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Windows XP and Wireless Don't Mix

F

FOBSIDE

Platinum Member
This is the fourth time or so that I have posted about Windows XP and its apparent desire to not cooperate with wireless networks. I have a brand new Dell and a Proxim Orinoco Wireless USB adapter. This USB adapter works fine on the Windows 98 machine that I was planning to replace with the XP machine. So, I go ahead and install the drivers and it says it is connected to my access point, but I can't browse the web. I look check my IP and I don't have one, so I try to release/renew it. I can't do this. It says I can't contact the DHCP server. Meanwhile, if I look at the connection properties, packets are going out, but 0 are received. Also, my Apple PowerBook is connected to the Internet the whole time. I try setting a static IP address, but that does not work either. I'm at the end of my rope here. I have played with every setting that I can imagine. I've dealt with this problem four or five times at work myself, and my coworker has seen even more. The wireless network adapters don't seem to make a difference. I've seen it with all different computers with all different adapters. I am about to call Microsoft and pay for tech support, just so I can get this resolved, or at least get a confirmation that Microsoft screwed up with one of their Windows Updates and SP2 will fix things. Does anyone know how to solve this problem and get me connected?
 
I have plenty of computers on XP home running on a wireless network in a concrete block dorm building. XP works great. Just uninstall everything to do with networking and disable the built in nic if there is one. Have you tried downloading any updated drivers for it? SP2 has messed some computers up pretty bad here when students have tried it. Its still not final enough for me to try it.
 
Native XP wireless support is broken. Doesn't always manifest itself but Zero Wireless Configuration was a mistake in it's current form. SP2 should fix your issues. Until then, if you don't want to go get the SP2 that's available, I would use the utility that comes with your card, IF you can, and disable ZWC in XP.
 
Yes, I have encountered many XP systems that run wireless fine, but there are far too many XP systems that I have seen on clean installs, where the wireless just doesn't work to be a coincidence. I can't disable WZC and even using the third party utility doesn't work.
 
If you can not disable WZC then something is wrong with your specific WinXP Installation.
 
I highly recommend not letting Windows manage your wireless settings. Download and use the utility that is made by Orinoco. It works much better than XP in my experience.
 
Let me clarify. I CAN disable WZC, but it doesn't help. It makes wireless recognition slow. Then it will eventually connect and receive 0 packets. Windows IS NOT currently managing the wireless connection and I am using Orinoco's wireless utlility.
 
Originally posted by: FOBSIDE
Let me clarify. I CAN disable WZC, but it doesn't help. It makes wireless recognition slow. Then it will eventually connect and receive 0 packets. Windows IS NOT currently managing the wireless connection and I am using Orinoco's wireless utlility.
Click to expand...

That shouldn't matter. I have WZC disabled on my WinXP Pro Laptop (SP1 with Netgear Utility) and it worked fine. But I reenabled it when I installed SP2 and it's much easier to work then before. That being said I agree that your Windows install may be hosed.

-Por
 
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