2k built in wireless utility w/ a USB Wireless stick?

[videobruce]

Running 2k on a older Laptop, running the manufactures (Ralink RT2870 chipset) utility for a USB wireless stick causes issues so I want to try using Windows wireless utility. Problem is, I can't find how to use it. I have it running under Services.

The supplied utility & drivers are installed, but I stopped loading the utility since it causes the PS2 mouse to stop responding as soon as the utility loads. The stick connects and does work, but I have no control over it without running the utility.

I tried another no name sticks software (the exact same stick, but under a different name) but it has a overly complex utility (and a newer driver), but it causes the Laptop to lock up completely.

I never used a USB wireless stick before and never used wireless anything in 2k when I use to run it 6 or 7 years ago. The Laptop isn't for me.

Does 2k have the ability to run a wireless device with its own utility as it does in XP, or is this because it is a USB stick, not a PCI card where the problem is?

 

[VirtualLarry]

I didn't think W2K had any support for built-in wireless, like XP does.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I didn't think W2K had any support for built-in wireless, like XP does.

You are correct, it wasnt until XP that native support was there for wireless, prior to that you had to use the manuf utility or another commercial utility like Odyssey

 

[Nothinman]

And XP's native wireless tools are terrible to the point of almost being useless so if Win2K has anything at all I'd bet they're similarly worthless.

 

[imagoon]

And XP's native wireless tools are terrible to the point of almost being useless so if Win2K has anything at all I'd bet they're similarly worthless.

Yet they work fantastically here in my office. I no longer install the ones that come with cards.

AD managed, WPA2-Enterprise support, certificate based logins... What else do you want out of a wireless utility?

 

[Nothinman]

Yet they work fantastically here in my office. I no longer install the ones that come with cards.

AD managed, WPA2-Enterprise support, certificate based logins... What else do you want out of a wireless utility?

The ability to connect to a non-broadcast SSD reliably? That's something XP's tools fail at miserably.

 

[imagoon]

The ability to connect to a non-broadcast SSD reliably? That's something XP's tools fail at miserably.

Isn't any worse than the NDISwrapper nightmare on linux. Besides why do you turn of your SSID? It doesn't increase your security at all.

 

[JackMDS]

Windows 2000 does not have internal Wireless support you have to use the vendor's utility.

If you do not like it get another card that uses other chipset, it will have a different utility.

If the computer has PCMCIA slot use it instaed of USB, on old computer running Win 2000 PCMCIA Wireless works much than USB (they go for about $10 on ebay).

 

[Nothinman]

Isn't any worse than the NDISwrapper nightmare on linux. Besides why do you turn of your SSID? It doesn't increase your security at all.

I didn't, someone else here did but eventually we turned it back on because getting XP machines to connect reliably was a nightmare. Although Linux and OS X had no problem at all.

My experience with ndiswrapper is extremely limited because I always bought hardware that Linux actually supports. The fact that it exists at all is a bonus, like WINE, but it shouldn't be relied upon. If your hardware manufacturer doesn't support Linux complain to them, not the people trying to make it work for you. Luckily, that's pretty rare these days.

 

[imagoon]

I didn't, someone else here did but eventually we turned it back on because getting XP machines to connect reliably was a nightmare. Although Linux and OS X had no problem at all.

My experience with ndiswrapper is extremely limited because I always bought hardware that Linux actually supports. The fact that it exists at all is a bonus, like WINE, but it shouldn't be relied upon. If your hardware manufacturer doesn't support Linux complain to them, not the people trying to make it work for you. Luckily, that's pretty rare these days.

No biggie. I never have tried pushing out settings for XP to work without the SSID broadcast. There is no security benefit for doing so I never bothered. So you might be right, I just have never tested that scenario. However calling it crap because it didn't work for specific instance is a bit much.

 

[Nothinman]

No biggie. I never have tried pushing out settings for XP to work without the SSID broadcast. There is no security benefit for doing so I never bothered. So you might be right, I just have never tested that scenario. However calling it crap because it didn't work for specific instance is a bit much.

But it's a very popular, specific instance. Especially when WEP was more popular back when XP was being developed and released. Which seems to be a recurring theme with MS, support the dead easy stuff well and leave support for the more advanced stuff either half working or non-existent. It's quite annoying.

 

[videobruce]

Their utility is working, but I found it does not normally load at startup. I found no issue as the stick connects with no apparent issue. It just would of been nice if 2k had the utility, but he can surely live with it the way it is.

 

[imagoon]

But it's a very popular, specific instance. Especially when WEP was more popular back when XP was being developed and released. Which seems to be a recurring theme with MS, support the dead easy stuff well and leave support for the more advanced stuff either half working or non-existent. It's quite annoying.

I really don't consider WPA2-Enterprise, central management, certificate based authentication etc "dead easy stuff." Having rolled out several wireless networks in the past now, I can tell you the absolute easiest part was configuring the XP machines that used the built in service (15-20 minutes in AD and wait for GPO to roll out over the next hour). The ones with the Intel, broadcom, and dell utilities were the biggest PITA and now from the get go I tell clients that they will have to be removed rather than try and get 4-5 different programs at various rev levels to support the new network.

 

[imagoon]

Their utility is working, but I found it does not normally load at startup. I found no issue as the stick connects with no apparent issue. It just would of been nice if 2k had the utility, but he can surely live with it the way it is.

This wasn't atypical in windows 2k. Actually if anything you should be pushing them to replace 2k. There hasn't been any security patches for it in over a year and is now an open festering wound. Most apps are starting to drop support for it also such as antivirus.