Wireless signal strength weak

[redrider]

I"m not really sure if this is a Linux problem but I kinda think it is.

I am new to prolonged exposure to Linux and have never really immersed myself into it

I just installed Suse 11.1 on my HP Pavilion laaptop (yayyyy) - time o go online and update - ruh roh, can't connect.

The network manager recognized my rtl8187 wireless device and saw the network I want but won't connect to it, it says it is, but it's not.

Now, this wireless signal is a really hot signal, public, unsecured and meant to be used by everyone - it shows at around 70% signal strength on windows 7 but only shows at one bar, around 16%, in Linux.

I have tried swapping USB ports and turning on and off the blue tooth wireless card on my laptop with no joy

There is the possibility there is a step I missed but I don't know what it might be.

I could sure use some help please.

[redrider]

I hve done some digging and found that my name server is wrong - I can ping by IP address but not site name.

There is a command (MODIFY_NAMED_CONF_DYNAMICALLY) in the etc/sysconfig/network/config file that needs to be set to "yes" - only problem is, that command does not exist.

Do I need to add MODIFY_NAMED_CONF_DYNAMICALLY to that file?

I'm really stumped with this.

[gogalthorp]

You should be able to set up the network from Yast. normally you do not nee to manually change config files.

[redrider]

I have tried everything and I'm still hungup on the DNS.
I can ping using IP address just about anything in the world but I cannot ping domain names.

There has got to a checkbox or a small bit of information I haven't entered some other oversight somewhere - I just hve no idea where to look now

[gogalthorp]

Have you tried turning IVP6 off?

[redrider]

I have not but I will.

Also, I did not have the DNS and DHCP server packages installed but I have them installed now and multiplied the sources of my woes a thousand fold.

It seems the DNS server config tool cannot write a file while closing

[gogalthorp]

Are you planning on setting up a DNS/DHCP server??? You don't need or want these unless that is your intention.

[redrider]

Not really, I know what a DNS server is but I really don't want to do that.

I m beginning to think I need to delete this Linux partition and start over with a fresh install -

I had a copy of suse 10.2 trial version I had downloaded from Novell but could never get it registered because I couldn't connect to the internet (seems to be a recurring theme)

Instead of installing the suse 11.1 as a fresh install, I simply updated the older trial version

[redrider]

I still can't get to connect - I can ping IPs all day but I can't ping domain names.

[gogalthorp]

Do you have a router? What is your hardware setup? Did you specify a DSN server to use? Try another one. Turn off IVP6.