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Can't get MSN Messenger audio or video to work with Linksys routers? Check out this workaround

So you got your new Webcam and are all excited to beam pictures and sounds of your new bouncing baby boy to your parents on the other side of the country.  You figure MSN Messenger is free and includes video and audio chat - sounds like the perfect solution.

Then you try it and it works or only half works.  Lots of people have had this problem it turns out.  If you have a Linksys router, this may solve your problem.

Linksys routers have a known issue with not properly allowing MSN Messenger audio and video to work reliably.  If you've been having trouble getting MSN Messenger audio or video to work and you have a Linksys router, you'll want to check out this workaround solution from Linksys:

Linksys workaround for MSN Messenger audio or video problem

Here are a couple of other resources if this workaround doesn't solve your problem: AskMarvin.ca article
OpenTechSupport.net article

Linksys wants to be the center of our wireless homes

Linksys recently announced they will buy Kiss Technology, a company located in Denmark that makes DVD players and recorders that can be connected to the Internet.  Apparently these DVD players can provide video on demand and other functionality.

Jamie Tsao, Sr VP of Sales and Marketing at Linksys said it is part of their strategy to become the leader in the wireless home, connecting home entertainment products like televisions, audio devices and gaming equipment and traditional data products, such as PCs, laptops and printers, through a wireless network. (from "Linksys to buy consumer electronics start-up")

So what could a DVD player that connects to the Internet over my home network and broadband connection do for me?  I suppose it could make available to the Internet all of my video files.  But couldn't I do that today by just ripping the DVD onto my hard disk and posting it to my web site?  From reviewing the Kiss web site, it looks like primarily they sell high-end DVD players that are differentiated by the fact that they can play most any format of media you burn to a CD or DVD. 

They also, however, have a DVD recorder with a lot of Tivo-like functionality (time shifting and the like).  You apparently can also tap into this DVD recorder from your PC and view any of the files on it once you have the Kiss recorder on your home network.  You can also view files on your Kiss DVD recorder from anywhere on the Internet via FTP.

Our guess is that Linksys wants to leverage Kiss's products in order to come out with a product that makes it easy to deliver video to any PC or TV in your home by using your existing wireless network. 

Another company, called Sling Media, recently released a product that does just that.  Their $250 Slingbox is a Hershey-bar looking device that sits on your home network and connects to the back of your TV (or your cable box, satellite box or Tivo).  The Slingbox then streams any video that you have available on your TV to any PC on your home network, or, to any Internet browser in the world.  We think Linksys wants to come up with a very similar product, and Kiss is the way they are going to get there.

FBI breaks into secured home wireless network in 3 minutes

This is an interesting article about how the FBI broke into a wireless network (protected by WEP security) in three minutes during a presentation at a conference using publicly available software tools.

Interestingly, about 70% of wireless access points (most people call them wireless routers) around the world are completely unprotected - wide open to access by anyone who drives by.  But for the 30% of people who do take recommended steps to secure their wireless network, it is a bit disconcerting that the FBI could break in so easily, because of course this means bad guys could also break in.

At the end of this article there are also recommendations on how to best secure your wireless network.

Security is an area that wireless network hardware vendors will need to continue to improve on. Probably the biggest problem with today's security measures like WEP are how difficult they are to set up for the average user.  This is the main reason why so few people have secured their wireless network.  This definitely presents an opportunity for a company to step in and really take a leadership role in providing consumers with an easy-to-use way to secure their wireless networks.

Increase wireless network coverage with homemade antenna

You love your wireless home network, but there are certain places in your house where the coverage is really poor or nonexistent.  What many people don't know is that the placement of your wireless router in your house, and the angling of the antennas on your router can have a big effect on the wireless coverage that you will experience.   Now you can create a quick homemade antenna to increase wireless network coverage in your home.  It's cheap, easy and it works!  One of the most popular sites for these homemade wireless router antennas is http://new.freeantennas.com.  They provide step-by-step instructions on how to build a homemade wireless router like the one pictured.

Top 5 Ways to Fix a Broken Wireless Network

It's late at night, you're trying to send out that last work email before hittin' the hay, and your Internet connection goes down.  Is your wireless network down?  Has your laptop lost connectivity to your wireless router?  Has your Comcast/Verizon/Roadrunner/(insert your provider here) Internet connection gone down? 

A situation we're sure many of you have faced.  What's the quickest way to fix the problem?

Here's our Top 5 Ways to Fix a Broken Wireless Network:

1) Check all your connections.  Check all your cable connections; it's amazing how often something comes loose.  Is the cable/phone line from the wall to the modem plugged in correctly?  Is the cable from the modem to your wireless router plugged in?  If you're running a wired network, are the cables from the router to your computers all plugged in?  If you're running a wireless network is the network card in your notebook turned on?

2) Check your power.  Check the power on your modem and your wireless router.  Are they both turned on?

3) Isolate the problem.  If the computer you are using is connected to your network with a wireless connection, take that computer to where your router is and plug it directly into the router with an ethernet cable. 

Man arrested for using a Wi-Fi network

A Florida man was recently arrested for using a wireless network that wasn't his.  Apparently he was sitting in his Chevy Blazer in a residential neighborhood poking around nearby wireless networks.  None of us has ever done that right?  Sure.  Remember the last time you visited Grandma's house and were just dying to get on the Internet?  What's the harm of "borrowing" a little Internet access from her more tech-savvy neighbors?  Well, this lawsuit may make all of us think twice next time.

About Us

www.HomeNetSource.com was created to bring you straightforward home networking news, reviews, advice and more.  We love home networking and all the enhancements and fun things it can bring to our lives, but we think it is still too hard and difficult.  We are here to help you navigate through those difficulties and also bring you the latest news on home networking gear, home networking services, wireless networking, routers, wireless devices and more!