Each
computer is unique, and we're sorry that we are not able to offer
personal technical assistance with your configuration. However, we
do provide this webpage of technical assistance to help you with
the most common issues.
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|Network
Settings | Troubleshooting
| More on
WiFi |-----
|
Network
Settings ...jump
to troubleshooting |
|
Network Settings
for Windows XP, 2000
- From
Control Panel, select "Network and Dial- up Connections" or
"Network and Internet Connections."
- Right-click
on "Wireless Network Connection" or "Local Area Connection"
and click "Properties."
- Locate the
internet TCP/IP protocol and get into its Properties.
If more than one TCP/IP protocol is
listed, look for the one associated
with your wireless adapter.
- Select "Obtain and IP address automatically" and "Obtain
DNS server address automatically."
- For XP,
right-click on "Wireless Network Connection: and select
"View Available Wireless Networks." Select the name of the
wireless network available at the library and click "Connect."
| Library |
802.11b
or 802.11g SSID |
802.11a
SSID |
| East Greenwich |
egpl1 |
not
supported |
| Glassboro |
Glassboro-G |
Glassboro-A |
| Greewich |
Greenwich-G |
Greenwich-A |
| Logan |
Logan-G |
Logan-A |
| Mullica Hill |
MullicaHill-G |
MullicaHill-A |
| Newfield |
|
not
supported |
| Swedesboro |
Swedesboro-G |
Swedesboro-A |
|
|
|
Network Settings
for Windows NT
- From
Control Panel, double click on "Network."
- Locate the
TCP/IP protocol and double click on "Properties." If
more than one TCP/IP protocol is listed, look for the
one associated with your wireless adapter.
- Select "Obtain an IP address from a DHCP server" and click
"OK."
- From the
Control Panel, select "Internet Options" then click on the
"Connections" tab. If you also have a dial-up connection, it
should not be set to "Always dial my default connection."
LAN Settings should be "Automatically detect settings." And
leave the Proxy server settings blank.
|
|
|
Macintosh Network
Settings (OS X):
- Select
Apple Menu, then System Preference, then Network
button.
- Select
TCP/IP tab and configure "Using DHCP."
- Above the
TCP/IP tab, you may need to configure via "AirPort" or
other wireless (WiFi) Ethernet.
- Leave
Domain Name Servers and Search Domains blank.
|
|
|
Troubleshooting ...jump to
top |
Troubleshooting
Windows NT, XP, and Windows 2000 Systems
- Go
to Start, Run and type: CMD. Click OK.
A command
prompt window
will appear.
- Type the following in the command prompt window:
- ipconfig/all (Displays
the full configuration
information)
- ipconfig/release (Releases
the IP address)
- ipconfig/renew (Renews
the IP address)
|
|
Troubleshooting Windows 95 and
Windows 98 Systems
- Go to
Start, Run and type: WINIPCFG
Click OK.
The IP
configuration window will appear.
Click on
the More Info button.
- If you are
having an IP conflict, click on the Release
All button to release the current IP and then click
on the Renew All button.
There is more
information on using winipcfg at: compnetworking.about.com/od/windowsnetworking/l/aa080602a.htm |
|
|
Troubleshooting
Apple Macintosh Powerbooks or iBooks
- Your laptop
must have the MacTCP Control Panel installed. This
control panel comes with recent versions of the
system software and should be pre-installed.
If you have
other MacTCP configurations that you would like
to save, MacTCP
Switcher is a useful utility for storing several
set-ups.
- To
configure your MacTCP, choose to Connect via
Ethernet.
|
|
More FAQ's on
WiFi Networks ...jump to
top |
 |
Why
can't I get a WiFi signal, but the person next to me
can? |
 |
Not all Wireless cards are the same. The
quality of your card versus your neighbor's can be quite
different. Check the wireless card
manufacturer's Web support page by using a Library
public Internet workstation or check your wireless card
manual. To
find links to product support sites, visit The Certified
Product Listing provided by Wi-Fi
Alliance. |
|
| |
Do
all PDA's support wireless? |
| |
While not all PDA's support
wireless, several manufacturers have adopted wireless
standards, and wireless cards are available. For
more information, check out this
article from About.com |
|
| |
Will
my Macintosh work with wireless in the
Library? |
| |
Yes, as long as it supports 802.11a,
802.11b or 802.11g wireless standards. If you have
successfully connected to other public wireless networks,
or if you connect at home using Apple's Airport Express
or Airport Extreme, you should be fine. |
|
| |
Do I need special software or
drivers to connect? |
| |
While you won't need special software, if you are
using a wireless card and are experiencing connection
problems, you may have drivers which are
out-of-date. The drivers originally included
with your wireless card may be several generations old.
Check your vendor's website for updated drivers which
can be downloaded and installed on your laptop or
PDA. |
|
| |
What kind of wireless card do I
need? |
| |
You need an 802.11a, 802.11b
or 802.11g Wireless Network Card. Many new laptop computers
have wireless capabilities built-in. Check
with your laptop manufacturer for your
options. |
|
| |
What is the difference
between 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g,
etc? |
| |
- 802.11a
- Achieves speeds up to 54 Mbps in the 5
GHz band. Very short range, mostly used in
educational institutions, closed networks, and labs
where range and signal obstruction is not an
issue. Not often used for public
hotspots. Not
compatible with 802.11b.
- 802.11b - Achieves speeds
up to 11 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. Very popular
standard used by many HotSpot locations, but quickly
being replaced by 802.11G which is faster. 802.11
B and G are compatible with each other.
- 802.11g
- Achieves speeds up to 54 Mbps in
the 2.4 GHz band. Quickly becoming the standard
for hotspots. Extremely fast AND compatible
with 802.11b.
|
|
| |
Does the wireless network
pose a health hazard? |
| |
The 2.4 GHz band that the wireless network broadcasts
on is the same frequency used by many wireless
telephones, and poses no known health
risk. |
|
| |
Do I need to Update Windows
for wireless? |
| |
You do not need to update Windows to
connect to a wireless network, however, it is a good idea to
keep your software fully patched and up-to-date.
Microsoft recommends that you install all the "service
packs" for your version of Windows. Updates
are available at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/. |
|
| |
Why am I having a problem
using the wireless network? I'm running Windows
XP. |
| |
Two very common problems with laptops running
Windows XP are:
- On some XP
laptops with both wireless and wired (Ethernet)
connectivity, vendors ship with the "Network Bridge"
turned on. You may need to delete or disable this
(under Control Panel, Network Connections). Instructions
for removing or disabling the network bridge are available
from this Microsoft
website.
- Numerous
problems have been reported with Windows XP Service
Pack 1 that are resolved by Service Pack 2 (SP2). Please check http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
to make sure you have installed Service Pack 2.
If you need to install SP2, we recommend consulting David
Pogue's helpful article on how to successfully
install the update.
|
|
| |
Why
am I having a problem using the wireless network? I'm
running Windows 2000. |
| |
A
machine with an integrated wireless card and running
Windows 2000 might stop to work after installing
SP3. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 327947
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=327947
states that Windows 2000 SP3 turns off PCMCIA-to-PCI IRQ
routing, which causes problems for integrated
Lucent/Orinoco wireless adapters. You need to
follow the instructions in the Microsoft Support
document to re-enable the card. |
|
| |
Will Bluetooth transmissions
interfere with my Wireless connection? |
| |
No, both Bluetooth and WLAN can co-exist.
Since Bluetooth devices use Frequency Hopping and most
wireless networks use "Direct Sequence Spreading
techniques" they each appear as background noise to each
other and should not cause any significant problems. |
|
| |
Will
use of the wireless network reduce my laptop's battery
life? |
| |
No, accessing the wireless network does not
increase the use of your battery. |
|
| |
I have problems connecting
to the wireless network with Internet Explorer. |
| |
In some cases, a proxy server setting
is present in your browser. To access the wireless network
you will need to turn off proxy servers. To
check proxy setting, go under Internet Options,
Connections tab, verify that the Dial-up and Virtual
Private Network settings are set to "Never dial a
connection". Then, under Local Area Network
(LAN) Settings, uncheck each of the following:
- "Automatic
Detect Settings", "Use Automatic
Configuration Script", and
- "Use a Proxy
Server for your LAN"
|
|
| |
I own
a Cisco, D-Link, Linksys, Netgear, Nortel, or SMC a/b/g
wireless card and am having throughput (slow connection)
problems |
| |
Check with the manufacturers for resolution. Some
cards are more problematic than others but upgrades are
regularly available for the popular
cards. |
|
| |
Can a
cell phone interfere with my connection to the wireless
network? |
| |
A
cell phone probably won't interrupt your connection,
however cordless phones and microwave ovens operate
within the frequency range of the network (2.4 GHz and
up) and tit is possible for them to cause interference
with the connection. |
|
| |
What
else can interfere with my
connection? |
| |
Since wireless networks consist of
radio waves, things that can cause interference with a
can also cause interfere with your wireless
connection. If you experience a connection problem
try moving to a different part of the room or within
sight of a wireless access point or router. |
|
| |
Why
do my signal strength and data transfer speeds
vary? |
| |
There are several factors affecting signal
strength and transfer speeds including:
- Your distance
from the access point (AP). You can see variable rates
ranging from 45Mbps to 1 Mbps depending on how close
you are to the AP.
- Because
your wireless connection takes place on a shared
network, data transfer speeds will change depending
on how many people are using the network, and whether
or not they are downloading large files.
|
|
| |
I
think I got a virus from the library's hotspot. What
should I do? |
| |
Connecting your computer to the Internet
via our wireless network does not increase your risk
of exposure to viruses and other such risks. Wireless hotspots
do not produce viruses, which are most often transmitted
as attachments to email. It is strongly
recommended that all users install and run a virus
protection program. |
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