Bloody F*%^$#@ windows wireless controllers!!!

[Grifter]

Alright, so I set up my thinkvantage wireless connection. It ran fine and connected for three days. This evening the effing windows device takes control and now my thinkvantage tells me it's disconnected!!!. Before I nuke Windows and install Linux can anyone tell me how to fix this really F@#$%&^% annoying problem? I can't cancel the service without dissabling the wireless device

[astro]

I haven't had this particular problem, but I have seen something else, which may relate:

I use 802.11b with 128B static WEP keys and no DHCP on my router. AccCon will not work with this setup -- it tries to connect, gets to stage 4 "Renewing IP address" and locks up. What the hell? I don't need to "renew", because I am using a static IP! So what I did was click on the wireless icon in the taskbar and make windows "take over" the connection (I assume this is what you are talking about). Surprise, surprise -- Windows can successfully connect with a static IP setup. Meanwhile AccCon is still running and detects the connection and says "Successfully connected". No sh*t, Sherlock, no thanks to you, either.

So this is good, I'm thinking and I leave it like this hoping that AccCon will behave. However, what I find is that the next time I resume from suspend, AccCon has 'taken over' the connection again and can't connect. So I click on the Windows icon and click "Repair". That little Repair feature is simply magic -- shuts down the card, reconnects, flushes DNS and NetBIOS cache, everything.

So what am I trying to say? I think if you suspend/resume you will find that AccCon will take over the wireless connection again. Otherwise, give the little "Repair" feature a go. Finally, spend a little time setting up the connection in Windows as well and at least it will have the connection settings if it somehow manages to take over by itself.

[taphil]

Go to Control Pane, Admin Tools, Services, and disable Wireless Zero Config.

[Grifter]

Disabling the wireless zero config does absolutely nothing, indeed when I checked, it was already disabled. The funny thing is, when I click on the windows wireless connection icon, open it to view networks, it doesn't show anything is available, even though it's connected!! It say's there is another device in use. The AccCon is still disabled with a large red X through it. Could there be yet another program on the loose?

[astro]

Grifter, have you tried re-installing your wireless driver and Access Connections as well?

I saw a weird problem yesterday with a guy who has had a T42 for a while, never used the wireless, then yesterday when he wanted to activate it, it wouldn't even turn on (no little green wireless light), both Windows and AccCon could not turn the card on. Several reboots and tweaks and nothing. We thought it was a hardware issue, but gave reinstalling the drivers a try and that resolved it. Very, very strange.

[Grifter]

I just downloaded all of the latest updates and drivers, so I'll let you know how the reinstall goes.

[a_d_y_a]

I solve a similar problem by just doing the following. I know it is irritating but nonetheless. Just go to network connections and disable your wireless connection. and then enable it. Then AConn works like a charm. Dunno why that works though.

[mcvosi]

I uninstalled the Access Connections (Connection Manager) and stopped getting the link drops.

FWIW...

[Scratch]

I've seen some strange wireless behaviors including the problem with the T42 that Astro mentioned. Fn+F5 wouldn't show an 802.11 radio even present.

Had to do a complete uninstall and reinstall of drivers and AccCon to get it back. That fellow roamed a lot and liked the Location specific features of AccCon.

On others' machines I've just removed it and left it off and let Windows handle the card.

I'm still bothered by my T60p's behavior of dropping a connection to an AP that is 10 ft away through an open doorway periodically when I'm docked on my desk.

Leaving the lid open to elevate the antennae helps a bit, but it still occurs far too frequently. I tried the Atheros card and it exhibited the same behavior. Not to keep comparing to my Macs, but neither my PB G4 or my iMac exhibit this behavior from similar and greater range. I guess it's time to pull some cable to my desk.