MN-510 can't connect when SSID not broadcast

Hi,

I've actually had this working fine for months, but moved
my USB Devices around today and now I can't get the MN-
510 to connect to my network unless I broadcast the SSID.

I can disable SSID broadcast while I'm connected and
everything will be fine, but when I reboot the MN-510
can't connect. I found a Microsoft KB article that says
to disable SSID Broadcast after all devices are installed
and configured. Unfortunately, as indicated above, this
doesn't seem to work.

FYI, also seemingly related - I can no longer 'View
Available Wireless Networks', even when I'm connected.

Does anybody have experience dealing with this issue?

The latest upgrades to the MN-500 family introduced this
bug. The SSID must be on all the time.

Probably, the update got downloaded and installed
automatically by the MNBU (automatic updates can be
disabled under the Tools|Options).

Anyway, even with SSID turned off, the network can be
detected (it just require more software). Most of us have
been setting up MAC filtering to increase the network
security. I went as far as setting a VPN between the
wireless computers on 802.11b network, since WEP can be
broken easily.

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi,
>
>I've actually had this working fine for months, but
moved
>my USB Devices around today and now I can't get the MN-
>510 to connect to my network unless I broadcast the SSID.
>
>I can disable SSID broadcast while I'm connected and
>everything will be fine, but when I reboot the MN-510
>can't connect. I found a Microsoft KB article that says
>to disable SSID Broadcast after all devices are
installed
>and configured. Unfortunately, as indicated above, this
>doesn't seem to work.
>
>FYI, also seemingly related - I can no longer 'View
>Available Wireless Networks', even when I'm connected.
>
>Does anybody have experience dealing with this issue?
>.
>

I was told by a Linksys user, that this is a problem with 802.11b. I had the
exact same problem with my MN-510 USB device. Everytime I rebooted, I lost
my connection. I discovered there was another wireless network in the area
and this may have had something to do with it. I could see their network in
my "available networks" even though the signal strength was very low. I
upgraded to the MN-710 (802.11g) and I no longer have the problem.
Carol

"Kurt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1d07701c4533a$5eb930a0$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> I've actually had this working fine for months, but moved
> my USB Devices around today and now I can't get the MN-
> 510 to connect to my network unless I broadcast the SSID.
>
> I can disable SSID broadcast while I'm connected and
> everything will be fine, but when I reboot the MN-510
> can't connect. I found a Microsoft KB article that says
> to disable SSID Broadcast after all devices are installed
> and configured. Unfortunately, as indicated above, this
> doesn't seem to work.
>
> FYI, also seemingly related - I can no longer 'View
> Available Wireless Networks', even when I'm connected.
>
> Does anybody have experience dealing with this issue?

I had my network as reasonably secure as it could be for a
802.11b home user. MAC filtering, non-broadcast SSID,
WEP, etc...

I know that SSID can still be detected with a passive
sniffer like Kismet, but there are far more
Windows/Netstumbler wardrivers than there are Unix/Kismet
wardrivers. If most of the casual wardrivers don't know
your network's there, then they won't be tempted to
connect.

I found my old wireless network SSID (broadcasted) in a
database search on the internet, but haven't found my most
recent SSID. Now that its being broadcast, I'm sure it'll
show up shortly.

Thanks anyway, Kurt
>-----Original Message-----
>The latest upgrades to the MN-500 family introduced this
>bug. The SSID must be on all the time.
>
>Probably, the update got downloaded and installed
>automatically by the MNBU (automatic updates can be
>disabled under the Tools|Options).
>
>Anyway, even with SSID turned off, the network can be
>detected (it just require more software). Most of us have
>been setting up MAC filtering to increase the network
>security. I went as far as setting a VPN between the
>wireless computers on 802.11b network, since WEP can be
>broken easily.
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Hi,
>>
>>I've actually had this working fine for months, but
>moved
>>my USB Devices around today and now I can't get the MN-
>>510 to connect to my network unless I broadcast the SSID.
>>
>>I can disable SSID broadcast while I'm connected and
>>everything will be fine, but when I reboot the MN-510
>>can't connect. I found a Microsoft KB article that says
>>to disable SSID Broadcast after all devices are
>installed
>>and configured. Unfortunately, as indicated above, this
>>doesn't seem to work.
>>
>>FYI, also seemingly related - I can no longer 'View
>>Available Wireless Networks', even when I'm connected.
>>
>>Does anybody have experience dealing with this issue?
>>.
>>
>.
>

FYI, this is not specifically an 802.11b problem. I've
had this working fine until the latest firmware upgrade.
Even since the upgrade, my MN-520 Card still works fine
(although the software's installed on Win2k, not XP).
>-----Original Message-----
>I was told by a Linksys user, that this is a problem with
802.11b. I had the
>exact same problem with my MN-510 USB device. Everytime I
rebooted, I lost
>my connection. I discovered there was another wireless
network in the area
>and this may have had something to do with it. I could
see their network in
>my "available networks" even though the signal strength
was very low. I
>upgraded to the MN-710 (802.11g) and I no longer have the
problem.
>Carol
>
>"Kurt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message
>news:1d07701c4533a$5eb930a0$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I've actually had this working fine for months, but
moved
>> my USB Devices around today and now I can't get the MN-
>> 510 to connect to my network unless I broadcast the
SSID.
>>
>> I can disable SSID broadcast while I'm connected and
>> everything will be fine, but when I reboot the MN-510
>> can't connect. I found a Microsoft KB article that says
>> to disable SSID Broadcast after all devices are
installed
>> and configured. Unfortunately, as indicated above, this
>> doesn't seem to work.
>>
>> FYI, also seemingly related - I can no longer 'View
>> Available Wireless Networks', even when I'm connected.
>>
>> Does anybody have experience dealing with this issue?
>
>
>.
>

OK

"Kurt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1d0df01c453c2$2715d6c0$(E-Mail Removed)...
> FYI, this is not specifically an 802.11b problem. I've
> had this working fine until the latest firmware upgrade.
> Even since the upgrade, my MN-520 Card still works fine
> (although the software's installed on Win2k, not XP).
> >-----Original Message-----
> >I was told by a Linksys user, that this is a problem with
> 802.11b. I had the
> >exact same problem with my MN-510 USB device. Everytime I
> rebooted, I lost
> >my connection. I discovered there was another wireless
> network in the area
> >and this may have had something to do with it. I could
> see their network in
> >my "available networks" even though the signal strength
> was very low. I
> >upgraded to the MN-710 (802.11g) and I no longer have the
> problem.
> >Carol
> >
> >"Kurt" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message
> >news:1d07701c4533a$5eb930a0$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I've actually had this working fine for months, but
> moved
> >> my USB Devices around today and now I can't get the MN-
> >> 510 to connect to my network unless I broadcast the
> SSID.
> >>
> >> I can disable SSID broadcast while I'm connected and
> >> everything will be fine, but when I reboot the MN-510
> >> can't connect. I found a Microsoft KB article that says
> >> to disable SSID Broadcast after all devices are
> installed
> >> and configured. Unfortunately, as indicated above, this
> >> doesn't seem to work.
> >>
> >> FYI, also seemingly related - I can no longer 'View
> >> Available Wireless Networks', even when I'm connected.
> >>
> >> Does anybody have experience dealing with this issue?
> >
> >
> >.
> >

I've got this working again after following a tip in
another post.

The answer was to revert back to an earlier driver for
the MN-510. The original driver is Version 1.31.9.0,
dated 07/14/2002. In swapping USB ports, I reinstalled
the adapter with the new driver, Version 3.0.4.205, dated
5/20/2003.

After reverting back to 1.31.9.0, I'm now able to stop
broadcasting my SSID--even with reboots.


>-----Original Message-----
>Hi,
>
>I've actually had this working fine for months, but
moved
>my USB Devices around today and now I can't get the MN-
>510 to connect to my network unless I broadcast the SSID.
>
>I can disable SSID broadcast while I'm connected and
>everything will be fine, but when I reboot the MN-510
>can't connect. I found a Microsoft KB article that says
>to disable SSID Broadcast after all devices are
installed
>and configured. Unfortunately, as indicated above, this
>doesn't seem to work.
>
>FYI, also seemingly related - I can no longer 'View
>Available Wireless Networks', even when I'm connected.
>
>Does anybody have experience dealing with this issue?
>.
>