Having difficulty with wireless for T42

[cptjaskirk]

I installed Thinkvantage access connections and I'm trying to connect to a Linksys box.  After launching the thinkvantage access connections from the system tray, it does not show any access points, although one is just a few feet away.  I verified the wireless radio is turned on.  any thoughts as to why I'm not seeing any wireless AP's?  I do not know the SSID of the nearby access point.  I do know there is no encryption for this access point.

thanks!

[ajkula66 Guru]

What's the 7-character model number of your T42, 237?-???

[cptjaskirk]

Hi George,

the Product ID is 2378 R4U, Type is 2378, and it's a T42.

Hope that's what you are asking for.

Thanks!

[ajkula66 Guru]

Hmmm...you have an Intel 2200BG which is a fairly serious wireless card and should not give this type of issues.

Have you tried using Windows to manage your wireless access instead of Access Connections?

[cptjaskirk]

Yes, I tried using Windows first, but similar issue:  no access points were picked up.  I thought maybe Access Connections would be better.

[zoltanthegypsy]

I can't tell from your description whether you've already tired toggling this with w/AC installed:

IIRC with XP and AC installed, you have to make sure that the "let windows manage my wireless connections" is NOT checked.  This link shows where it is - but in your situation, make sure it isn't checked:How to configure Windows XP to manage Wireless Network Connections

Since it didn't work w/Windows alone, this probably won't fix it - but once you have it working (somehow) this is still necessary for normal operation.  If you uninstall AC, then check the box.

[edit} I thought you had this working.  What changed?

[more edit] Is the AP set to broadcast its SSID?  (I don't remember if they show up in Win and/or AC if not broadcasting) Do other laptops see the AP?

Z.

[cptjaskirk]

Thanks Z!   Yes, I did have this working, at my home, but I was fixing the T42 so my daughter could use it at her house.  So I went to set it up there, and ran into wireless access issues there.  Different Linksys router, don't know the SSID, etc.  Also, at my home, I used only Windows wireless setup, and got it to work fine.  Windows at my daughter's place was not picking up any WAP's, so I thought I would download Access Connections.....still did not work.  I'll work on it some more later today.  The Linksys box is pretty old, WRT54G v5, and I may buy a new Linksys.  I'll provide update later.  Thanks again Z and George!

[cptjaskirk]

Z, George,

I have another Thinkpad, R61i and it is seeing the WAP; works fine.

I looked at all of the settings on my R61i and compared to the T42; I think everything matches.

On the T42,

I keep powering on the wireless radio.  Association status is 0%.

I reset the Linksys box and it is working fine.

In access connections, when I hit connect button for the location of my WAP, a Diagostic Tools window pops up.  Under Connection status, it says that "cause" is Incorrectly installed wireless driver or protocol.

Error code:  040

Recommended action:  The current driver or protocol for the wireless adapter is incorrectly installed or configured.  Reinstall the wireless driver in accordance with the driver setup instructions.  Let me know if you need more detail.  I saved it in a text file.

[zoltanthegypsy]

Hmmm.  No clue.  Maybe reinstall the driver?  ISTR that the driver install instructions said that the intel proset tools were required for AC.  Don't know if that's automatic or not.  Then again, not much that should have been automatic has been

So now you can see the AP in AC? What mode is the AP running?  The R61i can handle "abg" but the t42 is "bg" I think.

Z.

[cptjaskirk]

Also, there are some differences in the settings for the two computers.

R61i (works fine)

Edit Profile:  linksys (that's the SSID)

Under Additional Settings, Advance Wireless Settings

Transmit Power Level

802.11b/g  100%

802.11a  100%  (this is different for the T42:  802.11a is grayed out.)

Enable QoS is checked (on the T42, this is grayed out.)

Preferred Access Point MAC addresses are all blank, but active.  (on the T42, this is grayed out).