Database Users

XDAIIi wi-fi problem

Hi all. I looked at several wi-fi posts on here, but couldn't find anything related to my problem.
I'm beginning to suspect that it's because of something stupid I'm doing, cos it really should be working...
Anyhoo ...I have a wireless router at home, and it's serving 3 PCs with DHCP IP addresses, and an internet connection. I have no issues with it.
What I'm trying to do now is get my shiny new XDAIIi to connect, so that I can have the damn thing on the internet. So far, no luck.
Now, I have got the XDA to detect my SSID. It detects all the settings, and tells me it's connected. I even have a signal strength bar on it which reads about 50%.
However, when I set it to pick up a DHCP address it stubbornly refuses, remaining with a "I can't see a DHCP server" 169.x.x.x address.
I've tried reserving an address on the router and allocating it to the MAC address of the XDA, and manually setting the XDA to have that IP address, entering my router as the gateway, and even entering 2 valid DNS server IPs from my ISP into the name server entries. Still nothing. It says it's connected with the IP address I allocated, but I have no net connection, and I can't ping that address from any of my PCs.
All the while the status screen on the router tells me that the device, with it's MAC address, is connected to the router fine.
Surely this has to be something simple. I have set up all the clients and router for my network, and the settings on the XDA are pertty much the same, and really SHOULD be working.
I'm kinda at my wits end.
So basically any suggestions or advice, or anyone with similar experiences please get in touch, cos I'm struggling to see what I've done wrong, and it's giving me an ulcer.
Many thanks in advance.
Jess

3COM WAP (3CRWE454G72) - XDA IIi WIFI Problems
Hi Jess,
I very much share your frustration.
I have a 3COM WAP (3CRWE454G72) which has served me well. I have a few machines at home working from it. At work we have 20+ machines working from the same model (older firmware).
My specs are as follow:
3C number 3CRWE454G72
Software version 1.03.07A
Boot loader version 1.00.00
Wireless version V1.0.2.1
Hardware version R01A
Don't have the office one's specs here at the moment ...
At work I can get an IP address (there's a windows DHCP server) .. AND I can ping google and traceroute to google. BUT, XDA IIi doesn't seem "know" that it's connected (e.g. network settings shows the WAP as available, but not connected). SKYPE even works!! But nothing else, no IE, no Terminal Services Client, no Avant Go, no network ActiveSync. They all say that the is no network card configured (but with vxUTIL, vxIPCONFIG, etc). I can see ALL the IP details from the DHCP server.
At home it's worse. I can't even get it to connect to the WAP (either with WEP 128, WEP 64 or encryption turned off). As I'm not even getting an IP address at home from the WAP's DHCP server, I've built a new DHCP server on my one linux box and it works for all my machines ... now I can actually trace requests from devices for IP's ... and the XDA IIi never requests an IP address. Which tells me that it's not even getting through the first stages of connecting with the WAP (again tried WEP, NO WEP).
To make things worse. I have been able to connect to some open WAP's in the neighbourhood ... everything functioning normal.
I'm losing the will to live here also ... ;-)
Wolfie

the plot thickens...
Hi Wolfie.
Well, at this end I seem to have more news.
By removing all WEP encryption and removing the MAC address access restriction I had enabled, I got the XDAIIi online, and all was working.
I then enabled the security a step at a time, and at each step updated the configuration on the handheld, and it still all worked. I was so pleased.
)
However this morning I have come to put the thing online again, and once again it refuses to pick up a DHCP address.
I tried my process again, and this time it wont work.
It definitely seems that it's the encryption that's stopping it, but I can't get it working this morning.
When I disabled everything I managed to get it online, but then re-enabling the security killed it and I can't get it to come online again.
SIGH
Oh well, I will try again later. Fussy thing. Anyone ever manage to solve this ??
Jess

have u tried soft reseting the device and retrying, sometimes that cures these hiccups
rgds
jim

WIFI WOES
Jess, thanks for the reply. There's hope. ;-)
I have tried your approach yesterday. However, to no avail. At home I completely opened my WAP, e.g. any MAC, no WEP/WPA, etc. But still nothing. When I look at my log files on the WAP. I can see plenty of entries coming from my XDA IIi ...
04 min(s) 41 sec(s) after system power on : Wireless MAC address 00:09:2D:14:C9:F2 has connected with the device
04 min(s) 43 sec(s) after system power on : Wireless MAC address 00:09:2D:14:C9:F2 has connected with the device
04 min(s) 45 sec(s) after system power on : Wireless MAC address 00:09:2D:14:C9:F2 has connected with the device
04 min(s) 46 sec(s) after system power on : Wireless MAC address 00:09:2D:14:C9:F2 has connected with the device
04 min(s) 48 sec(s) after system power on : Wireless MAC address 00:09:2D:14:C9:F2 has connected with the device
04 min(s) 50 sec(s) after system power on : Wireless MAC address 00:09:2D:14:C9:F2 has connected with the device
... and it just goes on and on and on .... while trying to connect.
At the same time in all connections attemps, I don't get a single entry in my DHCP servers log saying that my XDA II attempted to connect.
Jim: I've tried hard resets, soft resets, O2 Active installed, Corporate mode, pretty much everything my single brain-cell can come up with. ;-)
The thing is definitely a little fiddly indeed ...
The search goes on ...
... anybody out there got their XDA IIi working with WIFI using DHCP and WEP or WPA?

Did you ever get this working?
I have a shiny new XDAIIi and have been trying to get connected via my Cisco Aironet 1200 WAP. The device happily detects my network, accepts the WEP key fine (complains if I enter the wrong key so I know it's communicating) but refuses to pick up an IP address. The Wireless LAN Manager just sits there "Scanning network..."
I firmly belive I'm just missing something but...........
Any help gratefully received :?

bump
I got my QTek 2020i today and for the life of me I can't get it to connect to the internet using my wifi connection @ home
I also have a 3COM router 3CRWE754G72-A and I have my home pc connected to this and also occassionally my work PC - both with no probs.
I can get the qtek to connect and I get a 50% signal strength and I can view an IP address and everything looks good but I can't seem to setup a "Connection" as required by IE?
This is what I get:
"Cannot connect with current connection settings. To change your connection settings, tap Settins"
I tap settings and I get this:
My ISP
Add a new modem connection
My ISP
Add a new modem connection
Add a new VPN server connection
Set up my proxy server
I've gone into each of these and had a "play" but I still can't get the bloody thing to work :evil:
Can someone PLEASE help as this is starting to drive me mad! - I'm not giving up easily...I've been trying to get this to work for a good 4 hours now and I can't find anything in the manual or on the web that helps...this post was the closest I could fine >>> hence the bump!
Cheers
Wayne

have you try to configure the network cards in the connection setting and set the internet using the tiacxwln Compatible Wireless Ethernet?

guoper said:
have you try to configure the network cards in the connection setting and set the internet using the tiacxwln Compatible Wireless Ethernet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, I can get the connection to read "connected" via the Wireless Lan Manager and I can get an IP address - which is totally different to all the other PC's that use my wifi connection - they're all 192.168.1.x whereas this is very different? - the address that I get isn't even the same as the IP Address of my router - I have a static IP address so I know this isn't changing???
Also, when I view the network card page I see the following:
Configure Wireless Networks
Add New...
3Com Available
I can click on this and view the settings for it or I can hold-click and get the option of connecting. If I do this, it just says "connecting"; it never actually says "connected"?
Anyone know where I can get a walkthrough for this?
Cheers
Wayne

3 Com Routers
Hi, DotN
I put a 3Com router in my local pub.
I have no problem connecting to it and solving the usual pub talk problems with it.
If you are getting a connection but your IP address starts with 169.254 then I would say you have a WEP problem. The software only appears to check for incorrectly formatted WEP keys, so either turn it off or make sure you enter the correct key. When selecting connect to a router the message sticks on connecting, come out of the screen and go back in after about 30 secs. Check you ip address. I have had some issues with GRPS trying to connect, but they seem to go away after a couple of hides.
I have to say that I am not over the moon with my XDA2i, but the wifi part has worked pretty well for me.
Laters
Paddy

Re: 3 Com Routers
MacPad said:
Hi, DotN
I put a 3Com router in my local pub.
I have no problem connecting to it and solving the usual pub talk problems with it.
If you are getting a connection but your IP address starts with 169.254 then I would say you have a WEP problem. The software only appears to check for incorrectly formatted WEP keys, so either turn it off or make sure you enter the correct key. When selecting connect to a router the message sticks on connecting, come out of the screen and go back in after about 30 secs. Check you ip address. I have had some issues with GRPS trying to connect, but they seem to go away after a couple of hides.
I have to say that I am not over the moon with my XDA2i, but the wifi part has worked pretty well for me.
Laters
Paddy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Paddy
Thanks for the info. You're bang on with the IP Address!...169.254.x.x
So what encryption can I use?
I've deffinately got the correct password but it's obviously not working
Cheers
Wayne

Hi again
Okay, I've just checked the encryption and I'm using WPA-PSK authentication with TKIP encryption.
Is this what you had?
Cheers
Wayne

3 Com Routers
Are you using a password or 13 Hex pairs, I use the pairs. Try either turning wep of completely or entering 26 1s. Remove your setting for your ap in Configure Wireless Networks screen then reconnect.
Let me know what happens
Paddy

Re: 3 Com Routers
MacPad said:
Are you using a password or 13 Hex pairs, I use the pairs. Try either turning wep of completely or entering 26 1s. Remove your setting for your ap in Configure Wireless Networks screen then reconnect.
Let me know what happens
Paddy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, I've basically removed all security from my wifi setup. I live in the middle of nowhere so it's not a problem - although once I get the wifi working I'll try and get the security going again.
I still can't get a connection
...stop the press!
Okay, I had a thought...maybe I can't connect because of the speed?
the router is a 11g but supports 11b (which is what the QTek 2020i/XDA IIuses) - sure enough, I had the 11g only option selected - DOH!
removed that and I've managed to connect without security.
I assume this was my problem all along...will now stick the security back on and try again
Thanks again Paddy
Cheers
Wayne

Update: I've now managed to get the wifi working with WPA-SPK authentication using TKIP encryption
all along it was simply a case of me having the speed on the router set above what the PDA was capable of! I'd set this ages ago when I first setup my wlan and had forgotten about it cause everything I use is 11g
Cheers again
Wayne

DotN said:
Update: I've now managed to get the wifi working with WPA-SPK authentication using TKIP encryption
all along it was simply a case of me having the speed on the router set above what the PDA was capable of! I'd set this ages ago when I first setup my wlan and had forgotten about it cause everything I use is 11g
Cheers again
Wayne
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doh!...nope, not working again...back to the 169.254.x.x problem.
It's obviously to do with the encryption this time. I'll try some other variations - at least I know that it can work :roll:
Cheers
Wayne

Ouch......
No hard feeling, glad you found the problem
Paddy

bump!
pretty much same prob!
i can get an ip, have to check what it is, it tells me its connected on the scanning network page but on the other bit it tells me its available or connecting but never connects!
i've turned wep off and still no joy!
its really starting to drive me mad!
please please someone help

Take a read back through the last lot of posts between myself and MacPad - I think you'll find the answer there.
For me, I had to totally disable my security and everything else - I could then connect. Once I'd done that, I managed to use WEP with a 26 digit key - start by using something like "0" 26 times...make sure u count as u type them zero's in though as if u get it wrong it won't work!
apart from that, not sure what to say. If you're getting the 164.x.x.x ip address though then as MacPad said, it's to do with the security.
I would mention that the XDAIIi/Qtek 2020ii use 11mbps wifi (b) and not 54mbps (g) so make sure u've got ya router configured to allow both types of connection...this eventually turned out to be my main problem - doh!
Cheers
Wayne

ok now im home ive re-read and done the things mentioned. with a completely unsecure connection i can get a connecation, but the moment i use any kind of encryption (im using wep 64bit, but tried 128bit as well) no matter what key i use i get a split second of connection then its gone!
firewall is not on either.
any ideas??
thank for the suggestions guys im finally progressing

Help: techie input needed please

Hope someone can help: Every time I connect my JJ to my PC, I get a popup error message "Pocket PC Networking: Unable to obtain a server-assigned IP address. Try again later or enter an IP address in Network Settings"
This only happens when I connect to my PC via AS, and clearly it's because my JJ is not finding an IP address for via-PC networking - only I CAN access the internet this way! So, it seems that some OTHER adaptor is trying to get an IP address and is failing
I've gone thro all my PPC's network adaptor settings - all set to obtain IP address automatically - but I do believe this problem started when I first looked at these settings.

Is DHCP server enabled on your PC/router/whichever?

No, my PC is not acting as a DHCP server, and my router is an adsl router that serves my PC - which it is doing fine.
I didn't change anything on my PC nor router, just browsed network ADAPTORS on my PPC and next thing I knew I was getting this message. :?
Further, my PPC IS getting an IP address on one of the adaptors, which I can ping from my PC, and it does connect to the internet via my PC without problems (it's 169.254.2.1 on the "remote-NDIS Host" adaptor - which you will show too). Thus, I surmise that the adaptor that is supposed to connect to my PC is working, and it's another network adaptor that's decided it wants an IP for some reason... :? :? :?
Not a critical error, but I hate not being able to solve my JJ problems

I had this problem too.
It's because the Remote-NDIS Host adapter is set to DHCP.
The "catch 22" is this.... If you set it to an IP, the ActiveSync won't connect, but your only other option is to set it to DHCP, then you get this problem.
The solution...
Set Remote-DNIS Host to DHCP via Settings->Connections->Network Cards
Now edit the registry...
HKLM\Comm\RNDISFN1\Params\TcpIp
Edit the key "EnableDHCP" = 0
Problem solved !... No IP set and no DHCP either.
Basically, RNDIS shouldn't have an IP set, but it shouldn't be DHCP either... but as soon as you view RDNIS via the usual network adapters setting then you are forced to have one of the other, which will cause the problem described in this thread or will cause ActiveSync not to work.

Thanks arthurfuxake!!!
You also solved my problem!!!

Good Fix! arthurfuxake
8) Thanks man that fixed that irritating "unable to obtain IP Address" message for me
Cingular/Siemens SX66
WM2005
Activesync v4.1

arthurfuxake said:
I had this problem too.
It's because the Remote-NDIS Host adapter is set to DHCP.
The "catch 22" is this.... If you set it to an IP, the ActiveSync won't connect, but your only other option is to set it to DHCP, then you get this problem.
The solution...
Set Remote-DNIS Host to DHCP via Settings->Connections->Network Cards
Now edit the registry...
HKLM\Comm\RNDISFN1\Params\TcpIp
Edit the key "EnableDHCP" = 0
Problem solved !... No IP set and no DHCP either.
Basically, RNDIS shouldn't have an IP set, but it shouldn't be DHCP either... but as soon as you view RDNIS via the usual network adapters setting then you are forced to have one of the other, which will cause the problem described in this thread or will cause ActiveSync not to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This should be more prominent than the other search results!

Thatz one awesome soltion arthurfuxake! Thanx man! It seems to have fixed that nagging "Unable to obtain server-assigned IP" error that used to keep popping up on my screen. There is only one other problem... my Atom still can't connect to the Internet through ActiveSync! Any suggestions?!

Erm? Which IP to provide for ActiveSync?

I've recently run into a problem with activesync. When I connect my spv m5000 to my PC, activesync starts up, and the familiar 'retrieving settings' box shows up. But that never goes away, and after a while, I get an error message on my m5000, stating that
'no IP adress could be obtained from the server. Try again later, or provide a specific IP adress in the Network settings.'
Now, I remember changing the setting in all the 'Network devices' list to 'obtain Ip automatically' a while ago, and I remember that on specific item was set to a fixed IP, but I can't remember which device it was, nor what the IP was. Can somebody check and tell me?

i have the same problem and i get this error message when i connect to wifi too. i think it drainsmy battery when it tries to obtain an ip. how do i fix this?

Try 169.254.2.1 .
BTW, did you read http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=555&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 ? It explains the why's.

Sorry, which network card should i assign ito? Is it the Asyncman miniport? please advise. thanks!

I'm having the same problem, have searched a lot and can't find a solution. My M5000 syncs well at home, but not with my laptop. There are no firewalls, it always hangs on the 'Retrieving settings' pop up. Any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers

Need tons of help with Wi-Fi PLEASE

alright i need help connecting to my home wireless router. (and yes it is a wireless G router, i just installed that thing that lets it work with wireless G)
alright so here is what i do step by step.
1. hit the comm manager button, and hit WLAN so it connects.
2. choose my account
3. enter the network key
4. I hit settings, and i see i have a great signal
5. a pop up says "unable to assign a server-assigned IP address. Try again later or enter an IP address in Network Settings".
6. I hit settings in comm manager then hit wi-fi settings
7. I see all my info on the main button and i hit the advanced button
8. Status = associated to network... Mac address is filled in... IP says 0.0.0.0 and i can't change that.
if anybody can help me that would be great.
9. now after a long time of not doing anything, a pop up says the network key is incorrect. enter the correct key and tap connect. Except I know it was correct because i entered it very carefully, and all my info (#7) showed up.
somebody help me

try static ip allocation
start>settings>connections > network cards > WLAN card> IP, subnetmask, dns gateway...etc etc u know the drill

alright I put in all of those settings, but still when i turn wifi on, it still asks me for my network key, and still try's connecting to the normal WLAN.... ughhh...

Seems to me like your security settings arent quite right, but thats a guess. I had a similar problem with a PC when I had enabled MAC filtering. You don't have that turned on on your router do you.
To rule out (or in) security settings, I would disable my routers security and make sure I could log on to an open network, then go from there.

Oh I know i can log into an open network, I did at a coffee shop a little while ago. And I know I can connect to my router, my other computer is and so can my PSP.

I have a similar problem. I didnt have this problem a couple of weeks ago and managed to connect without a problem. However now I'm having the same symptoms as the first poster.
When I disabled the security setings on my router, I managed to connect and received an IP address. However DNS was not working. Explorer refused to bring up any page. I couldnt even access my router's home page using just the IP address. I even tried entering the DNS IP address manually but this didnt solve the problem. Skype managed to connect without a problem though.
Cheers

ianS200 said:
I have a similar problem. I didnt have this problem a couple of weeks ago and managed to connect without a problem. However now I'm having the same symptoms as the first poster.
When I disabled the security setings on my router, I managed to connect and received an IP address. However DNS was not working. Explorer refused to bring up any page. I couldnt even access my router's home page using just the IP address. I even tried entering the DNS IP address manually but this didnt solve the problem. Skype managed to connect without a problem though.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same issue even after I turned off the security, mac filter etc. It would connect once but after a suspend, it wouldn't connect at all. I have a d-Link DI614+ router. Finally figured out that the MDA was not going thru the channels properly. I had my router set to 10 and it would not budge beyond 11. I just changed the router channel to default to 11 and turned on security and filtering one by one and everything worked. My advice is to set the router to a default state and attempt to connect it. If that doesn't work, throw a temper tantrum and remove all settings on the MDA and go thru step by step again...

Wifi is connected but i cannot surf

hi there , i can see that my Polaris is connected to my router via wpa2-psk
as it's MAC and ip are showed in router
I also see that an IP is assigned to my Polaris , but i cannot surf the internet
Tried IE , Opera and YouTube
Anybody has a suggestion?

depend on your network setup really
as take me my wifi dont have direct uplink
so i have to manualy set ip's and gateway and dsn to my
pda to match the computer which is the gateway and what
dns it have
you can get that in windows in a console by ipconfig /all
and manualy set my ip within the same subnet as the computer
which is gateway

Rudegar said:
depend on your network setup really
as take me my wifi dont have direct uplink
so i have to manualy set ip's and gateway and dsn to my
pda to match the computer which is the gateway and what
dns it have
you can get that in windows in a console by ipconfig /all
and manualy set my ip within the same subnet as the computer
which is gateway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANKS!!!WORKS!!!!

you'd better check your router's DHCP settings as your provider might wish to change his DNS server addresses in the future and your device will keep using old, static ones

same but different?
Greetings:
this thread title describes my problem, but have to admit that I'm not certain the fix described above would apply to me (or perhaps I just didn't understand the answer??)
My setup:
HTC Advantage x7501 (freshly done a "hard reset") running WM6.
I DO NOT have a SIM card installed, nor do I plan (at this time) to use on a 3G network, just wish to use as a mini-computer on wifi. i've set the "wireless lan" Power Save Mode to "best performance" and am sitting close to wifi. Other windows and mac laptops have successfully used this router for years.
Asante FriendlyNet 3002 Wireless router (80211.b; WEP capable and on, MAC address controls capable and on)
The HTC has been connected several times to the router with the 40/64 - bit encryption. The little arrows move during connection, then stop and status is reported as "connected". The Wireless Lan "Advanced" tab shows "connected to network", reports the MAC, and the right IP address, and allows me to 'renew' it (and it always renews to the same #).
I do notice under the "configure network adapters" part of the wi-fi control settings that there are no "name servers" filled in, but the router is doing DHCP so maybe this is not a problem??? (checking my mac powerbook, I don't fill them in there either)
If I check (from another computer) the router I can see the HTC advantage shows up in the DHCP list of active clients.
Now: when I go to surf the internet, I get NOTHING with either IE or Opera 8.65.
when I put an address in the browser bar (or click a link on the Opera homepage) I see a status bar report at the bottom of the screen that says: "Images 0/0KB Looking up host..." after sometime this process times out. sometimes then I get a message to the effect of "unable to locate host" or just a time out.
Any suggestions?
ugggh: BTW, I have my "configure network adapters" setting to say that My Network Card Connects to: "the internet", not "work"
AND, under Connections I used the "select networks" button to say both types of programs should connect using "My ISP"
many thanks in advance! ( i have been trying for nearly two weeks a bit here and there, reading, googling, etc. w/o luck...)

May I suggest to enter manually the DNS and alternate DNS. I had the same problem and done that and worked.

marklar2u said:
Greetings:
this thread title describes my problem, but have to admit that I'm not certain the fix described above would apply to me (or perhaps I just didn't understand the answer??)
My setup:
HTC Advantage x7501 (freshly done a "hard reset") running WM6.
I DO NOT have a SIM card installed, nor do I plan (at this time) to use on a 3G network, just wish to use as a mini-computer on wifi. i've set the "wireless lan" Power Save Mode to "best performance" and am sitting close to wifi. Other windows and mac laptops have successfully used this router for years.
Asante FriendlyNet 3002 Wireless router (80211.b; WEP capable and on, MAC address controls capable and on)
The HTC has been connected several times to the router with the 40/64 - bit encryption. The little arrows move during connection, then stop and status is reported as "connected". The Wireless Lan "Advanced" tab shows "connected to network", reports the MAC, and the right IP address, and allows me to 'renew' it (and it always renews to the same #).
I do notice under the "configure network adapters" part of the wi-fi control settings that there are no "name servers" filled in, but the router is doing DHCP so maybe this is not a problem??? (checking my mac powerbook, I don't fill them in there either)
If I check (from another computer) the router I can see the HTC advantage shows up in the DHCP list of active clients.
Now: when I go to surf the internet, I get NOTHING with either IE or Opera 8.65.
when I put an address in the browser bar (or click a link on the Opera homepage) I see a status bar report at the bottom of the screen that says: "Images 0/0KB Looking up host..." after sometime this process times out. sometimes then I get a message to the effect of "unable to locate host" or just a time out.
Any suggestions?
ugggh: BTW, I have my "configure network adapters" setting to say that My Network Card Connects to: "the internet", not "work"
AND, under Connections I used the "select networks" button to say both types of programs should connect using "My ISP"
many thanks in advance! ( i have been trying for nearly two weeks a bit here and there, reading, googling, etc. w/o luck...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a HTC Wizard (Cingular version). Last week, I discovered this forum and upgraded my phone from WM5 to WM6.1.... and the exact same thing happened to me! Before the upgrade (on WM5), my phone was surfing the internet thru Wifi just fine... and 30 minutes later, after the upgrade -- it didn't work.
Like you, I searched thru these forums and found various "tricks"... none of them worked for me either.
Luckily, I didn't give up on my phone. A couple days later I got the idea "let's see if I can connect to other networks". I stood out on the back porch and my phone found 3 or 4 other Wifi networks..... I tried to connect to each, with no luck. I came back into the house, and on a whim tried my own home network again --- IT WORKED! Since then, I have been able to connect to various-and-sundry Wifi networks just fine. The problem "just went away" (which some others on the forum have reported... "just keep trying", they say).
I have no conclusive evidence, but my theory is that there are some default (or residual) registry settings for Wifi that need to get "pushed out" or overwritten. By attaching to several different networks, the new/default settings in the registry gets overwritten, and once all the "bad" data is gone -- your phone will be fine.
Hope that helps.... good luck!

TY - but no success yet
MariaM:
I went to my router config page and got the DNS, then I checked the DNS from a laptop (that is successfully connecting) and both report the same:
domain net
nameserver 71.252.0.12
nameserver 71.250.0.12
Note that neither show / report a "WINS".
entering these into the SETTINGS>CONNNECTIONS>WIFI>NETWORK ADAPTERS>NAME SERVERS helped...and I did a soft reset after entering them, and the entry did hold in the setting after the soft reset.
if anyone has any ideas I'd be thrilled. Happy to do a hard reset again and start from scratch if need be. TY.