For IBM Access Connection users (LONG post)

I got a R50 in January (VERY pleased with it) and set up a wireless
home network with my desktop PC connected to a cable modem and to a
Netgear wireless access point. It works very well (except for a point
mentioned later) and I can access the internet and print to a printer
connected to my desktop from across the street. The one problem that
I'm having is that I can't use the WEP encryption on the Netgear unit.
I think that I'm connected via Access Connections and not Windows XP
but I'm not sure. Access Connections states that my (only) profile
connection status is "disconnected" but I'm connecting fine. When I
try to set up a static WEP key in my Netgear Unit and Access
Connections (or Windows XP) I lose my connection. I feel like a
variant of "I've fallen and I can't get up!" "I'm connected and I
don't know how!" Any insights would be appreciated. The long and gory
details.

On the task bar I see an icon for the 11a/b/g Wireless LAN PCI
Adapter. When I double click it I get the Wireless Connection Status
Window with the following information:
Operating State: Associated with Access Point
Signal Strength: Excellent
Wireless settings:
Current location profile: Home (my only location profile)
Network Name (SSID): (has the SSID that I assigned to my Netgear unit)
Network Type: Access point (infrastructure)

When I click the Modify WLAN settings, under the General tab:
Currently active adapter details
Adapter Name: 11a/b/g LAN mini PCI adapter
Adapter Type: Wireless network
Adapter status: Enabled
*Connection status: Disconnected* (this part confuses me)
Disable unused cards: No

TCP/IP settings:
DHCP Enabled: Yes
Append ……: Yes
Register connections……: No

Wireless Settings:
Network Name (SSID): (SSID that I assigned to my Netgear unit)
Connection type: Access point
Wireless Mode: 802.11 g
WEP security type: Off

Windows XP Pro settings

Opening Network Connections reveals 3 enabled devices:
Wireless Network Connection: Enabled, Bridged. 11a/b/g LAN Mini PCI
Adapter
Network Bridge (Network Bridge) 2: Enabled, MAC Bridge Miniport
1394 Connection: Enabled, Bridged; 1394 Net Adapter

In the Wireless Network Connection (the LAN Mini PCI Adapter)
Properties settings the "Use Windows to configure my wireless network
settings" is NOT checked.

Last (finally); when I right click the Network icon on the taskbar and
open "view available wireless networks", I see my correct SSID with a
notation the "This wireless network is not secure ….. " The box next
to "Allow me to connect to the selected wireless network, even though
it is not secure" is NOT checked.

Any ideas? Thanks!


deaconblues