Topic: Eee PC not so eeesy?

[Simon]

My new toy arrived today, and I'm still finding my way round it, but have come up against my first problem, and that is, I can't get a wireless network connection established.  I select the network from the list, put in the WPA key, and after a while, it just goes to 'Pending' and the log says No DHCP Offered.  My laptop connects OK to my router, so I don't know what's going wrong. 

[sam]

hmm, firstly are you using the expert or normal user mode? i.e. do you have what looks like a desktop?

I'll have a think to what else could be going wrong but I'm bouncing around today with a visitor over from India.. its all a bit stressful

[Simon]

Don't worry, Sam, it's not urgent, just a bit frustrating.  I have some sort of desktop, but it's not like a Windows desktop.  It's just got several large icons for Web Mail, Web, iGoogle, etc, with some Tabs at the top for Internet, Work, Learn, Play, Settings, etc.

[Simon]

One thing I noticed is when I put the key in for the WPA, it comes up as ASCII, but the key on the router, and the laptop is TKIP.  Not sure if this makes any difference, but it won't connect with no security either.

[sam]

ok, if I was you I'd get it to run in "expert" mode, the desktop it has by default it the sort of click and happen kid desktop and not a proper one, like you would expect.  In the normal mode you should be able to go:  Settings > Personalization > Login Mode then tick mark the radio entry for Full desktop mode.  I think, it's been a while.

[Simon]

the Personalization screen only gives me user name and password options, plus Desktop Theme, Keyboard Layout, and log in automatically option. 

[sam]

I'll boot mine up later.... you might need todo something the first time.

[sam]

oh and a good place for a whole stack of info is: http://wiki.eeeuser.com/

[Simon]

OK, I'll be off in a minute anyway, got other stuff to be doing. 

Oh, thanks for the link, will check it out. 

[sam]

managed to get anywhere with it?

[Simon]

No, been too busy today, and haven't bothered with it.  I'm now thinking of installing XP on it, as that's the only way I can think of to get it to work.  There seems to be no help on the various forums I've looked at, other than confirming that there's a problem with wi-fi on it, but no suggestions of a fix.  I may even just return it as faulty, as technically, if it doesn't do what it says on the tin, it is.  I shouldn't really have to spend hours researching and fiddling about with it, when it should work out of the box, should I?

[Camstop]

I'm sure you have to use the lower security option to connect the wifi if i remember rightly.

I've got XP on mine and it runs well though i upgraded the ram to 2GB and i got a veho 8GB SDHC card from ebuyer to expand on the on-board 4GB

The internet connection is very good and i recently used mine on the wifi in a hotel i was staying at without any problem. 

[sam]

I have wifi working on it fine though - I'll dig it out properly and have a look at what you are seeing, though seriously get into the desktop mode its much better. I'd avoid install XP if you can... the benefit of the linux OS far outways the convenience of using something you know.

Oh and Cam, where did you get your ram from? I was thinking about doing this but I've never bothered changing (or adding) the ram in a laptop before.

[Camstop]

Oh and Cam, where did you get your ram from? I was thinking about doing this but I've never bothered changing (or adding) the ram in a laptop before.

They seem to have them posted on hot deals every so often and i'm sure it cost around £21-£23 delivered.

This is all i can see on there now and when you go to the link the price has gone up a bit.

http://www.hotukdeals.com/item/227619/kingston-valueram-memory-2gb-667mhz/showthread.php?t=227619&page=2

Still isn't bad though.

[Simon]

I have wifi working on it fine though - I'll dig it out properly and have a look at what you are seeing, though seriously get into the desktop mode its much better. I'd avoid install XP if you can... the benefit of the linux OS far outways the convenience of using something you know.

To be honest, Sam, Linux is far more alien to me than I ever thought it would be, and it doesn't seem as though you can do anything without knowing some sort of complex command prompt.  It really makes you realise how easy Windows is, in comparison.  I honestly can't be arsed to learn, what is essentially, a new language (still haven't managed to find this 'Advanced Desktop' mode), and I just wanted it to work out of the box like it's supposed to.  I've been reading the eeeforums, and there's loads of suggested solutions, but none of them seem to have been proven to work permanently, and a lot of them are technically over my head anyway.

If I use a low encryption key, then that will compromise the security of my other laptop, won't it?  As far as I know, you can't have different keys for different devices on the network, unless I'm mistaken.