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Wireless connection problem with Westell 327W

I have a Westell Model 327W that has been giving me some problems the past few weeks. I have it connected through ethernet to my mac desktop and then we have couple of mac laptops in the house that connect wirelessly. Everything had been working fine for a long time and then suddenly the laptops would get error messages when they turned on saying that "none of your preferred networks are available." I would go to check to see what wireless networks were available and sure enough, there was my network, but the laptops won't connect to it. If I try, they sit and spin and eventually timeout.

To get it to work, we have to cycle the power on the westell and give it a minute and suddenly the laptops can get back on. Then after a few hours it looses the wireless connection again (but the network is still showing up) and we have to cycle the power again. Very frustrating and annoying. All the while the desktop is doing fine and never loses connection, so I know that the problem has something to do with the wireless portion of the Westell and not our DSL signal. Any ideas out there for what might be causing this? Do I need I new modem/router? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Comments

Provider7

If it was only happening on one computer I would look at the computer, but seeing as it's happening to more thatnone, My first thought is your modem is crapping out. THe other thought is do you have any cordless phones in your home. I've heard they sometimes cause interference to the 2.4ghz signal. If you do, I would first try unpluggin the cordless and see if the trouble still persist.

prebs

I've actually been having the same exact problem with my wireless also. Internet works great on the computer and the router shows that I have a wireless. And when I search it on another device such as my iPhone or PS3, the wireless comes up full strength however it is "Unable to join the network." I've also tried unplugging the phones but that didn't work.

I dont want to have to shut down and turn the router back on everytime. So, any help would be great. Thanks

Battlestar

My friends' network has that problem with the Westell 327W. There is only one laptop computer that connects wirelessly, others are connected by wire. There are no wireless phones anywhere in the place. No other wireless networks appear to be available in the Vista network connection utility. Yet we still have to go the Westell 327W and reboot the thing before we can get the laptop to connect to the internet, which is a pain especially when the laptop is upstairs and the 327W is downstairs.

The 327W setup says it's broadcasting its wireless signal and has no complaints, but it refuses to acknowledge the laptop computer until it's rebooted. Maybe there's a firmware upgrade that could fix this, but the 327W setup states that Verizon would have to be contacted for assistance and is unable to locate any upgrade.

UPDATE: I downloaded and installed firmware from this link:

http://www.verizon.net/central/vzc.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=vzc_help_contentDisplay&linkflag=verizon_dsl&case=VersaLinkFix&linkflag=guestonly_noregion

Everything looks the same, but we'll see whether this will help in the near future. It should be the latest revision of the firmware.

Message Edited by Battlestar on 03-27-2009 08:17 PM

prebs91

Well, maybe its because my computer is slightly dated.. need to get a new one, but the firmware needs to find a program online to open it with so I cant download the firmware fully. And other then that. I'm till having the same problem with this.

dslr595148

@prebs91 wrote:
Well, maybe its because my computer is slightly dated.. need to get a new one, but the firmware needs to find a program online to open it with so I cant download the firmware fully. And other then that. I'm till having the same problem with this.

While I do not have this router, I can give you a Clue/Hint.

The step(s) are:

#1 Find the Firmware for your router.

#2 Download the firmware to your computer.

Note: Typically this means when using a web browser, you need to right click on the URL and select save as. And save the file to your Hard Drive...

#3 Log into the router.

#4 Find the correct screen where you upgrade the firmware at.

For example if you had a Linksys WRT54G Hardware version 5, you need to go to Administration -> Firmware Upgrade .

That screen of the Linksys WRT54G Hardware version 5, looks something like what you see at

http://ui.linksys.com/files/WRT54G/v5/1.00.2/Firmware-Upgrade.htm

#5 And follow the rest of the directions...

*EDIT* If you need more than a clue/hint, please post. And someone will assist you. 🙂

Message Edited by dslr595148 on 03-28-2009 05:20 PM

Battlestar

The firmware is intended for your Westell router, not your computer. The only software you need on your computer is your Internet Explorer or Firefox browser, whatever it is you use to surf the 'net. If you type in the router's address in the address bar of your web browser, something like 192.168.1.1, you might get through to your router. You'll have to log into your router with a username and password. If this is something you haven't done before, it's probably a good idea to get a knowledgeable buddy to assist you!

In short, you have to get past your router's login before you can get to its firmware upload screen, somewhere in the "Advanced" configuration section. There, you can tell it where your firmware file is located on your computer.

Yeah, hope this helps.

Message Edited by Battlestar on 03-29-2009 05:31 PM

ckhemming

We use a 327W router with a desktop hardwired to it by cat9 cable.

There are 3 PC's hooked up to it. Two desktops & one laptop.

All PC's run windows xp and each has a wireless card

The main desktop, # 1, has wireless but will only connect with a LAN cable.

#1 replaced the laptop which was being used as a desktop. It is an HP and actually has the desktop hookeup where you can plug the laptop in and access auxiliary hard drives, other i/o cards, etc.

The laptop, which is # 2, has always been able to connect wireless & LAN.

The other desktop, #3, has always been able to connect wireless & LAN.

Both #2 and #3 were present when the 327W was installed.

We want to make #1 wireless, but the 327W refuses to recognize it.

We also want to replace #3 with a new PC, but we sense that the 327W won't recognize it & so we will have to use a LAN cable.

We don't want LAN cables running all over the place, which is why we got wireless in the first place. All of the above is background.

SO HERE IS THE PROBLEM.

I went out and bought a linksys wireless router and plugged it into the 327W and the 327W refused to recognize it.

I spent about 4 hours on the phone a few months ago, and the verizon tech said to dump the 327W and order a DSL modem, they called it a "bridge." And then plug the linksys router into the bridge, just like I have at another location.

Then I ordered the DSL modem and unplugged the 327W and, OF COURSE, the bridge modem was not recognized.

Then I plugged the linksys into the dsl modem bridge, again no recognition.

That is where it is.

This is very frustrating. I am not interested in talking to a "script reader" on the help line in a foreign location. I am interested in talking to a live person who knows the score.

Telling me to scrap the 327W and order a dsl modem bridge (which by the way costs $90) which then is not recognized and does not work is a waste of time.

Last but no least, I go into the 327W and access its main page, and it says that #1 is hooked up to a LAN port on the router, #2 is hooked up wirelss, and #3 is hooked up wireless. But it won't say when #1 is hooked up wireless.

Then, if I change its configuration to "bridge only" and try to hook up the linksys router, nothing happens.

I don't like the Westell 327W because it is proprietary to Verizon, I like Netgear and Linksys routers when hooked up to a DSL modem or bridge, I think the Westell is a piece of junk, for all the facts I have said here.

Any ideas?

I am at the end of my rope. And about to go elsewhere for DSL service, not that Verizon would care if they lost a business customer.

CKHemming

dslr595148

For directions on how to bridge this router, follow this path...

http://start.verizon.net/

-> Click on "Support"

-> Under help, click on "Networking"

-> Under Networking, click on "Setup"

-> Click on "Connecting a third-party router to your home network"

-> Click on "VersaLink 327W gateway"

--

If you have any questions, please ask.

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