XP and wireless home network problem

[tikk]

I am cable connected (Road Runner), which runs to my wireless router (the since defunct Ugate-3300), which is directly connected to my desktop machine (running win98) and wirelessly to my laptop (running XP). The laptop is a replacement for my last laptop, which was running win2000pro, but which met with an untimely besoaked end.

The problem I'm having is that the connection between my new laptop and the router drops unexpectedly and often enough where it's becomee a PROBLEM, since the only thing I've found that will fix is unplugging and replugging the router. The freaky thing is that the laptop thinks it's connected to the router just fine - all the indicators appear identical to when it IS connected. And the desktop maintains the connection just fine even while the laptop mocks me. When this happens, the laptop and desktop can no longer see each other as well, so it's not a tcp/ip issue.

No amount of resetting, reconfiguring, or even removing/reinserting of the wireless card helps - only unplugging the power on the router and replugging will get my laptop back.

This problem only reared its head when I was issued this new laptop running XP - the old laptop running win2k was fine. So XP would seem to be the only variable, but who knows. Of course, my obligatory trip to support.microsoft.com's 'knowledge base' proved utterly useless, which is why I now ask here.

~ scott

 

[angerdriven]

what brand of wireless hardware are you using? do you have the latest driver from the manufacturer for xp? and is XP controling the wireless connection or is the manufacturers client doing the job?

 

[tikk]

I'm using the Ugate 3300 as my router and a lucent orinoco card. Since the Ugate 3300 became extinct before the birth of XP, I have the latest drivers, which are nearly 2 years old. Herein may lie my problem.

I tried to wrest control from XP by unchecking the box in (MY-WIRELESS-CONNECTION)-right-click/PROPERTIES/WIRELESS NETWORKS/ entitled 'Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings'.

Then I went into my dhcp client (192.168.0.1), found my exact station name and channel and then tried to reconfigure my orninoco card using that exact information instead of having XP automatically go and get it. But that doesn't work. I can only get my connection back when I recheck the 'Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings' box.

Maybe I need to update the orinoco card's drivers, which is where I'll poke around next.

 

[angerdriven]

i would most definetly check for an updated driver on the card. i went thru this with my linksys wireless when i put it on my xp laptop. it made a big difference. xp, for the most part, does a pretty good job of handling the wireless connection.

 

[yepitsme]

Just a comment. I'm installing an IBM Wireless Access Point 500, and while talking to an IBM tech via phone, he mentioned that there is a new firmware update for the Access point, which resolves an unexpected disconnect to XP clients.

Check your manufacturer's site for similar updates. Just in case.