, I don't remember speeds that fast. Oh well, I'm connected on all fronts and ONLY pulling 20Mb/s sometimes. Boohoo. Think I'll live

 

Umm... double post

 

Possible I suppose that you were getting bumped. To avoid that, UNcheck the "connect to a more preferred network if avail" box and cleanup any unused wifi profiles if they are suspect. If hiding your SSID a good default for your systems would be to connect even if hidden (the other check box). Not so important but older OS will thank you.

Channel 13 is an issue in some cases. I cannot tell if your laptop can or cannot connect to that channel but a good way to avoid it is a manual setting the way you have.

You can install "inSSIDer 2.1" and it will tell you what channel you are connected to as well as any others in range. This way you can avoid interference. 10 ways to get that info if you have a pref.

Speed test to Tokyo for me: 108ms / 0.52 Mbps / 1.70 Mbps

 

oh yeah, duplicate SSIDs might cause you some issues.... neighbor etc. If yours is generic or default, change it.

 

Our SSID is unique, no others like it. The only thing I could thing of is, its the same name as the SSID at my mom's house back in the US. So maybe there was a interference there, except that when I first got back to Japan I was able to connect to this SSID just fine. So ya... kinda weird, but again, working so happiness abounds.

I'm mostly worried now that changing the channels might have effected the speeds. I'll do some download tests in the coming days and see how it works. Course as long as I get 1-4 Mb/sec on downloads I'm fine, as thats what I got before. Man I'd just love the experience of actually downloading something at 160Mb/sec

 

If both APs use EXACTLY the same config you can go back and forth no prob. If the security settings are diff for example you cannot use same ID.

Changing channels and testing only takes time. If you enjoy doing that sort of thing then I say go for it!

At the end of the day several things can cause the issues you had. I would just leave it alone and enjoy.