Thinkpads Forum

I do not know if this belongs in this forum, but since it only happens in my new t61p I will try here first

I am puzzled by this situation: After a while (maybe 45 minutes) browsing the the web with IE 7 in Vista Ultimate on a wireless secure WAP connection using latest access connections, the browser stops accessing web pages. It just goes to the unable to find page screen. The same for Outlook, it no longer can get email. I downloaded Firefox to check if this was a IE issue, but Firefox has the same problem.

However – if I ping or trace a web site it responds OK. It can also access other home network disks.

Disconnecting and reconnecting via access connections will not solve the issue. Closing IE7 and restarting or logging off and on will also not resolve this. Only a computer restart will. I do not think it is the wireless connection as I tried a hard wire from a switch and it would not work either.

At the same time my T42 wireless works fine as well as the hard wired desktop (router in a Linksys WRT350N).

I removed the name connection in access connections and created a new one, but the problem resumes. Identical settings (DHCP) in the T42. Differences are that the T42 uses XP not Vista and a different network card.

Any hints where else to look?

Have you tried not using access connections to manage your connection, but using vista itself to do it?

what wireless cards do you have in your T61p and T42?

dalee18 wrote:Have you tried not using access connections to manage your connection, but using vista itself to do it?

Yes - same problem - but only tried it by closing the application down. It was not removed from the system.

erik wrote:what wireless cards do you have in your T61p and T42?

On the T61p I have the Intel 4965AGN - connected at 'g' speed.

On the T42 I have the stock Intel 802.11b/g wireless mini PCI. am not in front of the unit right now to see the actual number - will post it later.

Thanks

mientras wrote:Yes - same problem - but only tried it by closing the application down. It was not removed from the system.

Create Windows System Restore point, remove Access Connections via "Add/Remove Programs" in Windows XP or "Uninstall a program" in Vista Windows Vista, reboot, and report back your results.

If problem gets resolved but you still wish to use Access Connections, retrieve the previous system settings via Windows Restore and follow the following thread in accomplishing a better connection of your NIC with AC:

Access Connections - some tips on how to use it.

ryengineer wrote:

mientras wrote:Yes - same problem - but only tried it by closing the application down. It was not removed from the system.

Create Windows System Restore point, remove Access Connections via "Add/Remove Programs" in Windows XP or "Uninstall a program" in Vista Windows Vista, reboot, and report back your results.

If problem gets resolved but you still wish to use Access Connections, retrieve the previous system settings via Windows Restore and follow the following thread in accomplishing a better connection of your NIC with AC:

Access Connections - some tips on how to use it.

Thanks. Prior to reading your post I had uninstalled access connections alltogether. So far so good, but it has just been one day. I will try reinstalling fresh. Thanks

mientras wrote:Irouter in a Linksys WRT350N

I have no idea whether this is related to your T61 problem but there is a new production release firmware upgrade out which implements the 802.11n Draft 2 spec for the WRT350N.... see the annoucement message in the Off Topic forum here.

I'm using a WRT350N with various T4* Thinkpads running on XP with Intel 2200 and 2915 cards, plus a T60 running Vista which has the Intel 3945 card... they all work reliably with both the original and new WRT350N firmware.

I did find when I initially loaded the T60 with Vista that the 3945 card was reporting a much lower signal level than the cards in the T4* Thinkpads. On checking the Lenovo support pages I discovered a later Intel WiFi driver than Software Upgrade had found, so I manually downloaded and installed it. After that the T60 WiFi card performed identically to the cards in the T4* Thinkpads.

All my ThinkPads are running Access Connection.

Cheers,

Bill

bill bolton wrote:

mientras wrote:Irouter in a Linksys WRT350N

I discovered a later Intel WiFi driver than Software Upgrade had found,

Thanks - will look for this

The problems continues. My T61p after a successful connection to the web will lose the ability to continue browsing or reading email. The WiFi connection remains solid. I suspect it is something in my network settings - DNS or proxy related perhaps.

I know is not the router as my T42 works fine next to it and the T61p does the same when I travel. and even if connected with an ethernet wire.

I do not think it is IE7 as it happens with Firefox as well

It is not Access connections - I have completely removed the application. I called Lenovo, and they will not help unless diagnostics states a hardware error or I do a system restore and lose all of my configuration.

Only fix is a reboot - and the system is fine again. Maybe for a few hours maybe for a day - but eventually looses the ability to browse again.

I wonder if there is a way to completely restore network settings without a full system restore to factory defaults (Windows Vista Ultimate) or where else to look?


Thanks

I had a similar problem with my new T61p. I was using a Z61p but switched a couple of weeks ago. The Z never dropped the connection but the T would drop it every 30-45 minutes or wouldn't establish it after coming out of standby. I had previously removed Access Connections so using the Windows 'repair wireless connection' function would generate a new connection. (The T is running the AGN card and I am using XP Pro).

Yesterday I changed my wireless encryption from WPA2 to WPA and changed the algorithm from AES to TKIP on my Linksys box and have not dropped the connection since.

Hope this helps.

Yes, my solution and problem was similar to mdblanton.

I have a new T61p with the IPW4965.

I had disconnects using WPA-PSK/AES encryption.

I switched to WEP and had no further problems.

For some reason, the IPW4965 had difficulty handling the WPA security.

For further security, I incorporated MAC filtering on the WEP.

No issues at all now.

Thanks for the responses. I am already using WEP (and use MAC filtering). I several other wireless devices that use the WEP key and MAC filtering without issue.

Hi all,

If it may help, could you have a look at the profile for power plan settings

Maybe you could try this :
Go to advanced power settings > setup for wireless > power saving mode > change it from max power savings to max performance in wireless.

I noticed that browsing in ie or firefox took a hell of time by default on t61p with default settings for power setting.

So far I have tried:

Removing access connections
removing all encryption (but tried WEP as well)
Changing channels and networl ID

I called support, but unless diagnostics states an error with the network card they will not help. They only "do hardware".

I would like to try a different mini PCI card other than the Intel 4965AGN.

Any suggestion for an internal card and where to purchase one?

I would prefer one that also supports "N" - but in order to troubleshoot this I want to try a different card.

Thanks

mientras,

See my last post in this thread. I continued to have problems even under WEP with my T61p and ended up buying a new router D-Link DIR-655 N Speed.

Now @ 130MB/s N speed very consistent and no connection drops. Solid and fast. And, this is all under WPA2-PSK/AES encryption.

I know you said it is not the router in your case.....but your situation sounds so similar I thought i would add this update.

Hmm this is not the same case as in my problem, but maybe it will work for You too:

Right click on My Computer -> System Propierties -> Hardware -> Device Manager -> Properties of Your wifi -> Advances -> Roaming Aggressiveness -> Disable it or use lowest settings

The reason I do not think it is my router is that other devices all work fine and it also happens when I travel at a remote office, airports and hotels.

I will try the roaming aggressivenes settings.

For the cost of an alternate (other brand) mini PCI is worth the troubleshooting

Thanks

The only other N type card you can use is the IBM Thinkpad ABGN card. Lots of people will say that works great for them... if it does then you can sell me your ABGN card possibly

I would also try another router, granted other systems are working fine but in that same sentence you can say lots of other systems with Vista work fine while a paticular one will suck and crash.

One thing i guess you could try is changing the channel, yes you say others are working fine but interference could be the problem. You could also try using WPA2=AES/TKIP or other encryption methods to see. Try No encryption to see also, turn off MAC filtering as it doesn't really help anyways.

You said tho that even using different networks it happens to give you problems so maybe it is the card (or just some settings). Did you try upgrading your drivers or for that matter downgrading them?

Yes I have tried different versions of the driver. The problem with changing the router is that it happens when I travel as well. So it cannot be every router. As you point out, may be a setting, but I have tried everything suggested.

Any idea where to buy the IBM card or its part number?

Thanks

mientras wrote:snip....Any idea where to buy the IBM card or its part number?

FRU part number: 41U4876 (ThinkPad 11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe), you can order it from IBM parts or calling directly 1-866-96-THINK.

Thanks

I tied calling 1-866-96-THINK, IBM Parts at 1-800-388-7080, and support. No one could locate part 41U4876 or a ThinkPad 11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe.

I Googled it and abviously the part exists but cnnot find a vendor with a new one.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

mientras-
I had a terribly odd problem with the Intel a/b/g/n card. Worked fine using WPA until I enabled MAC filtering in my Westell router. Then it couldn't connect and everything seemed right.

Checking the computer's MAC address with the IPCONFIG command revealed that Vista (or Lenovo's Vista?) also runs the "Teredo" IPv6 tunneling software, which of course my IPv4 router was never designed for. Sure enough, I got rid of Teredo (there's an option somewhere in the NIC setup screens) and now the system works perfectly.

Will that solve it for you? Dunno, but Teredo is something new and an unknown element with older hardware, try finding it and killing it, you can always turn it back on again. One less process to consume CPU time and NIC horespower.

I will try to locate and kill "Teredo" - thanks