Got a new phone today - help!

[Taz]

I bought a Sony Ericsson Xperia Active today. I am having trouble setting up the WiFi. It can locate the neighbors wifi signal but not ours. When I put in the ssid and password etc of our wifi it comes up saying out of range. Any ideas people?

[steve_t]

Is your router not broadcasting the SSID?

[Taz]

Is your router not broadcasting the SSID?

I'm not too smart when it comes to stuff like this but the other 3 computers and my partners motorola defy have no issues connecting to it?

[Gremlin]

What type of security is on the wireless? WEP is older and some of the new stuff doesn't support it. WPA/WPA2 is the standard now...

[steve_t]

I'm not too smart when it comes to stuff like this but the other 3 computers and my partners motorola defy have no issues connecting to it?

So, on your partner's Defy, when you search for available wireless networks, does it display the name of your router? But not on your SE phone?

[Taz]

yes thats correct.

[Taz]

What type of security is on the wireless? WEP is older and some of the new stuff doesn't support it. WPA/WPA2 is the standard now...

its wpa .

[steve_t]

Jump on to the router via your computer and check if the channel is set to 12 or 13 which is outside the normal range. Failing that, backup your phone and do a factory reset

[JimO]

just use the neighbours they wont mind

[TrentNz]

When i first got my smartphone i accidentally set the language to Norwegian or something..
talk about trying to find the setting to change it back to english...

[Taz]

Router is set to 13. What now?

[Gremlin]

I presume you don't have any controls like MAC addressing etc?

Not nearing the limits of any DHCP pool allocations?

[Taz]

just use the neighbours they wont mind

I don't know their password :(

[Taz]

I presume you don't have any controls like MAC addressing etc?

Huh? :) Haven't seen any..... Not sure where to look.

[Taz]

Not nearing the limits of any DHCP pool allocations?

Now you're talking a foreign language Grem.

[TrentNz]

I don't know their password :(

Try your city name
worked for me lol
probably racked up a couple of hundy bill on my neighbors Net before they found out
two people playing ps3 most of the day for a month or two, gotta add up.

[Gremlin]

Huh? :) Haven't seen any..... Not sure where to look.
Will be in the wireless access point/modem, however you have everything set up.

Now you're talking a foreign language Grem.
When devices connect to the wireless, they get an address - DHCP (like a phone number, it's unique and identifies each device, to give and get info from). Let's say it has no more addresses to give out?

Tbh tho, I'm guessing. I haven't come across something like yours before, and I've dealt with enough networks and devices. Perhaps restart the wireless access point/modem? Possible there's an incompatibility between devices... WEP had key indexes, but not usually WPA... Still, check your wireless key is key index 1, if it does give you the option.

[Taz]

Problem solved. Went into router settings and changed channel setting from 13 to 11 and all is good. (for now) :)

Thanks all for you help tonight.

Andy.

[Gremlin]

Check the other devices can still connect fine.

Also, if you have the ability on a computer to view the available wireless networks and their channels, pick a channel not in use already.

[pzkpfw]

I presume you don't have any controls like MAC addressing etc?


Huh? :) Haven't seen any..... Not sure where to look.

Network devices have a kind of ID number (MAC address), and WiFI routers can have an access list that allows only known approved MAC addresses to connect.

On my Sony phone, MAC address is found here:
1. Settings
2. Wireless & Networks
3. WiFI Settings
4. menu button
5. Advanced

It's not perfect (can be faked), but having an access list adds another small layer of security, to stop people getting in.

It's also a good way to disable your Daughters Laptop or iPod when you want her to tidy her room, without turning off everybodys WiFi.


If you'd already had such filtering active, it would have been a possible explanation for you not connecting.


(It really bugs me that people think it's OK to use unsecured WiFI, just because it's unsecured. It's like shoplifting being OK just because the shopkeeper wasn't looking. Opportunity shouldn't result in action.)

[steve_t]

Router is set to 13. What now?


Problem solved. Went into router settings and changed channel setting from 13 to 11 and all is good. (for now) :)

Thanks all for you help tonight.

Andy.

Sweet. SE phones only use channels 1-11. Glad that got sorted relatively quickly.
My broadband seems to be down to 0.04 Mbps today both at home and at work with different ISPs. There must be some hardware issues somewhere :bash:

[Bikemad]

go find a kid to set it up for ya.............