Inconsistent connection to wireless router

I have recently bought a Compaq notebook with a built-in Boradcom 54g
wireless card running XP Home with all the latest updates/drivers. It
is very inconsistent connecting to my Linksys BEFW11S4 (v3.2, latest
firmware, 802.11b only). A lot of it seems to be connected to putting
the notebook into hibernate mode. Almost every time it comes out of
hibernation (standby), it doesn't see ANY signal. 0, nada, zilch. I
can play around with enabling/disabling the connection, and sometimes
it does finally see it. Sometimes it comes up by itself (took about 5
minutes). Rebooting seems to make the biggest difference in getting a
connection again right away, but one time it needed a second reboot.

I've tried foring the Broadcom card into 11b-only mode, changed
channels, WEP on/off, you name it and none of it seems to make much of
a difference. Did I end up with two components that just do not play
nice together, or is there something I may have overlooked ? Microsoft
has some article on their website that describes my problem, but it's
for USB wireless devices and my version of the files are newer anyway.
If changing settings does not help, what would be more succesful: new
router/AP (which one ?) or PCMCIA card (which one?).

Thanks,

Martin

Martin Schuessler wrote:
> I have recently bought a Compaq notebook with a built-in Boradcom 54g
> wireless card running XP Home with all the latest updates/drivers. It
> is very inconsistent connecting to my Linksys BEFW11S4 (v3.2, latest
> firmware, 802.11b only). A lot of it seems to be connected to putting
> the notebook into hibernate mode. Almost every time it comes out of
> hibernation (standby), it doesn't see ANY signal. 0, nada, zilch. I
> can play around with enabling/disabling the connection, and sometimes
> it does finally see it. Sometimes it comes up by itself (took about 5
> minutes). Rebooting seems to make the biggest difference in getting a
> connection again right away, but one time it needed a second reboot.
>
> I've tried foring the Broadcom card into 11b-only mode, changed
> channels, WEP on/off, you name it and none of it seems to make much of
> a difference. Did I end up with two components that just do not play
> nice together, or is there something I may have overlooked ? Microsoft
> has some article on their website that describes my problem, but it's
> for USB wireless devices and my version of the files are newer anyway.
> If changing settings does not help, what would be more succesful: new
> router/AP (which one ?) or PCMCIA card (which one?).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Martin

Hybernate is difficult; suspend is pretty good on XP from my experience
with wireless. When it comes out of hybernation, can you check the
power state? You could try switching the XP power management check box
to the other state and see if that improves the performance.

Q

Martin Schuessler wrote:
> I have recently bought a Compaq notebook with a built-in Boradcom 54g
> wireless card running XP Home with all the latest updates/drivers. It
> is very inconsistent connecting to my Linksys BEFW11S4 (v3.2, latest
> firmware, 802.11b only). A lot of it seems to be connected to putting
> the notebook into hibernate mode. Almost every time it comes out of
> hibernation (standby), it doesn't see ANY signal. 0, nada, zilch. I
> can play around with enabling/disabling the connection, and sometimes
> it does finally see it. Sometimes it comes up by itself (took about 5
> minutes). Rebooting seems to make the biggest difference in getting a
> connection again right away, but one time it needed a second reboot.
>
> I've tried foring the Broadcom card into 11b-only mode, changed
> channels, WEP on/off, you name it and none of it seems to make much of
> a difference. Did I end up with two components that just do not play
> nice together, or is there something I may have overlooked ? Microsoft
> has some article on their website that describes my problem, but it's
> for USB wireless devices and my version of the files are newer anyway.
> If changing settings does not help, what would be more succesful: new
> router/AP (which one ?) or PCMCIA card (which one?).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Martin
If you haven't already, try this:

1) Start the 'Wireless Zero Configuration' service.
Start|run|services.msc
2) Let windows manage the wireless connection.
Right click on the connection and choose Properties from the drop down list.

On the 'Wireless Networks' tab, check the 'Use windows to configure my
wireless network settings' check box.

I do let XP manage my settings, and I know the client is enabled/on since
it clearly shows it on my taskbar and it has a power light. Even coming out
of a straight reboot seems to be a little flaky. It does seem to connect
eventually, but it's still a mystery as to why it sees absolutely no signal
and then - whammo - excellent signal at 11Mbps.

Thanks,

Martin


"Martin Schuessler" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> I have recently bought a Compaq notebook with a built-in Boradcom 54g
> wireless card running XP Home with all the latest updates/drivers. It
> is very inconsistent connecting to my Linksys BEFW11S4 (v3.2, latest
> firmware, 802.11b only). A lot of it seems to be connected to putting
> the notebook into hibernate mode. Almost every time it comes out of
> hibernation (standby), it doesn't see ANY signal. 0, nada, zilch. I
> can play around with enabling/disabling the connection, and sometimes
> it does finally see it. Sometimes it comes up by itself (took about 5
> minutes). Rebooting seems to make the biggest difference in getting a
> connection again right away, but one time it needed a second reboot.
>
> I've tried foring the Broadcom card into 11b-only mode, changed
> channels, WEP on/off, you name it and none of it seems to make much of
> a difference. Did I end up with two components that just do not play
> nice together, or is there something I may have overlooked ? Microsoft
> has some article on their website that describes my problem, but it's
> for USB wireless devices and my version of the files are newer anyway.
> If changing settings does not help, what would be more succesful: new
> router/AP (which one ?) or PCMCIA card (which one?).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Martin