Similar to problem posted previously, but with more detail. My laptop is picking up my wireless network signal perfectly well. However when I open my browser it behaves as if I'm not connected to the internet (blank pages and alert boxes saying, 'Internet Explorer could not open the search page'). Yet my laptop assures me the signal strength is excellent (one green light on the PCMCIA card is on steadily, and the other flashes rapidly to indicate data is being sent and received). Here is some supporting information: PCMCIA = IBM High-Rate LAN PC card. Encryption: Name of network and 13-digit key entered into appropriate fields of profile. Card Test: Says card is working. Link Test: Says card is NOT connected to network. Control Panel/Networking: Shows connection and identifies this PCMCIA card. Can anyone tell me what is preventing this connection from accessing the Internet and how to fix? Thanks.

Does you laptop by chance have a built in wireless card? and Did you by chance use the installation CD that came with the card? If so that is where the problem is. I contacted Linksys about this and this is what we did. Uninstall the PCMCIA wireless card and reboot your computer. Next connect to the Internet with your internal card. If that is Ok, then insert the PCMCIA card in the slot, but DO NOT USE the Installation CD. Let Windows find it. that should do it.

Dear TaintLikely, The IBM Thinkpad iSeries is not equipped with a built-in wireless capability. However, I have previously used an external USB wireless adapter to successfully access the Web. This may prompt a question on your part: So, why not just continue to use the USB adapter? Answer: A PCMCIA card is the closest thing to "built-in." No external adapter dangling from a cable. And use of a PCMCIA card would free up the single USB port with which this laptop is equipped. If I understand what you have told me, all I need to do now is delete the previous installation attempt, then just plug in the Lynksys card, boot up my laptop and let W2K do the rest?

Well, you certainly hit my question on the head!. Yup I think that that would be the best thing to do.

Problem fixed, so I'll answer my own question. The thing that was preventing the IBM High Rate Wireless PC LAN card from communicating with the router despite excellent signal strength was... the card can handle only a maximum of 64-bit encryption! I discovered this after finally breaking down and perusing the user's manual [quite un-man-like]; again this crucial fact glared at me from an information tag on the bottom of the card. So I regressed the router's encryption to 64-bit and all was well. And I didn't have to pay $$$ for another wireless card I didn't really need. Thanks to all who responded.