Newbie needs wifi advice please!

[Guest stigdu]

Hi all,

I'm new to these forums and only got my Orange spv m3100 about 2 weeks ago, but I can't get the wi-fi working on it.

I installed Skype which connects fine through GPRS, but if I try to connect to my home LAN, then it just says 'connecting' under the 'configure wireless networks' option and a few seconds later, 'available.'

The little graphic of the tower on the top bar seems to either show a little tower with no arrows comnig out of it, or else two moving arrows, but it doesn't seem to want to connect.

I also see 3 other connections available called 'BTHomeHub' which I don't recognise, but the signal strength on those appears to be very weak, and even if I try to connect to them, it asks me for a network key, and I don't know what to type in....

Any help much appreciated!!!

Thanks :)

[Guest richard_d]

Hi all,

I'm new to these forums and only got my Orange spv m3100 about 2 weeks ago, but I can't get the wi-fi working on it.

I installed Skype which connects fine through GPRS, but if I try to connect to my home LAN, then it just says 'connecting' under the 'configure wireless networks' option and a few seconds later, 'available.'

The little graphic of the tower on the top bar seems to either show a little tower with no arrows comnig out of it, or else two moving arrows, but it doesn't seem to want to connect.

I also see 3 other connections available called 'BTHomeHub' which I don't recognise, but the signal strength on those appears to be very weak, and even if I try to connect to them, it asks me for a network key, and I don't know what to type in....

Any help much appreciated!!!

Thanks :)

The other connections are probably neighbours.

Have you any security on your LAN? Is it broadcasting the SSID?

[Guest stigdu]

The other connections are probably neighbours.

Have you any security on your LAN? Is it broadcasting the SSID?

I don't think I do, no.

if I go into my pda's 'wireless LAN' section, then it reads the following:

SSID: blank

Mode: Infrastructure

BSSID: blank

Tx rate: Auto

Channel: blank

It pops up a message saying 'new network detected' but these aren't my home network - they are BTHomeHub networks, and mine is SpeedTouch network.

If I go to the 'Advanced' tab, then it says:

Status: scanning

MAC: there is some sort of hex code thing there

IP: blank

[Guest richard_d]

I don't think I do, no.

if I go into my pda's 'wireless LAN' section, then it reads the following:

SSID: blank

Mode: Infrastructure

BSSID: blank

Tx rate: Auto

Channel: blank

It pops up a message saying 'new network detected' but these aren't my home network - they are BTHomeHub networks, and mine is SpeedTouch network.

If I go to the 'Advanced' tab, then it says:

Status: scanning

MAC: there is some sort of hex code thing there

IP: blank

It sounds like your router isn't broadcasting. If the pda is detecting the other networks okay then I don't think it's the pda that's the problem.

[Guest stigdu]

It sounds like your router isn't broadcasting. If the pda is detecting the other networks okay then I don't think it's the pda that's the problem.

Do you know how I get my router to broadcast, Richard? (bit of a newb at this kind of stuff)

[Guest richard_d]

Do you know how I get my router to broadcast, Richard? (bit of a newb at this kind of stuff)

Sorry, I'm not a router expert. Try a search on the manufacturers web site, or there might be someone along shortly who can help.

[Guest jackofall]

If you havnt got security setup on your router I would WPA if all your clients accept it and change the default ssid admin password. I wouldn't bother with mac filtering or ssid hiding as they don't have any real benefit. l

[Guest jackofall]

I meant default sssid AND admin password

I guess theres no edit on mobile modaco

[Guest stigdu]

I meant default sssid AND admin password

I guess theres no edit on mobile modaco

I don't know how to change these things.... :)

[Guest crazyc]

I don't know how to change these things.... :)

What router do you have?

May I suggest a site such as www.by-users.co.uk ? Although originally set up to help users of the Blueyonder ISP, they are all very friendly and knowledgeable about most ISPs and routers etc.

[Guest stigdu]

What router do you have?

May I suggest a site such as www.by-users.co.uk ? Although originally set up to help users of the Blueyonder ISP, they are all very friendly and knowledgeable about most ISPs and routers etc.

It's a Thomson SpeedTouch router.

Thanks for the link, I'll take a look... :)

[Guest AlanJC]

I wouldn't bother with mac filtering or ssid hiding as they don't have any real benefit.

Urm, you mean apart from stopping people trying to get onti your network because they can't see it, and stopping unauthorised systems using it.

Yes they can be bypassed by people with the time, knowledge, and effort, but why make it easy for people?

[Guest jackofall]

Urm, you mean apart from stopping people trying to get onti your network because they can't see it, and stopping unauthorised systems using it.

Yes they can be bypassed by people with the time, knowledge, and effort, but why make it easy for people?

True if you have no security then not broadcasting the SSID would stop people stumbling upon it but can also cause issues for new legit clients wanting to join. MAC filtering gives a delusion of security as the valid MAC addresses are broadcast in the packets and spoofing is easy. Wifi networks with WEP or lower encryption SSID hidden can be cracked very easily with the help of google. I’d recommend the security now podcast which discuss the issue and others in detail.

[Guest AlanJC]

True if you have no security then not broadcasting the SSID would stop people stumbling upon it but can also cause issues for new legit clients wanting to join. MAC filtering gives a delusion of security as the valid MAC addresses are broadcast in the packets and spoofing is easy. Wifi networks with WEP or lower encryption SSID hidden can be cracked very easily with the help of google. I’d recommend the security now podcast which discuss the issue and others in detail.

As I said, I don't dispute someone can crack it, I am simply saying why make it easy?

A script kiddie with a copy of any well known packet sniffer in a neighbouring house would see an SSID, and run the app to try and crack the key.

If he didn't see an SSID, chances are, he would never bother looking for one.

Same goes for MAC filtering. First of all, you have to crack the encryption once you have the SSID, if you can do that and see the packet headers, you can get the MAC address of valid systems, and when they are off, spoof them.

Considering this is a home system, and the most likely people to hack at it are neighbours, just hide the SSID, and turn on filtering to make it a little more difficult. Chances are 99% of security threats will be a kid with a laptop or PDA trying to hook up with some free bandwidth, they will not persue something they know nothing about.