Thinkpads Forum

I recently reinstalled a clean OS on my T60 ... XP Home Edition (2002) SP3. I have some occasional problems when my laptop 'sleeps" ... Word sometimes crashes (another thread) and I lose my wireless capabilities ... the Wireless light at the bottom of screen goes out and I can't find any networks. I have to reboot, and I get my wireless back.

Ideas?

Check your wireless adapter setting in Device Manager -- click on Properties /Power Management and make sure "Allow Computer to Turn Off this Device to Save Power" is unchecked --

emtee3511 wrote:Check your wireless adapter setting in Device Manager -- click on Properties /Power Management and make sure "Allow Computer to Turn Off this Device to Save Power" is unchecked --

Did this ... I now run into this problem while I'm working (or playing) on the machine. Twice this afternoon, while I was playing Windows Solitare (?) I lost the connect and then the light dissapeared. I went into Networks, Wireless, and ran REPAIR. Connection restored.

Any other ideas what causes the wireless device to die?

Long shot, but see T42P Wireless Stopped Working - can't aquire network address and consider running the command:
Maybe a good idea to make a System Restore Point before you start playing with winsock? See e.g. this post and/or Google for more information on the winsock command.

Johan

If your wireless signal is not very strong, you may want to check in device manager again - wireless properties - advanced -- check to see what your roaming aggressiveness is --

From Intel's Website:
"Roaming Aggressiveness-
This setting allows you to define how aggressively your Wi-Fi client roams to improve connection to an access point. Click Use default value to balance between not roaming and performance.

Lowest: Your wireless client will not roam. Only significant link quality degradation causes it to roam to another access point.
Medium-Low/Medium-High: Allow Roaming.
Medium: Balanced setting between not roaming and performance.
Highest: Your Wi-Fi client continuously tracks the link quality. If any degradation occurs, it tries to find and roam to a better access point."

emtee3511 wrote:If your wireless signal is not very strong, you may want to check in device manager again - wireless properties - advanced -- check to see what your roaming aggressiveness is --

From Intel's Website:
"Roaming Aggressiveness-
This setting allows you to define how aggressively your Wi-Fi client roams to improve connection to an access point. Click Use default value to balance between not roaming and performance.

Lowest: Your wireless client will not roam. Only significant link quality degradation causes it to roam to another access point.
Medium-Low/Medium-High: Allow Roaming.
Medium: Balanced setting between not roaming and performance.
Highest: Your Wi-Fi client continuously tracks the link quality. If any degradation occurs, it tries to find and roam to a better access point."

The problem isn't the wireless signal, it's the device (driver?) in the laptop ... it turns off. I either have to reboot or repair. The signal strength is strong.

When your wireless light goes out, does Function + F5 show that your wireless is turned off or on? Are you able to power it on again with the Wireless Status Button?

I think your problem is XP Home, as opposed to XP Pro, which has better connectivity options built-in.

emtee3511 wrote:When your wireless light goes out, does Function + F5 show that your wireless is turned off or on? Are you able to power it on again with the Wireless Status Button?

I've never checked the Function + F5 ... next time it happens I'll check.

However, I when I turn off and on the wireless antenna using the switch on the front leading edge, I get the message the the antenna is off and then turned on again, but I don't get the light, and I can't find any wireless signals. I think the wireless network device is off at thi point.

I pulled out (and am writing this on) my little X100e because it has a similar issue --

When I was waiting at an airport last year, I had trouble connecting to the boingo wireless, so I reset some wireless setting (can't remember which) It didn't help, but I have had connection issues ever since. The only way I can initially connect to wireless is by having troubleshooter reset the adapter. Once connected, it stays connected, but if I disconnect, it won't reconnect automatically without troubleshoot/adapter repair.

Because your machine continually disconnects, I am still wondering if you set roaming aggressiveness to low, will your machine still keep disconnecting -- Setting aggressiveness to low seemed to work on an old T42 I used to have --

I am running W7 on this little X100e, but I just can't find which wireless setting I need to correct to let it connect to the internet without resetting the adapter each time Obviously, I'm not much help here...

emtee3511 wrote:I pulled out (and am writing this on) ... Because your machine continually disconnects, I am still wondering if you set roaming aggressiveness to low, will your machine still keep disconnecting -- Setting aggressiveness to low seemed to work on an old T42 I used to have --

The machine isn't disconnecting ... the wireless device is shutting off. When I run repair, I am able to start it up and get a connection. I can't figure out what exactly causes it ... sometime it happens when the laptop goes into screen saver, sometimes when it hibernates. Not always, but about 50% of the time. I do have outlook running.

Check out this thread, which details the saga of my struggle with a similar wireless modem shutdown problem. I was running XP Pro, so I don't know how applicable the steps I took are to XP Home.

Larry