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General discussion

wireless internet troubleshooting

Jan 30, 2005 9:45AM PST

Alright so I have a firewalled connection running throughout my house (my roomate is the technological wiz) and she connected me my Toshiba laptop w/ Atheros AR5001X+ Wireless Network Adapter to it with no problems. However after contracting a virus on this thing I had to reformat my harddrive and all that good stuff. Well she connected my to the network once again however every couple of minutes or so an irritating bubble pops up in the bottom left hand corner of my screen displaying: "Wireless Network Connection: One or more wireless networks are available. To see a list of available networks, click here." Which forces me to double click on the icon and press connect to then connect me to the network for a few minutes until the whole process has to be done all over again. Any hints or solutions before I accidently damage my computer through rage?

Discussion is locked

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Wireless Network Connection keeps cutting out.
Feb 11, 2005 4:24AM PST

I am suffering the same problem as gimmepoi. I had to re install windows due to a virus and now my wireless connection keeps cutting out and in the bottom right of my screen it states "Wireless Network Connection: One or more wireless networks are available" where i have to re connect. Why is this happening? Does anyone know?

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wireless internet troubleshooting
Feb 26, 2005 10:26PM PST

This is worrying, I was looking for a solution to this issue myself for my wifes laptop. Again a Toshiba with Atheros AR5001X+ Wireless Network Adapter.
The ADSL router/modem is a Belkin ADSL modem with Wireless G router. UK spec.
I have only recently got broadband so this was set up recently and appeared to be working fine.
Until I enabled WEP encryption.
The symptoms are identical to the above but I haven't reformatted or done anything else to the laptop.
Running XP home with Norton Internet Security 2005
My sons desktop is also connected wirelessly but has no problems (yet)
Any help or advice would be great

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"Until I enabled WEP encryption."
Feb 26, 2005 11:31PM PST

Which begs the question. Why not go back to what worked?

And here's a tip: Try MAC FILTERING since it's been working on all the setups and combos I've encountered.

Bob

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"Until I enabled WEP encryption."
Feb 27, 2005 6:50AM PST

"Which begs the question. Why not go back to what worked?"
....er Because that would be logical?
Seriously though, as I don't have the problems on my sons's desktop, which has a wireless connection, but I do on my wifes laptop. I was sort of hoping that the problem would have a different solution.
Interestingly I unchecked "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings" on the Wireless Network Connections Settings on my wife's laptop and it hasn't disconnected once since my original post.
Mind you I haven't tried switching off and reconnecting yet!
The instructions for setting things up said to use WEP or WPA to protect my wireless connections so that was why I set it however my ignorance is legion so what is the best way of protecting a wireless system?

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Until I enabled WEP encryption (part2)
Feb 27, 2005 7:14AM PST

"Interestingly I unchecked "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings" on the Wireless Network Connections Settings on my wife's laptop and it hasn't disconnected once since my original post.
Mind you I haven't tried switching off and reconnecting yet!"
I just tried and, suprise, it wouldn't connect untill I checked the box again!
It now disconnects every few minutes again.
Will try disabling the WEP encryption tomorrow.

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You're absolurely right.
Feb 27, 2005 9:02AM PST

Here's the problem. Not all makes and model work with each other's WEP/WPA.

What can we do?

- Use MAC FILTERING since that does work with all known hardware.
- Update the Wifi/router firmware and hope that cures it.
- Update Wifi client "drivers" and hope that cures it.

There is no magic cure here since the industry didn't agree to any interoperability standards in this area. Well, that's not entirely true. They are trying to meet a standard but how else can you explain the mess?

Bob