Comments on: Network not Available

Question: Network not Available

Hands of Manos — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 12:31:52 -0800

My laptop crashed and I've been reloading all my software on it. Most of it has worked fine except that when my built-in wireless network card connects to my base station, it disconnects ever 2-5 minutes (and then reconnects). What is going on?

I also bought an additional backup laptop (my laptop is my biz) and it's dumping out too (ever 2-5 minutes). I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. My base station and laptop was working just fine before the crash.

Info:

Broadband internet: works fine
Wireless setup: Microsoft Base station
Attempts: *Removed network card and let xp reinstall
*made sure the Encryption Key was exact
*made sure the desktop (connected a la cable) works (it does) and that it communicates with Laptop A (laptop B has a long way to go).

Help!

By: SpecialK

SpecialK — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 12:48:22 -0800

Driver update?

By: benzo8

benzo8 — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 12:58:49 -0800

Are you using SP2? Is Windows managing the wireless connection, or a third-party app bundled with your Wi-Fi card?

XP is notoriously bad at Wi-Fi, though SP2 is an improvement. You might want to try Odyssey Client as a different Wi-Fi manager too...

By: Hands of Manos

Hands of Manos — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:02:38 -0800

Drive Update attempted, installed, worked for 5 minutes and then it said it had to reconnect :(

By: curse

curse — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:16:32 -0800

Is IEEE 802.1X Authentication disabled in the Authentication tab?

By: Hands of Manos

Hands of Manos — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:29:11 -0800

curse,

It may look like this is working. I'm still watching it but I think this is going to get it. (I'm praying that it doesn't disco here in a minute)

By: aberrant

aberrant — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 14:31:24 -0800

If you're using WPA (as opposed to WEP), make sure you've got SP2. If you insist on running SP1, search for the patch that makes WPA work reliably.

By: aberrant

aberrant — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 14:35:13 -0800

Here's the link for the patch and documentation.

By: Hands of Manos

Hands of Manos — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 16:03:59 -0800

curse's blessing worked!

hooray!

thanks guys