Netgear MA401 Problem

I am going nuts.

I have a Linksys wireless access point and a Netgear MA401 PCMCIA 802.11b
card.

I cannot get the MA401 to link with a signal in Infrastructure mode, even
with the card right next to the access point. When I change to ad-hoc
point-to-point, the card recognizes a strong steady signal. Going back to
Infrastructure mode and the signal is lost. Now here is the strange part,
every now and then the card will work in Infrastructure mode and I can
connect to the I-net. It will lock in strong for a while and then start to
deteriorate and then disappear again. I have checked everything I can think
of and can't find a "cause/affect" relationship.

I do have a 2.4 GHz spread spectrum cordless phone in the house, but it is
50 feet away and the problem occurs even when the phone is not in use.

I have called Netgear Tech Support and they walk me through the typical
check list of set-up issues but have no clue as to how to fix this problem.

This NG is my last hope.

Karen

Karen again: More information. The signal from the Linksys Wireless Access
Point seems to "fade in and out." Sometimes it is solid, other times it
just goes away. I have not been able to isolate a cause. Any ideas?

"Karen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsBVPa.103334$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I am going nuts.
>
> I have a Linksys wireless access point and a Netgear MA401 PCMCIA 802.11b
> card.
>
> I cannot get the MA401 to link with a signal in Infrastructure mode, even
> with the card right next to the access point. When I change to ad-hoc
> point-to-point, the card recognizes a strong steady signal. Going back to
> Infrastructure mode and the signal is lost. Now here is the strange part,
> every now and then the card will work in Infrastructure mode and I can
> connect to the I-net. It will lock in strong for a while and then start
to
> deteriorate and then disappear again. I have checked everything I can
think
> of and can't find a "cause/affect" relationship.
>
> I do have a 2.4 GHz spread spectrum cordless phone in the house, but it is
> 50 feet away and the problem occurs even when the phone is not in use.
>
> I have called Netgear Tech Support and they walk me through the typical
> check list of set-up issues but have no clue as to how to fix this
problem.
>
> This NG is my last hope.
>
> Karen
>
>

"Karen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:sldQa.4399$G%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Karen again: More information. The signal from the Linksys Wireless
Access
> Point seems to "fade in and out." Sometimes it is solid, other times it
> just goes away. I have not been able to isolate a cause. Any ideas?
>
> "Karen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> newsBVPa.103334$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I am going nuts.
> >
> > I have a Linksys wireless access point and a Netgear MA401 PCMCIA
802.11b
> > card.
> >
> > I cannot get the MA401 to link with a signal in Infrastructure mode,
even
> > with the card right next to the access point. When I change to ad-hoc
> > point-to-point, the card recognizes a strong steady signal. Going back
to
> > Infrastructure mode and the signal is lost. Now here is the strange
part,
> > every now and then the card will work in Infrastructure mode and I can
> > connect to the I-net. It will lock in strong for a while and then start
> to
> > deteriorate and then disappear again. I have checked everything I can
> think
> > of and can't find a "cause/affect" relationship.

I found a similar issue with some MA401s talking to a Netgear wireless
router - they started when some new XP laptops arrived and we installed a
couple of spare 401s.

Followed the Netgear suggestions and upgraded the firmware - and things went
rapidly downhill. Basically one of the laptops would lose connection after
30 to 40 minutes of access and need a reboot to recover. A similar laptop on
old firmware was OK - although we couldnt use WAP.

Fixed it by upgrading the router as well - so i suggest you check you have
all up to date firmware and drivers.
> >
> > I do have a 2.4 GHz spread spectrum cordless phone in the house, but it
is
> > 50 feet away and the problem occurs even when the phone is not in use.

You could have a different interference source - if you are in someone elses
beam line, and they have high gain aerials / amps, then they could swamp
your signal from some distance away.

Try different channels.
> >
> > I have called Netgear Tech Support and they walk me through the typical
> > check list of set-up issues but have no clue as to how to fix this
> problem.
> >
> > This NG is my last hope.
> >
> > Karen
> >
--
Regards

Stephen Hope - remove xx from email to reply