Network Connection Issues.

[jsmit86]

I have recently been having problems with Access Connections and my control of my wireless connections.

I had my T42 hang up during a shutdown yesterday, and I lost all connectivity.

My first idea was to try a system restore, but as luck would have it, no restore points were available.

When I tried to uninstall the adapter, the notebook would hang. I finally was able to get into safe mode, where I noticed that I had multiple versions of my hardware adapters. I uninstalled two virtual adapters from control panel (Visco and Nortel VPN) and I uninstalled the hardware adapters. I had to uninstall Access connections, and after that I could get connectivity with the windows client, but I cannot turn the adapter on or off with an F5 command.

If I reinstall Access connections, I cannot add any new profiles, the application crashes as the new profile is being saved.
(I did not delete the profiles during the uninstall of access connections)

I have tried updating via the Software Updater, then just using the downloads from Lenovo, and then finally by trying the new Lenovo system update utility.

When I check the adapters in the Device manager, I also have a remnant virtual adapter from the Nortel VPN client it is labeled: Nortel IPSECSHM Adapter. If I try to uninstall it from the Device manger, I get the warning “Failed to uninstall the device” The device may be required to boot the computer.

I suspect that this entire mess may have been caused by the installation of the Nortel Contivity VPN client. I have tried reinstalling and uninstalling from ADD/Remove programs, but I am still having this issue.

Can anyone suggest a way to fix this?

[jdhurst]

<snip>
When I tried to uninstall the adapter, the notebook would hang. I finally was able to get into safe mode, where I noticed that I had multiple versions of my hardware adapters. I uninstalled two virtual adapters from control panel (Visco and Nortel VPN) and I uninstalled the hardware adapters. I had to uninstall Access connections, and after that I could get connectivity with the windows client, but I cannot turn the adapter on or off with an F5 command.
<snip>
I suspect that this entire mess may have been caused by the installation of the Nortel Contivity VPN client. I have tried reinstalling and uninstalling from ADD/Remove programs, but I am still having this issue.

Can anyone suggest a way to fix this?

VPN clients install network pieces in all real network connectoids including dialup, but (for the ones I know) not unreal network connectoids. Look in the network properties of each real adapter and see if there is anything VPN-related that you could remove. My VPN item is called a Deterministic Network Enhancer.

Then try removing access connections and the network adapters. Restart and install the network adapters from the preload location and then install access connections.

If that doesn't work, there may be left over network adapters in the registry.
... JDH

[jsmit86]

Well - I managed to get the Wireless drivers and Access Connections reinstalled. I still am having some issues when trying to save an Access Connections profile. (Crashes)

Without Access Connections, I cannot turn the wireless card off or on using the FN F5 command. I get the message that I need to update the wireless driver. (Already done that!)

With Access Connections, Fn F5 works fine.

Any ideas why I cannot control the card unless I use Access Connections?

Also -
I still have the remnant Nortel VPNIPSECSCH adapter in the device manager, and I cannot un-install it. I get the message that it may be required to boot the computer. Ideas?

[Wiz]

I know that the Cisco and Nortel VPN client installed on the same computer cause a lot of problems and issues. At least several of my colleagues had problems....luckily i never installed them both.
Did this problem occur after the installation of the second VPN client (Nortel or Cisco....not sure which on you installed first)? Or did you reboot your computer several times while they where both installed without problems?
Removing the virtual adapters doesn't completly remove the VPN clients. Not sure what steps that is required to fix these problems after installing both of the VPN clients, but maybe a complete uninstall of the VPN clients solve the problem. Unless you made a lot of changes to your PC trying to fix it that require other steps to fix everything at this point. When your PC is working again i would suggest to not install those two VPN clients on the same computer again. If a uninstall of the VPN client doesn't remove everything you might have to do a manually cleanup in the registry....or maybe do a system restore if you have a restort point created before the last VPN client installation.

[jsmit86]

They both were installed at the same time, but seemed to be behaving ok. I was not actually using Cisco.

The other issue that may have been involved is that my system crashed during the Windows Update last Tuesday. My Brother is sending me a link for a Hotfix that may help.

It is possible that I will need some registry work on this later.

[jdhurst]

There are entries in the Current Control stack in the Registry where left-over connectoid bits build up and can cause problems.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING TO LESS-THAN-EXPERTS.

Look in the registry under HKLM for System -> Current Control Set. Then look under Control. Then look under Network. Under the first key live the network adapters. You have to read and think about them all.

I have succesfully removed superfluous adapters here, but it is a high-risk operation. I usually remove them out of the backup control sets as well. That used to be de riguer with old versions of VMware that left unreal adapter littering the registry and they had to be removed. Not a problem today.
... JDH