Connecting to wi-fi

[iandavid]

Ok guys I hope someone can throw some light on my network problem.

We have 2 x macbook pro's, 2 x ipads and 2 x iphones (1 x 3S, 1 x 4S) and a windows desktop. All are connected to an Apple time machine which gives us our wireless Apple network. The time machine accesses the Internet via a buffalo router. All works perfect unless anyone else wants to join the network. Example, our son came over for Christmas and we'd bought him a new iPod. It found the network but after putting in the password the little circle keeps going round and round and it doesn't join the wi-fi. Exactly the same with his phone. If I reboot the router then his devices log on fine. So now another friend comes over, exactly the same, finds the network but can't join unless I reboot the router.

Can anyone offer any advice please? Thanks

 

[Tim Cullis]

Not particularly helpful, but I have a similar setup (it's called Time Capsule—Time Machine is the backup software) and it works just fine. The Time Capsule is effectively an Apple Airport Extreme with embedded disk drive. We have ours connected to a Virgin hub which has the wifi disabled and so acts purely as a modem.

Over Christmas we had an iMac, MacBook Air, iPad, three iPhones, four Android phones, a wireless printer, NAS RAID box and four Windows notebooks all on the same system.

In addition to the normal 2.4GHz network, I have it set up with the two additional networks, a 5GHz one (with password) so that newer faster devices can be separate, plus an open network 2.4Ghz network called guest which doesn't need a password.

 

[topcat2006]

Too many devices connected at once?

 

[chipsonfriday]

Looks like a DHCP range issue.

DHCP is the dynamic allocation of IP addresses to any device that connects to your network. The DHCP server (typically your wireless router) is configured to allow a specific number of devices to be allocated IP addresses. (The DHCP range).

It is possible that your DHCP server has been set to a low number. For example, if it is set to five then the first five devices get an IP address the sixth doesn't and so cant connect.

Log into your router and check. Then change it to a higher number if it is too low.

The range will be specified by a start and end IP address and not a number.


Chips

 

[Pukmeister]

I think the above post hit the nail on the head, a reboot gets the router to re-issue IP addresses across your network.

It could also be worth setting up your regular devices on static IP routing assuming your router allows it, so that your router uses the same addresses all the time for the same devices. Any new devices should then be given their own IP address when they attempt to join the network (assuming your dynamic start and end are set within the remaining allowable ranges as per the above post).

Most wireless routers are capable of handling up to 256 independant IP addresses so you should have plenty of room.

 

[buzzman]

Try splitting the channels on the router ie designate channel 11 to iPads and separate security key. Then setup key 2 to another channel say 7. Then leave a spare key for guests etc which you should be able to throttle back therefore allocating more bandwidth to the devices in your house that use it more regularly.

Hope any of that makes sense? It does in my head. Might take a bit of fiddling with the router setup, but most routers can do this. Any questions just pm me.

 

[iandavid]

Thanks Chips and Adam.

It makes perfect sense. As a computer ignoramus I really had no idea where to look, you have helped enormously.

Paul

 

[DollyRocket]

Are you sure the timemachine and the router aren't both issuing DHCP acknowledgements. I think they are both conflicting and causing issues. You should have only one dhcp server on the network. Your time machine box might be handling both DNS and dhcp requests.

 

[GSmonkey]

I'm sure you've probably sorted it by now. The problem will be that you've got both routers issuing addresses. You've probably physically connected them incorrectly as well. The first router should be configured to act as a DHPC server i.e. issuing IP addresses within your network. You then connect a LAN connection of the first router to a LAN connection on the second router (not the WAN connection). The second router should then be inhibited from acting as a DHCP server and given a static address that the first router is unlikely to give out e.g. 192.168.0.250.

Reboot everything and you should be good to go.

 

[iandavid]

Yes it's all sorted now and thanks guys. You were right, it seems that everything was conflicting so my friend has now set it up like GSMonkey suggested and it's all ticketybo now

Not my field off expertise at all.