Wireless network (intel 3945) with hidden SSID working with Vista but not with XP

Hi,

I have my wireless network configured with hidden SSID and WPA-PSK
security enabled. It has been worked fine this way for years with my old
laptop (it had an intel 2200 adapter and XP SP2). Now my new Toshiba
laptop (Satellite A100-383, Intel 3945ABG, dual boot Vista and XP SP2)
can connect automatically to the network when running Vista with no
problems at all, but it can´t do it when running XP.

I noticed I can force XP find the network and connect to it if I run
the XP wireless configuration assistant, and after that XP re-connects
automatically to my network (although rather slowly). But the problem is
that after 3 or 4 reboots, XP is unable to find the network and connect
to it again, and I need to run the XP wireless assistant again to fix
it.

I know all this thing sounds weird, but I reproduced this behavior a
lot of times. I have the most recent Intel 3945 drivers for XP to date
(11.5.0.32). I know that my problem could be solved if I unhide my
wireless SSID (I also know that a hidden SSID does not improve security
substantially), but i think that if it worked with my old laptop and if
it´s working also with my new laptop running Vista, it SHOULD work
flawlessly on XP...


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Mercurial wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have my wireless network configured with hidden SSID and WPA-PSK
> security enabled. It has been worked fine this way for years with my old
> laptop (it had an intel 2200 adapter and XP SP2). Now my new Toshiba
> laptop (Satellite A100-383, Intel 3945ABG, dual boot Vista and XP SP2)
> can connect automatically to the network when running Vista with no
> problems at all, but it can´t do it when running XP.
>
> I noticed I can force XP find the network and connect to it if I run
> the XP wireless configuration assistant, and after that XP re-connects
> automatically to my network (although rather slowly). But the problem is
> that after 3 or 4 reboots, XP is unable to find the network and connect
> to it again, and I need to run the XP wireless assistant again to fix
> it.
>
> I know all this thing sounds weird, but I reproduced this behavior a
> lot of times. I have the most recent Intel 3945 drivers for XP to date
> (11.5.0.32). I know that my problem could be solved if I unhide my
> wireless SSID (I also know that a hidden SSID does not improve security
> substantially), but i think that if it worked with my old laptop and if
> it´s working also with my new laptop running Vista, it SHOULD work
> flawlessly on XP...
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> View this thread: http://www.wirelessforums.org/showthread.php?t=34755
> http://www.wirelessforums.org
>
Do you have kb917021 installed in XP?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021

Changes for nonbroadcast networks
The Wireless Client Update lets you configure wireless networks as
broadcast networks or as nonbroadcast networks. Additionally, Wireless
Auto Configuration sends probe requests only for nonbroadcast networks.