Thinkpads Forum

My problem is similar to the one described in Connection loss (Active Connections) in this forum.

I have two ThinkPads, fraternal twins -- one a good lad, the other a naughty girl. I need help with her.

T42p (Windows XP Professional, Service Pack 1) -- This is the good lad.
* Wireless card = Accton 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter
* Driver version = 2.4.1.12 (1/18/2004)
* Access Connections version = 3.10

T40 (Windows XP Professional, Service Pack 2) -- This is the naughty girl.
* Wireless card = Cisco Systems Wireless LAN Adapter 802.11b
* Driver version = 3.8.26.0 (5/4/2004) [most-recent driver that I can install]
* Firmware version = 5.41
* Cisco Aironet Client Utility version = 6.3.011
* Access Connections version = 3.53

My wireless access point is the Buffalo Technology AirStation model WLAR-L11G-L. On each computer the browser is FireFox 2.0.0.6.

The T42p has never had a problem with wireless connections.

The T40 originally had no problem, but then (for no apparent reason) it could not make a wireless connection. After fiddling a while, I restored factory content using the recovery discs from the T42p. (I didn't have the discs for the T40 because my daughter, whose computer it is, lost them. There was no Microsoft license problem, as each computer has a COA for Windows XP Professional. There is no apparent hardware-compatibility problem, as in all other respects except for wireless connections, the T40 seems to be operating normally.)

It appears that the access point is not causing a problem, since the T42p can reach the internet wirelessly through it, and the T40 simultaneously can reach the internet through it by way of an ethernet cable. The T40 can establish a wireless connection through the access point, using either Access Connections (with a manually designated IP address) or Windows Network Connections (obtaining an IP address), but then no web site is reachable.

I would like to know how I can use Access Connections on the T40 to establish a wireless connection to the internet, obtaining an IP address automatically (but if necessary, I'll settle for using Windows Network Connections). In any event, however, obviously it is necessary to find a fix for the essential problem: even if a wireless connection is established, no web site can be reached.

This sounds familiar. Try uninstalling access connections ... see this thread.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... highlight=

Why don't you see if either of these links will solve your problem.

How to recover from Winsock2 Corruption

Using the Network Diagnostics Tool

You never mention a firewall. Do you have any firewall software running? Norton Internet Security maybe?
Try disabling any firewall software and see if it helps.

Starting with the basics, what IP address are you pulling wirelessly on both units? Start (menu) | Run | CMD [enter] | Ipconfig /all [enter] | IP Address You may need to scroll to find this.

My thanks to Harryc, GomJabbar, carbon_unit, and DAH . . . your willingness to lend support is appreciated. I'm embarrassed now to confess that the problem was (who could have guessed?) pilot error. It turned out that long ago I had set the access point to accept connections from only certain specified MAC addresses. (Of course, I had forgotten about this.) The MAC address for the T40 wireless adapter was not listed, so I added it to the authentication list. And that's all it took.

Your efforts were not entirely in vain, fellows. In the course of trying the various suggestions, I found out things I did not know about the computer and particularly about wireless connections (where I am definitely out of my depth), and I updated some drivers and Access Connections.