SSID is not showing up

[falcon2000]

Hi all,

Minor annoyance here. At sister-in-law's house. There are 2 AP broadcasting 2 different SSID. I have been staying here since last week and everything had been fine until yesterday. One of the AP (let's call it SSID 1) just refuses to show up in the available network list on my laptop and one of her computers. Both AP show up in all other computers and the wirless-able TV and the TiVo.

I have triple checked that both SSID are set to broadcast. On my Dell laptop, I use the Dell wireless utility and if I select SSID 1 from the Search drop-down list, and then scan, it will show up. But if I select "All Networks" to scan, it just won't show. On her computer, it uses Netgear's utility and it only have one option which is to scan for all available networks. It also refuses to show there. Both computers running XP SP3.

Both broadcasting w/ the same strong signal.

[Midknyte]

There are 2 AP broadcasting 2 different SSID

Make/models? Are they using different channels? Are they both on 2.4GHz? Did you upgrade them to the latest firmware?

Did you try using the Wireless Zero Config service instead?

I use Wirelessnetview to verify SSIDs in the area.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_view.html

[SuperSparks]

Or this one:

inSSIDer

[falcon2000]

Make/models? Are they using different channels? Are they both on 2.4GHz? Did you upgrade them to the latest firmware?

Did you try using the Wireless Zero Config service instead?

I use Wirelessnetview to verify SSIDs in the area.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_view.html

Not in the house right now, but I believe one is a modem/router from their ISP and the other is a Netgear router. The 2 SSID are both broadcasting on Ch. 11 and both 2.4GHz. Haven't done any firmware update as far as I know.
But the thing is that all these shouldn't matter. Both SSID should show even though they are on the same ch, etc. It had been the case until all at a sudden 2 days ago. Her neighbors' ch. 11, 2.4GHz AP show up!

(Can't use Windows 0 Config b/c the computers are setup to use the wifi cards' utilities. Don't want to disable them and switch to 0 Config b/c in my experience, a lot of times that will cause problem.)

[Midknyte]

The 2 SSID are both broadcasting on Ch. 11 and both 2.4GHz.

You should use different channels to reduce interference.

I've had more problems with the vendor wifi utilities than WZC.

[Train]

You should use different channels to reduce interference.

I've had more problems with the vendor wifi utilities than WZC.

I totally agree with both statements!!!

[SuperSparks]

I suspect that the signal from one AP is drowning out the other. I've never used the utility that MK linked to, but the inSSIDer that I linked to will show the channels and signal strengths of every device in the locality, and it can be quite illuminating. Especially if you install it on a laptop and walk around with it.

[Midknyte]

inSSIDer and WirelessNetView have similar info, but different looking GUIs.

I like WNV because it's small and portable. I just keep it on a flash drive.

[falcon2000]

You should use different channels to reduce interference.

I agree. That's how I setup mine. But what I am interested here though is why one of AP doesn't show up all at a sudden. Both broadcasting strong signal; both can be connected to w/ good speed; both show up in other computers and both show up in all the computers just a few days ago.

I downloaded WNV (just the exe b/c I don't wanna install it) and ran it but absolutely nothing happened. It doesn't work. No SSID shows up at all. Haven't tried inSSIDer yet (not in the house right now.)

[SuperSparks]

If nothing at all is showing up on the problem laptop, that would suggest antenna problems.

[Midknyte]

I downloaded WNV (just the exe b/c I don't wanna install it) and ran it but absolutely nothing happened. It doesn't work. No SSID shows up at all. Haven't tried inSSIDer yet (not in the house right now.)

That is bizarre. It should list all the WAPs in your area, the signal strengths, etc. Something is fishy. did you update your wifi drivers?

[falcon2000]

If nothing at all is showing up on the problem laptop, that would suggest antenna problems.

Don't think so b/c I can connect and surf just fine. WNV doesn't show anything but the Dell utility still showing all SSID except the one in question.

Drivers are all the latest versions.

[Midknyte]

Hmm. It might be that WNV relies on the WZC service, which is being overridden/disabled by the Dell wifi utility.

Did you make a manual SSID entry in the Dell wifi for the "bad" SSID? If so, remove it.

I already suggested changing channels and using WZC. I think it's worth a try, since you can always switch back.

[falcon2000]

n-a-a-h-h! It's not worth spending more time on it since both AP are working anyway. I am just a little annoyed by it and a little curious about it, that's all. It's not my system and I am packing to go home soon tonight, so I am closing this case.

Hey, thank you all to trying to help.