XP laptop not connecting to wireless automatically...

[Koldov]

Sorry for the noob question guys and gals as I'm sure I'm missing something very simple here...

 

I have a user with an old xp acer laptop (intel wireless), in an external building.

 

On startup it will not connect to the wireless network, it sits on acquiring ip address for a few minutes and then gives up with the limited/no connectivity exclamation mark over the wireless icon.

 

It can see the network and says it is connected and if you right-click and choose the repair option it connects and gets an ip address in seconds... (if this didn't happen I would just say it's too far from an access point and be done, but it also says 54mbps and connection good).

 

I've fiddled (technical term) with most of the wireless settings but I'm afraid beyond the basics, they don't mean a great deal to me.

 

For now I've told the user to just use the repair option, but would like a more permanent fix.

 

Does anyone have any knowledge about resolving this or any experience with similar issues, which might help me waste less of my time on it?

 

Any constructive advice for this issue grarefully received

 

Kol.

[mac_shinobi]

I've fiddled (technical term) with most of the wireless settings but I'm afraid beyond the basics, they don't mean a great deal to me.

 

What settings have been changed / adjusted or what settings have you looked at etc ?

 

Updated the wireless card driver from the intel website ?

 

If not then I would do that first - then I would launch the intel wireless utility and get windows to manage the wireless connections and see how that goes.

 

You can when installing the intel wireless card driver get it to install its own service and get it to get an ip address etc before or on the logon screen so you can do it that way but I think letting windows manage the wireless networks is a better option , or at least has worked better for me.

 

What is the laptop like with getting an ip address on a physical connection ?

 

Only asking as if it was me I would also be tempted to

 

1. Check the hosts file and reset back to defaults --> http://www.askvg.com/how-to-reset-hosts-file-to-default-in-windows-xp-vista-and-7/

2. Reset winsocks ( using netsh command ) --> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/winsock.htm

3. Reset tcp/ip stack ( again using netsh command ) --> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357

4. Once the wireless card driver has been updated , restart the laptop, log back on ( even if you have to connect with an ethernet / network cable ) and go into device manager --> properties of wireless nic --> power management tab and un-tick all the power saving / power manage tick boxes to make sure the wireless card isn't being powered off.

 

I generally tend to use the intel updater - downloadcenter.intel.com

 

Although if it has a customised driver from the manufacturers website ie hp / Lenovo etc then it won't detect if there is a newer driver available so may need to remove the current wireless card driver first before running the intel updater ( which will prompt for installing add ons / plug ins etc so as to check what version the drivers are at for chipset / graphics / network cards etc ) so the usual click the yellow bar, allow, clicking yes to install the plug ins.

Edited April 16, 2013 by mac_shinobi

[jallsop]

Depending on the network security settings, also check you have service packs installed. I had a teacher bring in an old machine that belonged to the school, and she was about to scream trying to connect, when she gave it to me, and i (eventually) realised that is was XP with no service packs installed. No WPA2 enterprise security settings.

[Koldov]

Thanks for the input so far, really appreciate it.

 

Looks like I'm in for a busier afternoon than planned, if I can manage the impossible and get a teacher to give up their laptop for that long!

 

I'm sure something about 'pry it out of my cold dead hands' was mentioned...

 

Kol.

[mac_shinobi]

Depending on the network security settings, also check you have service packs installed. I had a teacher bring in an old machine that belonged to the school, and she was about to scream trying to connect, when she gave it to me, and i (eventually) realised that is was XP with no service packs installed. No WPA2 enterprise security settings.

 

Completely forgot about that but think it was either SP 2 or 3 ( can't remember now ) that added support for WPA2 on XP, think that's correct ?

[jallsop]

think it was sp3.

[ben604]

Yeah, get SP3 and update the driver!

[Koldov]

Depending on the network security settings, also check you have service packs installed. I had a teacher bring in an old machine that belonged to the school, and she was about to scream trying to connect, when she gave it to me, and i (eventually) realised that is was XP with no service packs installed. No WPA2 enterprise security settings.

 

Sorry guys, we are using WEP, due to some network configuration issues or network connectivity issues (this was established way before I started and is a managed system) but now I'm thinking, it could well have been because maybe the users weren't fully service patcked up

 

Kol.

[Koldov]

Well, it's sorted now!

 

I'm afraid to say I went in with a hammer

 

Went for the uninstall of the intel PROSet drivers and rebooted and on the restart it installed drivers silently with no action from me. Popped up the 'wireless networks detected' message and after choosing the correct one and entering the network key, connected fine (albeit with a low signal), went in and changed some settings to boost it up, restarted and connected first time...

 

Thanks all for your time and input

 

Kol.