ThinkVantage Access Connections

[gioia]

T43, Machine Type - 2668, Model - 44M
Intel PROSet 2200BG
Thinkvantage Access Connections 4.52
Win XP Pro SP2

On system bootup while Windows desktop is loading (icons + services + taskbar icons in right hand bottom of screen), just wondering as to why when the "Wireless Connection Status" icon/component of Thinkvantage Access Connections loads in the taskbar the wireless radio (noted by the green Wireless LED on the screen) powers up for 30 seconds or so. It doesn't associate with any APs nor does it attempt to connect to a valid profile in Access Connections but it definately turns on.

Then when final services/icons finishes to load and the system reaches steady-state the green LED turns off, the Wireless Connection Status has the red circle through it denoting the radio is off (in taskbar), which is what I'm after. I don't know why it needs to turn on for 30 seconds or so.

If I uninstall Thinkvantage Access Connections and thus lose the Thinkvantage Access Connections profile picker and the Wireless Connection Status icon which is bundled with ThinkVantage Access Connections, then this doesn't occur. I.e. The Wireless Green LED never turns on. Which is the desirable action.

[gioia]

T43, Machine Type - 2668, Model - 44M
Intel PROSet 2200BG
Thinkvantage Access Connections 4.52
Win XP Pro SP2

On system bootup while Windows desktop is loading (icons + services + taskbar icons in right hand bottom of screen), just wondering as to why when the "Wireless Connection Status" icon/component of Thinkvantage Access Connections loads in the taskbar the wireless radio (noted by the green Wireless LED on the screen) powers up for 30 seconds or so. It doesn't associate with any APs nor does it attempt to connect to a valid profile in Access Connections but it definately turns on.

Then when final services/icons finishes to load and the system reaches steady-state the green LED turns off, the Wireless Connection Status has the red circle through it denoting the radio is off (in taskbar), which is what I'm after. I don't know why it needs to turn on for 30 seconds or so.

If I uninstall Thinkvantage Access Connections and thus lose the Thinkvantage Access Connections profile picker and the Wireless Connection Status icon which is bundled with ThinkVantage Access Connections, then this doesn't occur. I.e. The Wireless Green LED never turns on. Which is the desirable action.

An update .....

This 30 second thing is not just the wireless adapter firing for the sake of it on windows desktop load. It's actually trying to connect to a profile.

I've found that the only way for the wireless adapter to not fire on startup is if in a previous session before restarting/powering down you actually used the Fn+F5 key to turn off the radio. So if you did that, then restarted/shutdown laptop, powered up again, then the radio wouldn't fire on startup. Then this means if you left click on Thinkvantage Access Connections icon on the taskbar and then highlighting the active profile and selecting 'Disconnect' doesn't actually terminate the radio. Like it does, but perhaps it prompts Thinkvantage to automatically call it upon reboot. (Even though, I don't have Location Switching enabled, nor do I have the option of 'Allow wireless connection at Windows logon [requires system restart]' checked enabled in Thinkvantage Access Connections' Global Settings)

Also, interesting to note that say this profile has roaming enabled such that you can pick whether to connect with LAN or WLAN, then say on startup, the radio doesn't fire, and the last selected profile from the previous use before shutdown/reboot was highlighted, it means if you stick in the UTP cable you'll get profile activation as its sensed activity on the LAN adapter, but if you were to pull the LAN cable and expect to see Thinkvantage Access Connections roam to the WLAN adapter, you're wrong. It won't. You actually need to left click on the profile and then select 'Connect'.

Seems like the application has poor control of the hardware/irq's of the WLAN adapter. The programming interface should be reviewed, .... but then again, maybe that's why Lenovo went for the hard switch on the T60 (successor to the T43 range) rather than the software method via the Fn+F5 to enable the WLAN.

Thoughts anyone ??