Ad hoc network connection problems

[wttomlinson]

I'm trying to set up an ad hoc network between a T43 running Win XP Pro SP3 and a newer Dell laptop using Vista SP1. I can define the ad hoc network on the XP and get the Vista machine to "connect" to this network. But the T43 will not connect. I have selected "Use Windows to configure settings" in the Wireless Network Connection Properties window, but IBM Access keeps jumping back in and takes over. I think I might get farther if I could work only in Windows without this third party program making my waters muddy. Funny that even tho I used the ThinkPad to create the network it is the machine that is having connection difficulties.
Any thoughts on how to get this set up?

[Wiz]

I think you have a option in Access Connection to choose that Windows should control the wireless and not AC. Also if you want to use Windows to control the wireless then you could just uninstall AC which is probably the easiest solution.

[wttomlinson]

Could find no option to disable so I set restore point & removed software. Same general effect: create ad hoc network on XP, connect on Vista, then XP cannot connect. Under Access Connections it failed when waitinf for IP Configuration info, under pure Windows it just stopped trying after a while. This also broke my connection to normal home wireless network--at one point Widows said it was unable to connect to Home network and then gave me an option to disconnect. I finally did the Restore and IBM Access connections got that connection straightened out, but the ad hoc is still not operational.
A month ago I spent a long time trying to get Vista to see the XP machines on the home network before I came across the software upgrade one must apply to the XP systems. That is why I set this up on XP first, thinking if there were any changes or exceptions then Vista would know about them. Not there yet.

[Zender]

The way that Access Connections and Windows XP wifi work, you can't create AdHoc connection with it. Recently I had the need to share my wwan connection to other laptop and even though I succeeded, it's everything but easy and straightforward.

To get to the point. You need to make the AdHoc profile, set it as 'use windows to configure the network', create the AdHoc network in the Windows wireless manager too, then connect to the profile - and while it's trying to connect, you need to run KillAC.exe located somewhere in program files. Now Windows should have control over wifi, AC can't take it back, as it isn't running, and you can connect to the created network from the other computer.

This is because the network is down until some other computer connects to the network, so AC thinks there's nothing available and quits the try.

Be aware that with killed AC, Fn-F5 will do nothing. To restart it, you either reboot, or right click on This Computer, Manage, Services, and start the two AC services somewhere around top of the list.

[GpsPasSion]

Ah that looks like it could fix my problem too, I wasted hours in August trying to create an adhoc network with a T40P, got one to run on my replacement X31 but again no joy on my original X31 I dug out as the new one was having issues...I'd noticed that Fn-F5 wasn't working on my new X31. They use different Wifi cards it seems.

let's see...nope after running KillAC.exe I still can't get the adhoc network to connect, I may not be doing it properly though.

You write : "You need to make the AdHoc profile, set it as 'use windows to configure the network', create the AdHoc network in the Windows wireless manager too, then connect to the profile "

The "too" is confusing me, I only know how to create a profile in windows, are you saying I need to create it in AC first, not sure how I would do that.

UPDATE - ok I figured out how to do that but still no joy. Wouldn't be easier to just run KillAC and use Windows to configure the wireless network ? I for one have no use for AC !

Thanks.

[GpsPasSion]

UPDATE #2 - so I removed AC and rebooted, but that hasn't helped much. In fact I am able to connect if another computer connects to the Adhoc network at the same time...unfortuntaly it the X31v1 disconnects after maybe 30 seconds for no apparent reason, in the meantime I'm able to use the WIFI router on the other computer just fine. Same setup with the x31v2 works fine so at this point I'm thinking it's a hardware/drivers issue, the card that's causing me problems is the "11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter", the one that's working ok is the "LAN 2100 3B 11B"