HELP! Network Router Connection Problems (IBM a/b/g card)

[dmcgibbo]

Ok here goes again...

I have the IBM a/b/g card and 2 routers, a linksys router that is 11mbps and doesn't give a good signal and has no security AND a netgear router that is superG (108mbps) and gives a great signal and has WEP security.

I didn't use to have problems but now it will only connect to the linksys router. however, it will say that it connected to the netgear router in the wireless networks box while in the taskbar it says it is connected to linksys. recently now it won't even say the netgear router SSID name - it's just blank which is strange but a router called Rabansu also shows up for some reason (maybe a neighbors but how could I get such a strong signal from soooo far away?). Anyway, I've reset the netgear router, completely redid the preferences, set it to handle both B and G and gotten it to connect fine. Then I'll change the router to G only and it will then connect at 108mbps (probably only really 54mbps max but still a lot better than 11 and a much better signal strength). However, when I restart my computer it won't connect back to that netgear - even if it says it does, it shows in the taskbar that it's connected to the linksys.

If you click http://www.unc.edu/~dmcgibbo/image/network.jpg you'll see what I mean where it says one is connected in one window and the taskbar says otherwise. I don't know exactly how I can get it to connect back to the netgear but I assume if I reset all the settings so that it broadcasts the SSID and is a B and G router it will find it again and then I'll be able to change it to G only so that it does a higher speed but then next time I restart I'd have to do the whole tiresome process over again and unplug and restart the entire network.

Why is this happening and what am I doing wrong? I understand I can't get 108mbps (even though it may say so in the taskbar) but it should be able to connect to a netgear router with 802.11g when it is configured properly instead of always connecting to the linksys!


Any help would be greatly appreciated!


edit: BTW my driver info says 11a/b/g Wireless LAN MiniPCI Adapter, Arcadyan Technology Corporation, PCI Slot 1 (PCI bus 2, device 2, function 0), Driver 3.1.1.5401 (5/13/2004). I just checked IBM's site and they seem to have a new driver 3.1.102.23 released 9/22/04 but eh I bet that won't really help me out b/c of the revision changes they have listed...

[dmcgibbo]

I updated to the 3.1.102.23 driver on IBM's site which was released this past week and restarted and it connected automatically to the 108mbps netgear router automatically. I don't know if that means it's totally fixed or if the old IBM a/b/g installation/driver was corrupted or what but it might be fixed. I've seen several threads on here about connection problems and since I've troubleshooted mine several different ways now, I might be able to help. Hopefully this new driver release fixes everyone's problems

I wish there was a way to do IBM update like there is with Windows Update.

BTW, it says 108mbps but when you double click on the wireless connection status it ranges between 36mbps and 54mbps so I guess 108 just isn't possible with this 5100+ Atheros chipset. I bet the new machines before Xmas will have the updated adapter