T42 with SP3 & Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG - broken

[billp117]

I installed SP3 on quite a few ThinkPads with very little trouble. However my T42 with a 2915ABG wireless card has decided not to work. I removed SP3 and all seemed OK. I reinstalled SP3 and no-go. Then I removed Access Connection and reinstalled SP3. I almost had it fixed and then it started to drop the connection.

However, I installed a $6.00 USB Airlink 101 card and it works rock solid. This problem has me baffled. I did change the setting as recommended for the Atheros card via "services.msc" to automatic. This made no change and it still will not connect via the 2915 Intel wireless card.

Previous to SP3 this laptop would stay connected to my wireless system for days with no issues. I have tried three different wireless routers (US Robotics, Netgear, and Airlink 101). They all have the same problem. My X60s works perfect as do other T40, T43, and Z61t ThinkPads.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Bill

[Harryc]

Bill, try the latest Intel (not Lenovo) drivers.

[billp117]

I did try other Lenovo drivers...but no downloads from Intel. That was good advice...however I think I may have solved the problem.

Here are my steps:

Removed the automatic MS download SP3 via add/remove programs
Note: the wireless is now working
Installed SP3 using the full 316 mb file from MS for IT folks
Run - "services.msc" change to automatic as recommended in other threads
Restart the ThinkPad

I have remained connected now for 11+ hours.

I have not figured out "why" this works and just on my T42...but it looks like the problem is now solved. I will cross my fingers. If this fails again I will go for the genuine Intel drivers.

Bill

From another thread:

That is a new system service that is included with some of the new networking features in SP3. To set it to automatic do this:
1. click start->run and type services.msc
2. scroll through the list and double click the Extensible Authentication Protocol Service entry.
3. re-start
4. after re-starting, it should show the status as Started

As for what the service does, google told me this:
Code:

The Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) service provides network authentication in such scenarios as 802.1x wired and wireless, VPN, and Network Access Protection (NAP). EAP also provides application programming interfaces (APIs) that are used by network access clients, including wireless and VPN clients, during the authentication process. If you disable this service, this computer is prevented from accessing networks that require EAP authentication

Required For:

* Wired AutoConfig
* WLAN AutoConfig

[billp117]

The rest of the story:

I removed the old HD and installed a new one with Vista installed. Vista was rock solid until I installed a USB mouse. I kept being flagged that there was not driver. Well...USB mice do not need any special drivers in XP or Vista.

I removed that drive and installed an old 60 GB drive with XP installed for a T43...only to get the BSOD. I went to bed and slept on the problem.

Today I installed the old T43 drive and did a full restore from my handy T41 restore disks. That worked pretty well and all went well until I installed SP3. Then Windows Update quit working. I googled the problem and found a MS link to fix the update problem. I then continued with all the updates and it now appears that my wireless connections are fine, the USB mouse works fine and everything else appears normal in River City.

This is the 2nd HD that has given me fits. My next step is to call EZServ and see if they will replace the HD since it is still under warranty.

That is my solution and I am sticking with it. BTW...Vista ran fine on my T42 with 2 GB of memory. I guess if I worked with it a little more (not worth my time) I probably could have solved the USB mouse problem.

Bill

[billp117]

The problems continue...I sent the T42 to EZserv. We will see what happens. Possible HD and Intel wi-fi card replacement.