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Getting short random disconnects... And is there a way to extend the time outs?

Hi. I am getting these short random disconnects with the wireless connections for the Internet. Some of the disconnections last mostly a second to rare five seconds. I can be online for 30 minutes just fine or a few hours. The disconnects vary. It doesn't appear to rely on time of the day (even when people are sleeping) or the weather (rain or shine).

It doesn't seem to matter which operating systems (Windows XP Pro. SP1 and SP2, and 2000) and hardwares (Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, etc.) used. It doesn't appear to be a distance problem (very good to low signals) either since it happens one floor below the WAP and a couple rooms away on the same floor. When I am downloading, the speed is usually consistence. Channels doesn't seem to matter even on others' WAPs (saw about 15-20 APs via NetStumbler).

I read the Broadband Reports' wireless forum's FAQ:

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but IEEE 802.1x authentication greyed out and unchecked so I assume it is disabled. I tried disabling wireless zero configuration in XP SP2 when connected that someone suggested, but that didn't help at all.

Also, is there a way to extend the time out periods from disconnections in Windows? I would like to set the time outs to a minute during disconnections.

Thank you in advance. :)

Reply to
ANTant
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men." --Mortimer J. Adler

I've been experiencing a similar thing at my house. I'm continuing to try and track it down, as you are, but it's not been easy thus far. One thing I did notice is that under Linux, I don't get any dropped connections. This was an important test for me, as I'd recently upgraded my AP and wanted to make sure that wasn't a factor. So far, it appears to be a WinXP issue. So if you have one of those live Linux CD's like Knoppix, etc., try booting from that CD and test your wireless connection that way. This is an easy way to test without having to install Linux to the hard disk.

good luck, Jonathan

Reply to
Jonathan

Interesting. I haven't gotten far with my D-Link wirelesson my Debian box. So far, no disconnections. Do you have Windows 2000 as well? I had seen it in 2000 SP4 (all updates) also.

Reply to
ANTant

On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 17:24:51 -0600, snipped-for-privacy@zimage.com spoketh

Check to see if the 802.1x authentication box is checked in the properties of your wireless network. It should be on the "Authentication" tab.

Right-click your wireless connections, select "Properties", click the "Wireless Networks" tab, then select the SSID of the network you are connected to and click properties. Click on the Authentication tab, and uncheck the "enable IEEE 802.1x authentication" box. It's not unheard of that there's a brief disconnect while the computer attempts to re-authenticate using 802.1x when such authentication is not really in use.

Lars M. Hansen

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Reply to
Lars M. Hansen

authentication

disconnections

men." --Mortimer J. Adler

I no longer have an Win2K boxes around so I can't compare. It sounds like you don't have your D-Link card working under Debian. Do you know what chipset is on your D-Link card? The native Linux kernel still is short on wireless drivers. There are plenty of external drivers available, but the point is that depending on what chip is on that card, you may have to roll your own kernel. For some people that is a harrowing task.

good luck, Jonathan

Reply to
Jonathan

Lars, this is greyed out. Is this a problem?

Reply to
ANTant

On Thu, 06 Jan 2005 05:16:07 -0600, snipped-for-privacy@zimage.com spoketh

Depends.

On XP SP2, there's 4 settings for authentication, and the availability of the 802.1x authentication checkbox is as follows:

Open (WEP) : checkbox is available, checked by default. Shared (WEP): checkbox is available, checked by default. WPA : checkbox is unavailable, checked by default. WPA-PSK : checkbox is unavailable, unchecked by default.

So, if yours is grayed out, you're using either WPA or WPA-PSK. If the box is checked, you're using WPA (without a Pre-Shared Key, so some other means of authentication is in use). If you are using WPA-PSK (this is the normal setting for home users using WPA), then 801.2x authentication is disabled, and should not be causing the problems you are having.

Lars M. Hansen

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Reply to
Lars M. Hansen

802.1x is unavailable on an open network with WinXP-SP2. Same with Win2003, latest patches.
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Reply to
dold

On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 15:56:13 +0000 (UTC), snipped-for-privacy@XReXXGetti.usenet.us.com spoketh

Perhaps I need to clarify what's in the list I posted.

"Open" and "Shared" refers to authentication methods, not encryption methods. These two methods are not available when using WPA.

So, to reformat the table:

Authentication Encryption 802.1x Supported? Method

------------------------------------------------------ Open/Shared None No. Open WEP Yes, on by default. Shared WEP Yes, on by default. WPA TKIP/AES Yes, always enabled. WPA-PSK TKIP/AES No.

I think that covers all the bases...

The image referenced in your post represents the message you get with the first item in the above table or with an ad-hoc network.

Lars M. Hansen

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Reply to
Lars M. Hansen

That is what I see too! I will have to double check again when I get home.

Reply to
ANTant

Yes, on by default.

on by default.

Yes, always enabled.

I know mine was greyed out and I believe it was non-WEP (open) since I can connect to places without keys.

Reply to
ANTant

Lars, it is grayed out and no check mark for "Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network." This is only when "Wireless Zero Configuration" service is enabled.

I also noticed this service disabled and wireless options for IEEE 802.1x authentication are missing when Envara Configuration Utility is loaded for my Hawking Technologies' Hi-Gain USB Wireless-G Adapter (Model: HWU54D).

Reply to
ANTant

Ah, one more line added. But you can also remove one line from the new table, to be consistent.

Yes, that is true. It wasn't on your list. I could be mistaken, but I think prior to SP2, the 802.1x checkbox appeared in case one, default yes, and caused trouble when it was enabled.

With SP2, case two, Open-WEP, I have no trouble with 802.1x enabled.

Reply to
dold

I tried to find Microsoft documentation that mentioned the 802.1x changes in SP2. Nothing. The bottom of:

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802.1x problems with roaming profiles. The full list of fixes at:
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for 802.1x) points to an unrelated problem with clients for Windoze Server 2003, but nothing else. It might be related to changes in how EAP works in:
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I can't tell for sure.

I guess this change in how 802.1x works is an "undocumented fix".

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

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