Re: Basic ??? question?

See in line.

On 5/10/2007 8:39 AM, Antonio Fernandez-Vicenti wrote:

Hi folks,
Maybe I’m getting old... but it always frustrates me the PC world, where
difficult things are made so easy… whereas things that should be easy to
explain become “obscure holes” nobody dares to dig in!
I’ve done quite a number of ADSL installations, different ISPs,
different HW, different routers.I usually install one first PC, via RJ45
cable, one second PC wireless (WIFI).But so far I never had to install a
third or fourth PC. Well, some day had to be the first time!

Today I had some problems, and trying to analize them, called up
technical support of our ISP just to end up having a big and fustrating
discussion.
I see different questions. Forgive me if some of them seem stupid, but
when I don’t know something… just escalate it to find the answer, and
this was no the case!

All routers I’ve seen so far, when you configure them for security, say
WEP type, will ask you 64 or 128 bits? Character or Hexa? Those are clear.
But then, when you enter the key (usually, it’s pre-assigned by the ISP
in the router itself, in its bottom) you can type it up 4 times for
KeyIndex =1, 2, 3, 4
(Maybe they could even be different, but that I never tried)

On all the WiFi routers I have installed the only settings the ISP
specified (same as any router and the only ones they should specify)
were dealing with the WAN side. WAN IP/Mask/DNS maybe account/password
if using PPPoE. The SSID, Chanel, WEP keys should be yours to control
and nobody but those YOU want to access YOUR LAN network should know them.

The WISPs (where the ISP is via their own radio network) I have dealt
with all configured their radio modems themselves and in fact didn't
want customers knowing their sides settings.

The MAIN problem down I think relates to the meaning of what is called
"KeyIndex".
The problem is I had my first WIFI configured, default is KeyIndex 1,
and worked OK.
Did the same for a second PC, exactly equal, and got an error :
duplicate names in the network??? (By the way, PC-Ids are different!)

Of course, they both had WinXP Professional SP2 (plus lots of other
fixes), DHCP enabled, IP address automatic, DNS automatic, … etc

I thought one could have MANY (not thousands, of course, because of
performance, but 5 or 8, maybe?, up to 10?, PCs WIFI connected to the
same network)

Questions:

1- What is the “meaning” of that “secret word” KeyIndex? I searched
Google, but found tons of info about basics and advanced configurations…
but no one dignified to get down to explain basic things like this!

2- If I have to give each PC configured for my network a different
KeyIndex… does that mean one can only have up to 4 WIFI PC’s connected
at a time?
Same question but reversed: How many WIFI PC’s can coexist (regardless
performance) in the same network?

3- My technical suppoprt ended up saying KeyIndex was none of the
parameters asked for WIFI !!! even though I was telling him “I have it
in front of me”!!! and suggested me to
- Eliminate any use of DHCP!
- Hard configre an IP address for each PC (?)
- Same for DNS
- … absolutely nonsense!

Keyindex relates to that WiFi can have 4 _different_ keys (as you have
seen) and Keyindex specifies (from the client) which one to use. It has
nothing to do with the quantity of WiFi clients that can connect.

Duplicate Names in the Network almost always points to two PCs having
the same name in System Properties. Has one of your neighbors gotten a
hold of your SSID and WEP keys and using your WiFi for free with maybe
the same PC name? Change the SSID and WEP keys and then see if you still
get the Duplicate Names.

I suppose, but doubt, it could be duplicate MACs. Are you spoofing any
MACs as some routers have you do because the ISP is using it for
authentication/speed governor? If you are using NAT the only MAC your
ISP should see is that of the router. The only reason to have it spoof
the MAC is if you had a PC directly attached when you first established
the authentication and now with the router you can't "replace" it at the
ISP.

Just checking Networking 101:
In the router:
Do you have NAT turned on? Most ISPs only allow you to have one
Public IP with out extra $.
Do you have DHCP server turned on?
Do you have DHCP providing the DNS addresses of your ISP?
Either via hard coded or as a copy of what it is getting via
its WAN DHCP client.
IS your DHCP server providing private IPs? (192.168.#.#,
172.16.#.#-172.31.0.0, 10.#.#.#)
Some routers/firewalls have a setting to pass Netbios. Does yours
have it turned off? If passed and other users on the ISP also have
theirs set to pass then all of you have to have unique PC names.

Or… am I absolutely wrong?
TIA
Sorry for this lengthy mail

Roger Vicker, CCP