WPA - Network card specific?

I have a customer who is reporting that WPA doesn't work on one laptop,
but all other laptops in his office are fine. Apparently the options
are completely missing from the dialog.

The machines are running different hardware, but all are OEM XP SP2
installations.

We've got him on a WEP key until I can get out there to check it out,
but assuming we're using Windows' zero-configuration, is this NIC
specific?

--
Reality is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

The obvious question would be, since the laptop in question has different
hardware are you sure the wireless NIC (in that laptop) supports WPA?

Regards,
John O.


"DevilsPGD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a customer who is reporting that WPA doesn't work on one laptop,
> but all other laptops in his office are fine. Apparently the options
> are completely missing from the dialog.
>
> The machines are running different hardware, but all are OEM XP SP2
> installations.
>
> We've got him on a WEP key until I can get out there to check it out,
> but assuming we're using Windows' zero-configuration, is this NIC
> specific?
>
> --
> Reality is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

In message <1WQif.139259$(E-Mail Removed)> "John and Pat"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>The obvious question would be, since the laptop in question has different
>hardware are you sure the wireless NIC (in that laptop) supports WPA?

I'm told it "should" (based on the fact that an apparently identical
model does) -- However, isn't WPA software-only, does it require
hardware?

--
Reality is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

You need to check with your manufacturer. There are a number of (mainly pre
2003) wireless adapters that do not support WPA at all, however some will
support WPA via a firmware upgrade, so you should make sure you are using
the latest revision.

What make and model of wireless adapter is your customer using?


--
All the best,

Ryan Younger.
http://spaces.msn.com/members/wirelessnetworking/ - Ryan's Wireless
Networking Weblog

(E-Mail Removed)


"DevilsPGD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <1WQif.139259$(E-Mail Removed)> "John and Pat"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>The obvious question would be, since the laptop in question has different
>>hardware are you sure the wireless NIC (in that laptop) supports WPA?
>
> I'm told it "should" (based on the fact that an apparently identical
> model does) -- However, isn't WPA software-only, does it require
> hardware?
>
> --
> Reality is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

In message <(E-Mail Removed)> "Ryan Younger"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>You need to check with your manufacturer. There are a number of (mainly pre
>2003) wireless adapters that do not support WPA at all, however some will
>support WPA via a firmware upgrade, so you should make sure you are using
>the latest revision.
>
>What make and model of wireless adapter is your customer using?

That one I can't tell you yet... All I know so far is that it's an older
Dell laptop, but they apparently have two that are "identical" and one
works, the other doesn't.

I'll know more once I get to the site and can actually look up a model
number and find out, but last I heard, WPA should be possible to
implement entirely in software and shouldn't need any hardware support
beyond what WEP requires, no?

--
Ba'al: You cannot be serious?
O'Niell: Yes I can, I just choose not to.

You will need to download a firmware update for your wireless adapter if it
does not already support WPA (if the manufacturer has chosen to provide
one).


--
All the best,

Ryan Younger.
http://spaces.msn.com/members/wirelessnetworking/ - Ryan's Wireless
Networking Weblog

(E-Mail Removed)


"DevilsPGD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <(E-Mail Removed)> "Ryan Younger"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>You need to check with your manufacturer. There are a number of (mainly
>>pre
>>2003) wireless adapters that do not support WPA at all, however some will
>>support WPA via a firmware upgrade, so you should make sure you are using
>>the latest revision.
>>
>>What make and model of wireless adapter is your customer using?
>
> That one I can't tell you yet... All I know so far is that it's an older
> Dell laptop, but they apparently have two that are "identical" and one
> works, the other doesn't.
>
> I'll know more once I get to the site and can actually look up a model
> number and find out, but last I heard, WPA should be possible to
> implement entirely in software and shouldn't need any hardware support
> beyond what WEP requires, no?
>
> --
> Ba'al: You cannot be serious?
> O'Niell: Yes I can, I just choose not to.

Not from what I have read and understand. If the NIC supports it with a
firmware upgrade then you are off and running. Keep in mind that it is also
possible that the laptop which works may have had the firmware updated while
the other laptop may not. But it is not strictly a software only issue. Both
the hardware and software must support it.

Click on this link and go to Wi-Fi certified products. The NIC in question
will be listed with it's capabilities.

http://www.wirelessethernet.org/OpenSection/index.asp

Regards,
John O.


"DevilsPGD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <(E-Mail Removed)> "Ryan Younger"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>You need to check with your manufacturer. There are a number of (mainly
>>pre
>>2003) wireless adapters that do not support WPA at all, however some will
>>support WPA via a firmware upgrade, so you should make sure you are using
>>the latest revision.
>>
>>What make and model of wireless adapter is your customer using?
>
> That one I can't tell you yet... All I know so far is that it's an older
> Dell laptop, but they apparently have two that are "identical" and one
> works, the other doesn't.
>
> I'll know more once I get to the site and can actually look up a model
> number and find out, but last I heard, WPA should be possible to
> implement entirely in software and shouldn't need any hardware support
> beyond what WEP requires, no?
>
> --
> Ba'al: You cannot be serious?
> O'Niell: Yes I can, I just choose not to.

I'm currently having a similiar problem.. I have a wireless network; 3Com G
AP and a 3Com G pc card on my laptop. This works fine with WPA enabled.
Recently I bought a new desktop pc with a wireless a/b/g internal card
(WN5401A) It works fine only if I turn off network the encryption. I searched
on google for the card and found it to be produced by Liteon. I also found it
on http://certifications.wi-fi.org/wbcs...d_products.php as WPA
enabled.
Hints anyone?

"DevilsPGD" wrote:

> I have a customer who is reporting that WPA doesn't work on one laptop,
> but all other laptops in his office are fine. Apparently the options
> are completely missing from the dialog.
>
> The machines are running different hardware, but all are OEM XP SP2
> installations.
>
> We've got him on a WEP key until I can get out there to check it out,
> but assuming we're using Windows' zero-configuration, is this NIC
> specific?
>
> --
> Reality is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
>

"Harry Hunter" <Harry (E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2BDAF2E6-3401-4C6E-B33A-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hints anyone?

A hint: cheap somethimes costs more. Try the obvious steps: look for driver update,
call their support (you've paid for it...)

--

Thanks Pavel,
However the problem was the router. I updated the 3Com router driver and now
it everything works fine!

"Pavel A." wrote:

> "Harry Hunter" <Harry (E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:2BDAF2E6-3401-4C6E-B33A-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hints anyone?
>
> A hint: cheap somethimes costs more. Try the obvious steps: look for driver update,
> call their support (you've paid for it...)