[vox-tech] Wireless Networking Confusion

[Jeff Newmiller]

Richard Crawford wrote:
> I have two laptops, both running Kubuntu Dapper, both updated.  Both have the 
> same brand and model wireless card, which is enabled in both with 
> ndiswrapper.  However, for some reason, I can get to computers in my local 
> network with one, but not with the other.  The other laptop -- an old IBM 
> Thinkpad -- can get to sites outside my home network just fine when a network 
> cable is inserted into it.
> 
> My wireless configurations appear to be the same for each (with the exception 
> of the IP address; both computers have static IP addresses in my network).  
> My WAP is not configured to filter according to MAC address.

Something is different.

> The section of /etc/network/interfaces for each computer is the same:
> 
> iface wlan0 inet static
> address 192.168.1.xxx
> netmask 255.255.255.0
> gateway 192.168.1.1
> wireless-essid RLYEH
> wireless-key xxxxxxxxxx
> 
> auto wlan0
> 
> 
> (For one, the IP address is .115; for the other it is .122)
> 
> I can't think of anything I might have missed.

Well, with all WAPs I have had experience with, they are
configured as routers with a NAT firewall on the upstream
side, and you have omitted the upstream network configuration of your
WAP.  However, in that case you need DIFFERENT network numbers on the
upstream side (your LAN) and the downstream side (your Wireless network).
The fact that one laptop works would suggest that you have worked this
out, but in previous posts you have mentioned using 192.168.1.x for your
wired LAN so it seems worth bringing up.

Also, I try to use DHCP and config the WAP to assign specific IP addresses
by MAC address if I want "static" setup... this is much more flexible
for the laptop configuration.

a) wired network config?
b) WAP is firewalled or bridging?
c) what commands did you use to test connectivity, on what computer
were they invoked, and what were the results?

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