Unable to connect to wireless network

My cable internet connected PC is running Windows 7 sp1 Home Premium and provides wireless internet connectivity to numerous gadgets in my home (XBox, laptop, etc) via a NetGear router. I recently reinstalled Windows XP sp3 Professional on an old computer and have been trying to connect it to my home network via an identical NetGear router. However, when I go into Control Panel and open the "Network Connections" applet, I can't get to the "Choose a Wireless Network" page (where I select my home network and input the encryption key). What I expect to see is shown in Netconn1.jpg, whereas what I get is shown in Netconn2.jpg.

I used AutoPatcher to install all of the pertinent Windows Updates for XP so that shouldn't be an issue.

Does anyone know of an alternate method of getting to the "Choose a Wireless Network" page?

 

You cannot connect two routers to the same line as both would be trying to establish and maintain the connection to the server. If your routers allow it you should be able to daisy chain them so the second is only acting as an access point.

 

Does THIS help? Long ethernet cables can be replaced by powerline adapters these days. In fact a pair of powerline adapters is all you need - you don't need the second router at all. The adapter at the receiving end can be either Ethernet or wireless.

 

I've never done this, but been reading up about it for a personal project someday. If your main router is connected via LAN to the ISP, and you are using the other LAN ports and WLAN for wifi devices, you can set up a 2nd router's wireless mode as a Client Bridge, which makes the router act as a "WLAN adapter" for a device connected to one of its LAN ethernet ports.

 

Turn home wiring into giant antenna. Ugh, Thog not know of such things. Seem like magic to Thog. Thog do magic like Earthling says.

Thank you, I don't know what the hell I was thinking.

 

Check this for details about what I mentioned.

 

Thanks Blujay, that's an interesting setup idea. However, given that the two computers are on different floors and on opposite ends of the house, I'd be better off with the powerline adapters.

 

Earthling is right, I've heard of Powerline Adapters, but never considered them a serious alternative. This may be right for the situation.

 

I've been using powerline adapters for years, the original 85mbps variety. They serve my NAS hidden in the loft, TVs around the house for internet TV, and our laptops when we're out of the router wifi range. Performance does drop the longer the line and also if you have a lot of noise in your circuits. Finding out about noise is trial and error of course but overall we have found them completely satisfactory.

 

I've also used POE adapters for years. My router is on the first floor and 3 of my husband's computers are in the basement on the opposite end of the house from the router. I connected two through a switch on the adapter in the basement. I have since removed the switch and the XP computer from the internet.

 

I read the following quote here:

Does this mean that I need 2 adapters to make the connection to my internet connected PC and then one additional adapter for the target PC? Or do I just need the pair?

 

You only need a pair. You run an Ethernet cable from the router to one unit and plug that unit into a power outlet. You can then plug the second unit in to another power outlet and cable it to the PC's Ethernet port. That's it.