# waiting for network...forever



## jmlee210 (Jan 23, 2007)

hello there,

im having a bit of a problem connecting to the internet. I'm running windows xp on a pc, and I previously had no problems connecting to my home wireless network via a belkin wireless network adaptor. i have WEP encryption, and I have the key automatically stored on my computer.

as of the past few days, however, my wireless internet connection has suddenly stopped working. When I try to connect it gets stuck on "waiting for the network" for a very long time. After that it ends up saying "not connected" and I am not able to connect to the internet.  Other people in my apartment have no problems connecting to the same network. 

Do you have any idea what is going on? Belkin's tech support was very unhelpful - they just suggested I install windows service pack 2, which I did, but it didnt change anything. I have tried resetting my cable modem and wireless modem multiple times to no avail.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Try removing the wireless connection you created and re-entering your WEP key. Also, if you have SP2, try this:

*TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Windows XP with SP2.*

For these commands, *Start, Run, CMD* to open a command prompt.

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: *netsh winsock reset catalog*

Reset TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. *netsh int ip reset reset.log*


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

If JohnWill's steps don't get you going, disable encryption on the router, connect, enable encryption again, and try again to connect.


----------



## jmlee210 (Jan 23, 2007)

hey johnwill,

thanks so much for your advice. im really amazed that it was such a simple problem to fix- i should have thought of just setting up new connection.

its working great now. thanks for your help!


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Glad we could help. Sometimes it's the simple stuff that gets us.


----------



## rulesofroad (Mar 27, 2007)

hi... from spectating this post, my friend has the exact same problem... the router and everything is set up, but when she trires to connect via her laptop to the wireless network, it just says "waiting for network" forever, and nothing happens. we disabled WEP to remove possible variables, and it still doesn't work.

it was mentioned earlier to 'try removing the wireless connection you created...'

what does this mean exactly?

we are pulling our hair out over this.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"... pulling our hair out ..."

That's NOT the way to remove a wireless connection! 

With whatever wireless utility your friend is using she likely created a "profile" for the connection, and there should be an option to 'remove' or 'delete' that profile. That is at least one way to remove the wireless connection, and should save your hair.


----------



## rulesofroad (Mar 27, 2007)

hair grows back, lol. okay, we did the CMD commands and removed the networks from the list and searched for the network again, it found the linksys network (again, no encryption yet), but still hangs on "waiting for network!"


----------



## rulesofroad (Mar 27, 2007)

oh wait, after some retries... it works!

wow, so simple... we were going crazy here! thank you so much!


----------



## jessica lynn (Mar 30, 2008)

Holy cow, stumbled across this thread thanks to a google search and you guys saved me 

I have a dual boot XP/Ubuntu setup on my main desktop, an iphone and another xUbuntu laptop. ALL of the other systems besides windows could access the router in question. It was like my Windows machine just had it out for THAT one exact router, all other routers it could find but that one. 

I followed the CMD commands, restarted my machine and voila, it works! It will not show that I'm connected in that nice cushy little "wireless network connection" icon in my tray but I'm connected :up:

THANK YOU!!!!


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Glad we got most of the problems.  There is a checkmark in the network properties to enable the display of the connected status, look around, I'm not on a wireless machine right now...


----------



## jessica lynn (Mar 30, 2008)

Thank you  turns out the icon will be useful.... The computer is putting up a good fight on this one. It can connect but its not Staying connected. I have to hit 'repair' if I want to get back on. Once I do that, and after it runs through its prompts, then I can get on for a little while, then a popup flashes 'unable to connect to preferred wireless network' and I'm disconnected again. 

Any ideas on how to keep it connected? I can't figure out what might be happening to make it want to disconnect. The signal strength is excellent. A few weeks ago I changed the key without changing the passcode... but that shouldn't affect it, right?


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Sounds like you might have wireless interference, try changing the router's channel.


----------

