Microsoft KB826942 - not quite a fix...

Microsoft has released a wireless update rollup package:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=826942.

I have installed it in the hope that it would resolve my DHCP issues
(particularly at domain login) and the disconnect problems I have been
having.

After less than an hour of having it installed, here's my view: it helps,
but it's not a complete fix.

Strangely, after first installing the update, my first reboot took forever,
literally several minutes after entering my password and waiting with just a
clear background for my desktop to come up.

Subsequent reboots, however, have been quick and I have been able to log on
to our domain without any significant delay (as opposed to 1-2 minutes of
waiting and an event log full of tcpip and dhcp messsages).

I am still experiencing connection loss a couple of minutes after the
initial login, but the nature of the loss has changed. It used to be that
the signal would drop completely, i.e. disassociate with the access point,
and I would get a "one ore more wireless networks is available" bubble.
That does not happen any more. However, it seems Windows tries to refresh
the IP address from the DHCP server and this renewal is failing. I am
getting DHCP "semaphore timeout" messages in my event log. As well, I
looked at my Wireless Configuration Utility (which comes with my
Broadcom-based wireless card) to check the link status. Interestingly,
after one of these connection drops, the security was listed as "TKIP, WEP,
Key Absent". Not a good sign.

I have gone back to using a manually assigned IP address and will monitor it
throughout the day to see if there are any connection issues unrelated to
DHCP.

Perhaps others could post their experiences with the new update.


Regards,

Peter

Further details:

Even with a static IP address, I am disconnecting from the network a couple
of minutes after login. I again checked my Wireless Configuration Utility,
and I was again in a "TKIP, WEP; Key Absent" security state.

By the way, I'm using a Dell Truemobile 1300 wireless card, a Linksys WRT54G
router (acting essentially as an access point with DHCP server disabled) and
a different DHCP server on our network that displays no problems with wired
machines.

Peter

"Peter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1sapb.77$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Microsoft has released a wireless update rollup package:
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=826942.
>
> I have installed it in the hope that it would resolve my DHCP issues
> (particularly at domain login) and the disconnect problems I have been
> having.
>
> After less than an hour of having it installed, here's my view: it helps,
> but it's not a complete fix.
>
> Strangely, after first installing the update, my first reboot took
forever,
> literally several minutes after entering my password and waiting with just
a
> clear background for my desktop to come up.
>
> Subsequent reboots, however, have been quick and I have been able to log
on
> to our domain without any significant delay (as opposed to 1-2 minutes of
> waiting and an event log full of tcpip and dhcp messsages).
>
> I am still experiencing connection loss a couple of minutes after the
> initial login, but the nature of the loss has changed. It used to be that
> the signal would drop completely, i.e. disassociate with the access point,
> and I would get a "one ore more wireless networks is available" bubble.
> That does not happen any more. However, it seems Windows tries to refresh
> the IP address from the DHCP server and this renewal is failing. I am
> getting DHCP "semaphore timeout" messages in my event log. As well, I
> looked at my Wireless Configuration Utility (which comes with my
> Broadcom-based wireless card) to check the link status. Interestingly,
> after one of these connection drops, the security was listed as "TKIP,
WEP,
> Key Absent". Not a good sign.
>
> I have gone back to using a manually assigned IP address and will monitor
it
> throughout the day to see if there are any connection issues unrelated to
> DHCP.
>
> Perhaps others could post their experiences with the new update.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Peter
>
>
>
>

Curiouser and curiouser.

I tried using AES instead of TKIP, all other configuration settings the
same. After a few reboots, I had the same problem: no domain login and,
when I checked the wireless card status, I had an IP address of 0.0.0.0.
That result is particularly bizarre because I have my card set up to
MANUALLY assign an address. A disable/re-enable sorted things out, however.

I starting to feel that this update causes more problems than it solves.
Anyone else having a different experience?

Peter

"Peter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Ktapb.84$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Further details:
>
> Even with a static IP address, I am disconnecting from the network a
couple
> of minutes after login. I again checked my Wireless Configuration
Utility,
> and I was again in a "TKIP, WEP; Key Absent" security state.
>
> By the way, I'm using a Dell Truemobile 1300 wireless card, a Linksys
WRT54G
> router (acting essentially as an access point with DHCP server disabled)
and
> a different DHCP server on our network that displays no problems with
wired
> machines.
>
> Peter
>
> "Peter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:1sapb.77$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Microsoft has released a wireless update rollup package:
> > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=826942.
> >
> > I have installed it in the hope that it would resolve my DHCP issues
> > (particularly at domain login) and the disconnect problems I have been
> > having.
> >
> > After less than an hour of having it installed, here's my view: it
helps,
> > but it's not a complete fix.
> >
> > Strangely, after first installing the update, my first reboot took
> forever,
> > literally several minutes after entering my password and waiting with
just
> a
> > clear background for my desktop to come up.
> >
> > Subsequent reboots, however, have been quick and I have been able to log
> on
> > to our domain without any significant delay (as opposed to 1-2 minutes o
f
> > waiting and an event log full of tcpip and dhcp messsages).
> >
> > I am still experiencing connection loss a couple of minutes after the
> > initial login, but the nature of the loss has changed. It used to be
that
> > the signal would drop completely, i.e. disassociate with the access
point,
> > and I would get a "one ore more wireless networks is available" bubble.
> > That does not happen any more. However, it seems Windows tries to
refresh
> > the IP address from the DHCP server and this renewal is failing. I am
> > getting DHCP "semaphore timeout" messages in my event log. As well, I
> > looked at my Wireless Configuration Utility (which comes with my
> > Broadcom-based wireless card) to check the link status. Interestingly,
> > after one of these connection drops, the security was listed as "TKIP,
> WEP,
> > Key Absent". Not a good sign.
> >
> > I have gone back to using a manually assigned IP address and will
monitor
> it
> > throughout the day to see if there are any connection issues unrelated
to
> > DHCP.
> >
> > Perhaps others could post their experiences with the new update.
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Peter
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>