do you have them networked and have the same group name and every thing exactly the same on all of them? have the passphrase for the router network entered into the laptop properly?

Those are the very issues I'm asking about. I had set up the router using the network set up wizard in XP. When I attempted to connect to it with laptop, I had this pop up (on laptop) saying my "settings" were incompatible. I have had laptop for over a year, unable to find out just exactly what the settings are, where to go to find them to change them. I've taught myself a lot about my computer, just by reading the help and support files, but this has defeated me completely. I have absolutely no idea what I'm supposed to be changing. I need explicit instructions. Thanks for reply, I appreciate it so much.

Your Netgear wireless router should have come with good instructions. Mine did, and I followed those to the letter and had no problems at all. It has been such a long time that I cannot tell you now, step by step, but your router booklet should have the step by step instructions.

If all else fails, call their help line and they'll talk you through it. I called mine a couple of times when I had a glitch or two.

I have the same problem, sort of. My Vista laptop used to do fine with the wireless at work. But now, even though it recognizes the connection, it won't connect.

After I tallked to our computer guru, I learned he bought a new router & access point -- they're compatible with XP & Win7 but not Vista. The reason: Vista has a different way of connecting with wireless. So now my wireless laptop is non-functional when I'm at work. :

carolssis-
I agree that you should call the Netgear help line. Wireless networks are one of the trickier things to fool with alone if you are not knowledgeable about this, but there may be a very simple setting fix for this.

jean001-
I've never heard of a router that skips a generation of software: i.e., one that is compatible with an older OS and the newest OS, but not the one in between. How many people are on the work network and what is the specific router being used? I suspect that there is a way for you to connect, but you may not be getting the straight story from the "computer guru."

kudzu said "I've never heard of a router that skips a generation of software: i.e., one that is compatible with an older OS and the newest OS, but not the one in between."

I said the same thing. His response was as I posted above. Backward compatible, yes, but not with Vista's way of handling things. (Phooey.)

Think I might be looking in the router and choosing a degraded or different wifi security.. wpa tkip perhaps rather than aes.
Sounds like the security settings dont match and its something vista doesnt have in its automatically configure bag of tricks.

jean001-
I understand what you're relaying about your conversation. However, if it's backwards compatible to XP, it means that it works with Vista. Now if he is telling you that he can either have it set to handle Vista connections, or XP and Win7 connections, but not all of them at the same time, maybe that's so based on some odd configuration he has set up. I have my own $60 wireless router running four computers (and a Roku box and a printer): one computer is XP, two are Vista, and one is Win 7. They all worked immediately after I put in the keys for my security settings, and I did nothing to configure any of them specifically. I've never had a problem connecting. And I have friends who visit and tap into my system using both PCs and Macs and they have no problems either. If you don't want to question your guru any further, that's your call, but I'm still not buying his story.

I have a desktop that is running Windows 7, have the cable modem hooked up to the router and desktop. Husband's computer is wired to the router via a wire ran up into attic and dropped down into the wall of the bedroom computer is, then 2 wireless laptops with Vista and one netbook with Windows XP access the router. You have to have a secured network and all computers need the same password to access the wireless connection. In my home our network is a secured Network but when I click on the connection Icon, I get a list of all networks in my immediate neighborhood area. Of all the ones listed, our network and one neighbor has her network secured, the other two that I can see are unsecured.

OP's most recent update, posted at Apr 4, 10 at 23:16, is at http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/comphelp/msg0423163412181.html

Here is a link that might be useful: OP's update posted at Apr 4, 10 at 23:16