I'm using an IBM R51 laptop with an Intel 2200BG NIC, running XP Pro SP2 and the latest drivers and utilities from IBM, talking to an Actiontec GT701 DSL router/AP from Qwest, also with the latest firmware from Qwest.
I'm using IBM's wireless management tools, not the XP stuff.
I'm using WPA PSK, which seems to be part (or all) of the problem.
On initial boot of XP, I get hooked up to the AP right away and everything works fine. After 12 minutes (as close as I can tell), the wireless connection stops working, although the signal is still strong.
Monitoring the packets on an idle system using Ethereal, I see the AP and the laptop apparently exchanging WPA key info every 60 seconds. At the point of failure, I see the AP sending its half of the exchange to the laptop, but the laptop doesn't respond. The AP retries several times and then gives up.
If I use the laptop's wireless utility program (IBM's "Access Connections" program) to disconnect and reconnect, the wireless connection will then work normally for the rest of my session, regardless of how long I stay connected.
If I simply wait a while longer, the failure will be detected and the connection will be reestablished automatically.
It ->looks like the problem is on the laptop's end, but I suppose the AP could start sending bad stuff after a while. But if that's the case, why does it only happen ONCE?
Anybody seen anything like this? Any hints?