purported 2200bg/2915abg and wrt54g problems

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Flightvector · #31 Post by **Flightvector** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 3:50 am

I have a WRT54GS and a 2200BG running WPA-PSK TKIP

I had connection issues from the beginning, especially in areas busy with other wireless traffic. I getz dropped connections almost every 20 minutes but with prompt reconnection ability.

I installed Satori-4.0 v2.07 firmware, and raising Tx power to 38 mW improved things by 50%, leading to the results cited above.

Access Connections 3.53
2200BG Driver 8.0.*

kaiser · #32 Post by **kaiser** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:00 pm

do you use the 3 channel safety distance to other networks? If you don't/can't do this, that could be one reason for losing connection

jeffcrilly · #33 Post by **jeffcrilly** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 1:56 pm

WRT54G here w/ a late 10/2005 T42 w/ 2200BG.

No problems - afaict.

On about the third day, after waking from suspend I had a problem where the browser wasnt getting out. dunno if this was windows or the card. Anyhow I disabled/enabled the radio, which of course re-enables the windows stack, and then it started working.

I did try a bunch of suspends and it doesnt seem to be repeatable.

(I'm running pre-shared WEP keys on the WRT54G mainly cuz we've got an airport based ibook (802.11b) on the wireless also. I couldnt get it to do the better security w/ the laptop and the ibook at the same time.)

I also use (I beleive) buffalo airstations at work. Again no problem.
(Using WPA there.)

I dont use IBM "access connections" to manage the wireless APs and locations where I am.

For some reason windows just finds the right config for the AP and gets hooked up.

jeff

Flightvector · #34 Post by **Flightvector** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:12 am

In reference to my above post, I have found a solution to the disconnect issue for my network configuration. Upon upgrading to the latest Thinkvantage Access Connections v4.00 (Build 77CN31US) and Intel 2200BG 9.0.2.31 drivers, I have changed from WPA-TKIP encryption to WPA-AES encryption with a Linksys WRT54GS router, and have now completely resolved my disconnect issue. Firmware info is in my sig below.

cinaliv · #35 Post by **cinaliv** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:02 am

I've been having irritting connection problems with my WRT54G v2.2 . I'm using the latest drivers for the 2200 wireless on my T42 without access connections and the latest linksys firmware on my router. I'm using WPA-TKIP.
I changed the Wireless Network Mode option from mixed to G-only and that seemed to have resolved my problem. I do get occasional "limited connectivity" warning when i bring my T42 out of hibernation, but much much less frequently than before.

#36 Post by **bill bolton** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:07 pm

Just as a by-the-by observation.....

I finally got around changing my 802.11g WLAN over from WEP to WPA PSK today and noticed while doing so that with the T4x laptops I have IBM OEM version of the 2200BG card in I could could configure the WPA PSK parameters directly from Access Connections 4.0. On the other hand, with the T4x I had a Intel Generic version of the 2200BG in, Access Connection 4.0 directed me off to use Windows Authentication to set up WPA PSK parameters.

In the end both methods worked, but the one where I was able to do it entirely in AC was much smoother from a user journey point of view!

Cheers,

Bill

lvlolvlo · #37 Post by **lvlolvlo** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:05 pm

I have Talisman 1.1 installed on my WRT54G and GS

Both are using WPA encryption

On my T43p w/2200BG I'm not using Access Connections. Instead I'm using Windows XP's wireless zero configuator.

Of course my machine is all patched up with all updates for Windows XP Pro.

DIGITALgimpus · #38 Post by **DIGITALgimpus** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:46 pm

FYI:

The Intel 2xxx wireless cards has a power saving mode with 3 options, High, Medium, and Low (creative eh?). Set it to "low" in access connections under advanced options (depends which version your running for the location of this setting).

When set to high, the sensitivity of the card is reduced, resulting in more latency, and high ping times, which could cause connection instability.

If that works, try medium, to get a compromise of performance and reliability.

I know this works in some cases where people have trouble. Not sure about this case.

Jiro · #39 Post by **Jiro** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 3:00 pm

ok I have a WRT54G and a CALEXICO-B 802.11B and im not sure if that is a 2200 or whatever but it did not work until i changed the wireless channel to 11

dlai · #40 Post by **dlai** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:19 am

Count me in as another not so happy T42 owner with a slow as heck wireless connection because of the Intel 2200 mini nic. I have a 6mb Comcast broadband account and can only get a download speed of 384 kbps, and the tranmission rate drops from 54 to 24 mb within minutes of use. I've updated the drivers from IBM and Intel, as well as the latest access connection but the speeds are still awful.

My T42 is still under warranty so I'm assuming the right thing to do is to ask for the IBM a/c/g card with the different chip set, correct?

I have two other non IBM laptops which have no issues and can connect at 6mb. Direct connecting the T42 gets me the 6mb download speed I expect. Any other suggestions on getting the speeds I should be getting?

Thanks.

#41 Post by **bill bolton** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 6:30 pm

For what its worth, Intel released version 10 drivers for the 2200BG and 2915ABG in mid January, 2006.

I suppose we'll see an updated IBM driver eventually.

Cheers,

Bill

#42 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 8:22 am

I have a T42 with the Intel 2200 BG wireless adapter. I get basically the same speeds with it as I do with my wired ethernet connection on my desktop PC. I have DSL which is not nearly as fast as your cable connection, but testing this morning, I am getting about 514 kbps on both computers. Unfortunately I live too far from the CO to get really good speeds.

It could be that you have some sort of radio transmission compatibility issue between your T-42 and the Router/AP. If you could borrow another router made by a different company and try that, you may see much better results. Another option would be to try your T42 at a different location where you can get internet access - perhaps at a friends house?

dlai · #43 Post by **dlai** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 7:31 pm

Good suggestions, but radio transmission issues are not the issue here. I have four other laptops and all are able to connect at 6mb with no issue. I can be sittng right next to the wap with the T42 and the speed does not vary in that it still connects at 387kbps. I just tried a test and disabled the Intel 2200 and installed a Linksys G card and lo and behold, 6mb connection speeds! So it's clear to me there is definitely an issue with the Intel 2200 mini nic. I suppose I could just run with the Linksys card but that sort of defeats my purchasing the T42 with the internal wireless in the first place.

Does anyone know if using the IBM a/b/g card is the real fix or am I just going to be disappointed?

By the way, I did install all the new drivers, including the Intel one off their website but it still did not fix my issues.

#44 Post by **bill bolton** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:51 pm

dlai wrote:I can be sittng right next to the wap

Is it a D-Link WAP by any chance?

Cheers,

Bill

#45 Post by **bill bolton** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:07 am

A new IBM 220BG/2915ABG driver appeared today, version v9.0.4.8

[New functions or enhancements]
- Support for Access Connections 4.11.

[Problem fixes]
- ThinkPad X41 Tablet pen streaking.
- LEAP multiple authentication failure.

Cheers,

Bill

andy71600 · #46 Post by **andy71600** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:38 pm

I just updated my wireless driver. After installation, Access Connections 4.11a was telling me that my wireless card was powered off. The only way I found to fix that problem was to uninstall/reinstall Access Connections. Now that I have done that, everything is working great!

huskers · #47 Post by **huskers** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:48 pm

I had bad experience with 2915ABG and wrt54g v5 combination. The wireless connection keep dropping and the speed is also slow. Got frustrated I returned it. I now have DI524 without any problems.

magnusansky · #48 Post by **magnusansky** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 1:18 am

Hi

[edit] moved my post over to the hardware forum, but figured I'd still leave a trail in here in case any T4x locals might have some experience with this.

Basically, DI-524 v4.00 intermittently drops my 2200BG. No idea why.

Details can be found in http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=145894

Thanks!

Dexx · #49 Post by **Dexx** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:13 pm

My T43 using the 2915 card still gets disconnects. I connect into a Belkin 4 port wireless router. I'm running WinXP SP2 with the latest hotfixes. The system used to work fine using SP1. Now, with WPA or WEP encryption i lose connection every 5-20 minutes and have to do a "repair" on the interface to get it back. The card works fine if i set up wireless as unencrypted.

I did a packet capture. Just before i lose connection, i see an EAPOL packet from the laptop. This implies that its trying to authenticate via 802.1x even though 802.1x authentication is diabled both ends.

#50 Post by **GomJabbar** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:09 am

Wireless LAN Connection Disconnects

masterus · #51 Post by **masterus** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 2:49 am

Hello everyone

You will not get WPA enryption in WiFi 802.11b becouse that standard just doesn't support it. You have 2 options to secure your transmission:

1.
Set up WEP 128bit with the max length words using Big,small,speciall signs
Insert your WiFi card's MAC address to router with option "Permit only"
Disable sending your SSID
Change default Admin password and IP address

2. Buy WiFi card which support WiFi 802.11g or 802.11a

It's very easy to do that..I use WRT54GS with my A31 and have no problems..
If you'll have any questions about WiFi and any routers..send me PM

Regards
Robert

Wiz · #52 Post by **Wiz** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:41 am

masterus wrote:You will not get WPA enryption in WiFi 802.11b becouse that standard just doesn't support it. You have 2 options to secure your transmission:

That is not correct. 802.11a, b and g has to do with the radio and not the encryption and authentication. I got a PC with an old 802.11b only wlan card (Cisco Aironet 350 PCMCIA) and use WPA without any problems. A lot of older 802.11b wlan cards does not have a driver that support WPA, but it's not because 802.11b standard does not support WPA. I guess it about the vendors that doesn't want to spend time creating new drivers for old wlan cards to support new standards and for them to sell new cards that got more features.

masterus · #53 Post by **masterus** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:04 am

Wiz wrote:
masterus wrote:You will not get WPA enryption in WiFi 802.11b becouse that standard just doesn't support it. You have 2 options to secure your transmission:
That is not correct. 802.11a, b and g has to do with the radio and not the encryption and authentication. I got a PC with an old 802.11b only wlan card (Cisco Aironet 350 PCMCIA) and use WPA without any problems. A lot of older 802.11b wlan cards does not have a driver that support WPA, but it's not because 802.11b standard does not support WPA. I guess it about the vendors that doesn't want to spend time creating new drivers for old wlan cards to support new standards and for them to sell new cards that got more features.

Sorry Wiz but you're wrong

802.11 b and 802.11a/g are not same..yes that's true that b and g work on same radio(2.4GHz) but 802.11b doesn't support WPA..check white-book..
there's options to have WPA in old cards and routers..sometimes new firmware add 802.11g and WPA

Wiz · #54 Post by **Wiz** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:10 pm

masterus wrote: Sorry Wiz but you're wrong
802.11 b and 802.11a/g are not same..yes that's true that b and g work on same radio(2.4GHz) but 802.11b doesn't support WPA..check white-book..
there's options to have WPA in old cards and routers..sometimes new firmware add 802.11g and WPA

Actually i'm not wrong about this. I know that a and b/g is not the same, but it has nothing to do with WPA. I got the documenation that describe the 802.11 and WPA standard. WPA uses encrypted techniques for authentication, which should assist in preventing unauthorized clients from becoming part of the wireless network (for those using auth.). Second, it uses a constantly changing key instead of the single shared key used for encryption by WEP.
Like WEP, WPA uses RC4 encryption for its keys, but unlike WEP, WPA modifies the original key for greater security and supports an optional authentication server. WPA is the minimum recommended security standard for network hardware that supports it, such as 802.11g hardware that supports the full 802.11g standard, and most recent 802.11a hardware. Although some vendors of 802.11b hardware have provided upgrades to support WPA, most 802.11b hardware is not compatible with WPA security.

Like you can read above it's not the 802.11b standard that does not support WPA, but most of the 802.11b hardware out there that doesn't support WPA. So it has nothing to do with the standard it self, but the manufacturer that created the hardware and what they have chosen to support in their hardware/software.

If you read the documentation that describe both 802.11b, 802.11g and WPA you will understand there is nothing with 802.11b and WPA that prevent them from working together. 802.11b has to do with the radio and WPA has to do with security (encryption and authentication). To say that WPA is only supported when using 802.11g is like saying that MSN messenger is only support when you got ADSL and not cable internet connection.

Also if you read about the Cisco Aironet 350 wlan card (which is 802.11b only) you will find that WPA is supported which i know for sure since i also use this wlan card with WPA on one of my laptops. That would have been impossible if WPA didn't work with 802.11b.

btw: I'm talking about WPA here and not WPA2 which is part of 802.11i.

#55 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:54 pm

I admin a local library with 6 Cisco 350 PCI cards running WPA-PSK. Microsoft is providing the WPA support in XP SP2 for the Cisco 350 cards.(and probably others)
Then there is the Linksys BEFW11S4 router which is "B" only radio but the latest couple of firmwares include WPA-PSK encryption. I am sure there is more out there but this is all I have encountered so far.

tripper · #56 Post by **tripper** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:23 pm

Well I FINALLY figured out why my 2200BG and the WAP54G/WRT54G were so SH*TE! For the last few years I have never had more than 2 bars with WPA activated .... and CONSTANT dropouts .. that's with all the new drivers, too, over the years, IBM and Intel ones .

Today I finally eBayed the Linksys and replaced it with a Netgear WG602, second hand from eBay. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!! 5 bars ... full bars ... WPA ... on the other end of the house .... !!!!!

If you guys are persisiting with Linksys products you are NUTS! Both their WAP54G and their WRT54G are complete CRUD!!! Two aerials cannot achieve what Netgear can with one .. plus you have to admit the Netgear looks pretty nice .. bling bling white and half the size of the Linksys

#57 Post by **GomJabbar** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:14 am

I must say I had a very similar experience. I had a SMC wireless router with print server that I bought last year. It worked fine with just one laptop connected wirelessly, but when a second laptop connected, often times the first laptop was knocked off. I even had manually set the IP addresses differently for each laptop, but I still had the problem.

Just a few days ago I bought a Netgear wireless router with print server, and what a difference. Four laptops connected wirelessly and a desktop connected via ethernet, and no more dropouts. The print server is also very reliable.

#58 Post by **bill bolton** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 4:43 pm

tripper wrote:If you guys are persisiting with Linksys products you are NUTS!

That's a foolhardy call to make based on a single experience in one specific set of circumstances. Linksys has one of the best reputations of all the suppliers in the domestic WiFi space when it comes to good outcomes and reliability.

Cheers,

Bill

DIGITALgimpus · #59 Post by **DIGITALgimpus** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:56 pm

bill bolton wrote:That's a foolhardy call to make based on a single experience in one specific set of circumstances. Linksys has one of the best reputations of all the suppliers in the domestic WiFi space when it comes to good outcomes and reliability.

I'd love to see the market data to prove that to be the reason. Do they have a large marketshare? Yes, but that's because their average product price is about 50% of the nearest competitor since there are always massive rebates.

They have a very long history of poor crippled firmware and problematic QA. Ask anyone who does networking for a living if they use Linksys for their home use... they laugh, or get insulted.

Cheap != Quality.

Dell is the #1 PC maker for years. Does that mean Thinkpads are inferior? Or Dells are just way cheaper?

#60 Post by **bill bolton** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 3:35 am

DIGITALgimpus wrote:Ask anyone who does networking for a living if they use Linksys for their home use... they laugh, or get insulted.

To test your proposition, I cold called one of our network support team, who do major network support for global multi-nationals, and the team member who answered he did a quick check around their workgroup and reported no negative issues at all with Linksys kit for domestic WiFi applications, from anyone in the team.

purported 2200bg/2915abg and wrt54g problems

Mixed mode setting on WRT54g

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