Security and dropped connection

Here's the problem.

Running XP Pro on twocomputers.(no, that's not the problem).

After a week of happy struggle I have finally managed to get my
Thinkpad with a KCorp 108g wireless card to connect to both the
internet ( a shared adsl) and my home network.

It does so via a KCorp wireless router, a LAN port of which is plugged
into a LAN port on my Demon-supplied Speedtouch router/adsl modem.

The problem is that I can only make that connection on a totally
unsecured connection. Any attempt to enable wireless security and the
connection drops every few seconds.

My router doesn't have a usb port, so I can't use XPs automatic
wizard. But I have cut and pasted the key, so I know it's accurate.

The thing is, I get no error messages - it just won't connect.

Any help gratefully received...

TIA
Pete

HowburyPete wrote:

> Here's the problem.
>
> Running XP Pro on twocomputers.(no, that's not the problem).
>
> After a week of happy struggle I have finally managed to get my
> Thinkpad with a KCorp 108g wireless card to connect to both the
> internet ( a shared adsl) and my home network.
>
> It does so via a KCorp wireless router, a LAN port of which is plugged
> into a LAN port on my Demon-supplied Speedtouch router/adsl modem.
>
> The problem is that I can only make that connection on a totally
> unsecured connection. Any attempt to enable wireless security and the
> connection drops every few seconds.
>
> My router doesn't have a usb port, so I can't use XPs automatic
> wizard. But I have cut and pasted the key, so I know it's accurate.
>
> The thing is, I get no error messages - it just won't connect.
>
> Any help gratefully received...
>
> TIA
> Pete

Are you using a connection manager by KCorp that came with the card,
IBM's connection manager, or the Windows manager? I have a ThinkPad X31
and when I was ready to go to SP2 I checked on IBM's website for
caveats. They mentioned that their connection manager would probably
stop working with SP2 and it did. I switched over to letting Windows
manage the wireless and could then connect with no problem. Even if you
don't have XP SP2, if you are using third-party connection software,
check on the mftr.'s website for updates or try letting Windows manage
it.

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 05:25:18 -0800, Malke <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>HowburyPete wrote:
>
<snip>
>>
>> The problem is that I can only make that connection on a totally
>> unsecured connection. Any attempt to enable wireless security and the
>> connection drops every few seconds.
>>
>> My router doesn't have a usb port, so I can't use XPs automatic
>> wizard. But I have cut and pasted the key, so I know it's accurate.
>>
>> The thing is, I get no error messages - it just won't connect.
>>
>> Any help gratefully received...
>>
>> TIA
>> Pete
>
>Are you using a connection manager by KCorp that came with the card,
>IBM's connection manager, or the Windows manager? I have a ThinkPad X31
>and when I was ready to go to SP2 I checked on IBM's website for
>caveats. They mentioned that their connection manager would probably
>stop working with SP2 and it did. I switched over to letting Windows
>manage the wireless and could then connect with no problem. Even if you
>don't have XP SP2, if you are using third-party connection software,
>check on the mftr.'s website for updates or try letting Windows manage
>it.
>
>Malke

No, no third party software. I've got windows (yes, I have sp2)
managing wireless networks. It sets up a default network, but only
with an open connection. If I try and change it to a secure connection
- it drops every few seconds.

HowburyPete wrote:

> On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 05:25:18 -0800, Malke <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>>HowburyPete wrote:
>>
> <snip>
>>>
>>> The problem is that I can only make that connection on a totally
>>> unsecured connection. Any attempt to enable wireless security and
>>> the connection drops every few seconds.
>>>
>>> My router doesn't have a usb port, so I can't use XPs automatic
>>> wizard. But I have cut and pasted the key, so I know it's accurate.
>>>
>>> The thing is, I get no error messages - it just won't connect.
>>>
>>> Any help gratefully received...
>>>
>>> TIA
>>> Pete
>>
>>Are you using a connection manager by KCorp that came with the card,
>>IBM's connection manager, or the Windows manager? I have a ThinkPad
>>X31 and when I was ready to go to SP2 I checked on IBM's website for
>>caveats. They mentioned that their connection manager would probably
>>stop working with SP2 and it did. I switched over to letting Windows
>>manage the wireless and could then connect with no problem. Even if
>>you don't have XP SP2, if you are using third-party connection
>>software, check on the mftr.'s website for updates or try letting
>>Windows manage it.
>>
>>Malke
>
> No, no third party software. I've got windows (yes, I have sp2)
> managing wireless networks. It sets up a default network, but only
> with an open connection. If I try and change it to a secure connection
> - it drops every few seconds.

Darn. I was hoping it was easy. :-( The odd thing is that my experience
with XP and wireless networking is just the opposite of yours - I find
it *doesn't* do well on an unsecured network. I'm unfamiliar with the
wireless hardware you're using. I'd look on KCorp's site for firmware
and driver updates, and if that doesn't work call their tech support.
Maybe this is a known issue with their products and XPSP2.

Sorry I didn't have a definite answer for you. Best of luck,

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:33:51 -0800, Malke <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>HowburyPete wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 05:25:18 -0800, Malke <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>HowburyPete wrote:
>>>
>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>> The problem is that I can only make that connection on a totally
>>>> unsecured connection. Any attempt to enable wireless security and
>>>> the connection drops every few seconds.
>>>>
>>>> My router doesn't have a usb port, so I can't use XPs automatic
>>>> wizard. But I have cut and pasted the key, so I know it's accurate.
>>>>
>>>> The thing is, I get no error messages - it just won't connect.
>>>>
>>>> Any help gratefully received...
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>> Pete
>>>
>>>Are you using a connection manager by KCorp that came with the card,
>>>IBM's connection manager, or the Windows manager? I have a ThinkPad
>>>X31 and when I was ready to go to SP2 I checked on IBM's website for
>>>caveats. They mentioned that their connection manager would probably
>>>stop working with SP2 and it did. I switched over to letting Windows
>>>manage the wireless and could then connect with no problem. Even if
>>>you don't have XP SP2, if you are using third-party connection
>>>software, check on the mftr.'s website for updates or try letting
>>>Windows manage it.
>>>
>>>Malke
>>
>> No, no third party software. I've got windows (yes, I have sp2)
>> managing wireless networks. It sets up a default network, but only
>> with an open connection. If I try and change it to a secure connection
>> - it drops every few seconds.
>
>Darn. I was hoping it was easy. :-( The odd thing is that my experience
>with XP and wireless networking is just the opposite of yours - I find
>it *doesn't* do well on an unsecured network. I'm unfamiliar with the
>wireless hardware you're using. I'd look on KCorp's site for firmware
>and driver updates, and if that doesn't work call their tech support.
>Maybe this is a known issue with their products and XPSP2.
>
>Sorry I didn't have a definite answer for you. Best of luck,
>
>Malke

Thanks anyway Malke - and for a good deal of previous help. If I sort
it, I'll let you lnow...