Acer TravelMate 6003LCi Laptop - Wireless Connectivity Issue

[firefox_2006]

Hi

I have the above mentioned laptop. For some strange reason the internal wireless card keeps disconnecting. For example, I can boot the computer up, but cannot get it to log me onto the network properly because it cannot connect to the network. It seems that every time I restart the machine, I am having to manually start the wireless (i.e. by pressing the button on the front of the machine). It will then log me onto the network but the wireless icon in the system tray flashes around displaying status "acquiring network address", and thus I cannot access any network drives until I repair the connection. I have rebuilt the machine from scratch using Windows XP SP2 CD, still doing same thing.

Any ideas? or is the internal wireless just permanently stuffed?

Internal wireless is: Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Adapter and enabled.

firefox_2006

[Oops_my_bad]

Have you made sure you are using the latest wireless drivers and are letting windows manage the device? Failing that there should be a setting in the proset software to enable the wireless pre-logon.

[firefox_2006]

@TeddyKGB

Yes I am sure that windows is managing the wireless, I will try and find the latest drivers for the wireless, but I am certain I download it when I rebuilt the machine.

Whats this proset thing your on about? Do you mean in the BIOS?

firefox_2006

[Oops_my_bad]

It would be useful to check the BIOS - some laptops i've had have a "default wireless" setting set to either on or off.

The proset software is a bit of software that usually comes with the drivers of the card. ie the intel utility manages the wireless instead of Windows.

[FN-GM]

Do you have any trouble connecting other laptops the same access point?

[firefox_2006]

@FN

Yes there is an issue with some internal Intel Wireless cards, we have 3Com wireless access points around the school and have recently bought several new Toshiba laptops, which subsequently failed to hold a connection on the internal wireless card. Even had a guy out from Toshiba and he could not fix it! 3Com are supposedly posting a fix/patch for this in the near future but the network manager is apprehensive about putting it on the network, as we have 6th formers with Vista laptops wanting to connect them to the wireless aswell.

[rrichmond]

That is interesting to hear. We have just installed the 3COM WX4400 and have been testing it using different laptops. One laptop will connect just fine, but if you try to transfer and large amounts of data (e.g download a file) it disconnects and then reconnects.

We have also noticed with the Apple Laptops that the signal strength is quite low compared with a Windows Laptop.

[firefox_2006]

@rrichmond

You have Apple laptops? 8O Is your school/place minted or something lol

[rrichmond]

@rrichmond

You have Apple laptops? 8O Is your school/place minted or something lol

We call them Apples in Australia, Perhaps I should have said Macs!

[FN-GM]

I think he was referring to Mac laptops.

[Jackd]

I had the same problem on one laptop it was fixed by installing the proset software which can be downloaded here