Is Wireless Zero Configuration Needed??

[Puttagee]

I was doing some tweaking in XP's Services and I thought that I could disable the Wireless Zero Configuration Service since I use IBM Access Connections but if disabled it takes an additional 30 seconds (at least) to boot? Do I need to change some other setting to disable or does it have to be active because I have a wireless adapter?

[GomJabbar]

I stopped this service and set it to manual. This seemed to work for me.

[boofoo]

I had the same thing happen -- it works if WZC is disabled, but it slows the computer up for the first 30 seconds or more after booting. It may be IBM Access Connections that are causing the conflict; apparently this was a change between Win XP SP1 and SP2.

[Kenn]

If you're running XP SP2, there's a fix for a 60-120 second boot-up lag associated with the wifi, but the fix is only applied to WZC. So if you turn off WZC to only use Access Connections, you'll get the boot-up lag.

My experience is that for SP2 systems, leave WZC on, even though it's not doing anything.

[Puttagee]

Thanks for the input guys.

[nikemen]

I seem to get a conflict using AC and WZC. the microsoft wireless configuator just keeps trying to make a connection, even though AC is already connecting to the AP? is there a way to stop that?

[Ground Loop]

I seem to get a conflict using AC and WZC. the microsoft wireless configuator just keeps trying to make a connection, even though AC is already connecting to the AP? is there a way to stop that?

This is what made me disable WZC. Works fine without it.
It sits there with the ping-pong-ball while the network is connected and useful if both AC and WZC are running.

Alternatively, you can select the wireless lan in Network Connections and deselect "let windows manage this for me". That keeps WZC off it.

My T43 takes about five minutes to boot. No exageration. I've been trying for weeks to find out why. Even did a clean install.
I think it has to do with being registered on a Domain (work) and having that network be unreachable (at home). Lame. I just wish there was a way to debug this.. a "WTF ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW" button would be nice. Or even a "Kill whatever task you are senselessly waiting for right now" button.

I'd settle for a Task Manager type thing that records the startup events and timestamps, though. Event Log has nothing interesting.

[nikemen]

I think I once read, there is something one can do in the hosts file, to pre-route the network configuration, if the registered domain is not available, instantly, it moves on.

[Navck]

Mind telling me how to disable this?

[GomJabbar]

Perhaps I should elaborate on my previous post.

In services, I have WZC stopped and set to manual start.

I use IBM Access Connections. I have my home wireless network set as the default. I selected "Use this profile to connect during Windows log on? No". I checked box to: "Allow all users of this system to switch to any location profile".

I set up my TCP/IP configuration manually for my home wireless profile. In other words, my IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, and DNS Server Addresses. This way, my ThinkPad is not wasting time trying to get this information from the router. It also results in better stability.

My T42 (1.6GB, 40GB-5400 rpm HD) boots in less than 2 minutes (no more HD activity) with all the "IBM stuff" still installed. I also use Norton System Works 2005 (which includes Norton Antivirus), and free Zone Alarm firewall.

[verktyg]

Do you use a mapped network connection for work?

I put an icon for Local Area Connection on my desktop (also one for Wireless Connection).

Right click on My Network Places and select Properties.

Right click on the Local Area Connection icon and click Create Shortcut.

When you right click on the desktop icon, you can Disable or Enable the connection.

Try disabling the connection when you shut down before you leave work. When you get home you should be able to boot without the delay.

Since most of my laptop use on the road is without any network connections I don't have to wait during booting while the system looks for a network.

[makai]

Just FYI.. if you're running Zonealarm, and you disable WZC, your computer will take a while to load. For some reason ZA is looking for WZC. This is my experience on both a Compaq and my T41

[Ground Loop]

Try disabling the connection when you shut down before you leave work. When you get home you should be able to boot without the delay.

I think you're onto something. It boots quicker with both the LAN and WiFi disabled.

I tried putting an ethernet monitor on it, and I can see that it's trying to connect to all six domain controllers when I log in, even though they're far away behind a few firewalls. Hmm

[Kenn]

Try disabling the connection when you shut down before you leave work. When you get home you should be able to boot without the delay.

I think you're onto something. It boots quicker with both the LAN and WiFi disabled.

These are the very symptoms of the 60/120-second network delay that SP2 (supposedly) fixes in WZC. If you shut down the wireless, or boot back up on the same network, it should be fast. If you boot up in a different location, the system will poll for 120 seconds on a network delay as it tries to find the old connection it was on prior to the last shutdown.

You can "diagnose" this by using Microsoft Bootvis (google for it). If you run a trace with that, and look at the "Driver Delay" chart, you'll see a huge "network delay" when this is happening.

Network domains are a similar issue. I think it may sit for a few minutes on each connection it attempts to establish. I've never troubleshot the network delay for domain-controller seek-time though.