Stumped... Wireless issue

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 12:05 pm

Situation:

Reloading a laptop (old) with no ethernet no wireless. I stuck in a Dlink WNA-2330 Range Booster G notebook adaptor and everything was peachy after the reload of XP Pro on it with windows updates coming in with no issues. I restarted after the updates and now I get a connection to my router, ipconfig gives me a IP#, Subnet default gate way etc etc... but nothing will work.

IE, Firefox, hell I can't even use cmd to ping anything.

Now I'm thinking it was a update but no freakin clue which one so before I reload it again what would likely be the cause of this?

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 1:05 pm

What's managing the wifi? Windows Wireless Zero Config of DLink software? If using DLink software, disable it and let Windows manage the wifi. Try uninstalling updates and then shut off the auto updates, you don't really need 'em anyway.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 1:28 pm

TonyT wrote:What's managing the wifi? Windows Wireless Zero Config of DLink software? If using DLink software, disable it and let Windows manage the wifi. Try uninstalling updates and then shut off the auto updates, you don't really need 'em anyway.

I've disabled Dlink Software from loading up so that just leaves Windows Wireless zero config loading and it's connecting - its accepting the WEP 10digit code and hooking right up to get a IP but still nothing. I'd rather keep the system up to date considering the trouble but to eliminate one update causing the issue then ok but unsure which.

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:39 pm

Drivers, could have been a driver update. That card has an Atheros chipset, I would completely uninstall the card and junk software that came with it and try drivers from Atheros.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 3:47 pm

mnosteele52 wrote:Drivers, could have been a driver update. That card has an Atheros chipset, I would completely uninstall the card and junk software that came with it and try drivers from Atheros.

I can't stand Atheros wireless chipsets...9 out of 10 times I have to troubleshoot some laptop and wireless...it's a bloody Atheros chipset.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:23 pm

mnosteele52 wrote:Drivers, could have been a driver update. That card has an Atheros chipset, I would completely uninstall the card and junk software that came with it and try drivers from Atheros.

Well I didn't go through with the hardware update that noted Atheros...what I did was downloaded the newest drivers vs what was on the disk but that didn't change it. I ended up reloading which didn't matter since all the system drivers were native to Xp's install for this system. I installed the newest Atheros drivers listed on Dlinks site and I'm in the middle of updating windows updates again then I'll see what happens after that. Comp is rather old and after an hour of installing I'm on 27 of 97

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:41 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:I can't stand Atheros wireless chipsets...9 out of 10 times I have to troubleshoot some laptop and wireless...it's a bloody Atheros chipset.

Not me. It's only been the recent (last 2 yrs) atheros n cards that can have issues, and most of the time the issues are caused by OEM connection software and utilities. Fot example, most consumer home laptops come bundled with connection utilities that are completely unnecessary. They just want their brand name in front of the user as many places as possible.

Atheros chipsets on linux are wonderful, whether using the madwifi-ng drivers or the ath5k drivers. And easy to patch for injection support.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 9:16 pm

So far so good... seems like the only thing that I haven't installed from windows updates is Microsoft's AV Essentials so I'm thinking that is what caused it. I skipped it this time around and put avast on all is working fine.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:07 am

TonyT wrote:Not me. It's only been the recent (last 2 yrs) atheros n cards that can have issues, and most of the time the issues are caused by OEM connection software and utilities. Fot example, most consumer home laptops come bundled with connection utilities that are completely unnecessary. They just want their brand name in front of the user as many places as possible.

Atheros chipsets on linux are wonderful, whether using the madwifi-ng drivers or the ath5k drivers. And easy to patch for injection support.

I'm going back to B wireless even, have quite a few clients that are schools or nursing agencies that have had Toshiba laptops which seem to prefer Atheros.

One of my old rules was always to use Windows zero config, not the manufacturers utilities, so that's not getting in my way. The nursing agencies have to do large transfers also, as they replicate their mobile databases, do updates, etc..guess which laptops often bombed out mid transfers....yup..Atheros ones, while the trusty Intel Centrinos just pump away rock solid.

I know they're decently supported in *nix, but in the business world...it's Windows we have to live with...and I've had from B era to current N, and sheer volumes of makes and models, to come to my conclusion.

Starting in the mid G era, any laptops I configured and/or sold to clients...I always upgrade the wireless chipset to Intel. And set them up once, and never have to wrestle with them again, problem free.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 1:21 pm

yep..finished off everything with no MS Essentials install and all is good. That thing caused a issue with something for some reason on that computer.

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 4:08 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:I'm going back to B wireless even, have quite a few clients that are schools or nursing agencies that have had Toshiba laptops which seem to prefer Atheros.

One of my old rules was always to use Windows zero config, not the manufacturers utilities, so that's not getting in my way. The nursing agencies have to do large transfers also, as they replicate their mobile databases, do updates, etc..guess which laptops often bombed out mid transfers....yup..Atheros ones, while the trusty Intel Centrinos just pump away rock solid.

I know they're decently supported in *nix, but in the business world...it's Windows we have to live with...and I've had from B era to current N, and sheer volumes of makes and models, to come to my conclusion.

Starting in the mid G era, any laptops I configured and/or sold to clients...I always upgrade the wireless chipset to Intel. And set them up once, and never have to wrestle with them again, problem free.

I don't disagree at alll. The Intels seem to get better range too. I believe it's because they seem to integrate better w/ Intel boards and other Intel chipsets. Esp the Centrinos which are essentially laptop boards designed from the ground up with wifi in mind.