Acquiring network address

[dbahn]

First post here, and sorry it's not a simple question.

I have a Sony laptop that is moved back and forth between two houses, Mendon and Addison (Vermont), both of which have wireless networks with a LInksys router. Mendon is broadband and Addison is DSL.

When first set up, the Sony laptop connected to the internet in Mendon, then when it was moved to Addison it would also connect to the internet there (different SSID's at each place). When it's brought back to Mendon it shows a strong signal, but shows that it is "acquiring network address", but never connects to the internet. (WEP is disabled for now on both networks.)

Changing the order of the networks doesn't help.

Also, I have an old Gateway laptop that connects to the internet just fine on the Mendon network. What's strange is that if I click on the properties of the Belkin wireless card on the Gateway computer on the Mendon network, it shows a strong network signal, but it also says that I'm not connected to the internet (although I'm writing this from that computer, so it's connected somehow.)

Zonealarm is set to allow IP ranges on both computers from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.255

Where do I go next to get connected?

[Paul Komski]

How has the router been configured? Is it set to allow everything to use the internet connection or do you have to specify the MAC address of the PC, etc. If so you should be able to find the wireless card's MAC address by running ipconfig /all from a command prompt and then change the settings on the router. WEP is to do with privacy/encryption and not with access per se.

Also - since the router should have a hardware firewall try disabling ZA temporarily to take it out of the equation and are you sure the network range is as stated or does the router dynamically assign the IP address and if so what is it?

[Whyzman]

Also, you might want to consider giving Linksys tech-support a call. I have successful stories to tell with each encounter with Linksys...