WZC disconnect issues

I've been having some issues with Windows XP WZC. I am trying to connect to a network with SSID broadcasting off and 128 bit WEP. It was working up until today. I always connected by adding the network to the "preferred network" list, using the exact SSID, entering the WEP key, and then clicking OK. It then shows that it's connected, but it really isn't. I right click on the network connection icon in the system tray, select my network from the list of available wireless networks, enter the WEP key again, and click connect. At this point, one of two things happens. Either a message "bubble" appears in the bottom corner saying "One or more network connections are available..." and I'm no longer connected, or else it will show that it's connected, but in the Status>Support menu item it will show an "Invalid IP Address." Either way, I can't connect.

I hope that was coherent enough to be understandable. FWIW, I have a Netgear WG111 USB adaptor. Ideally, I'd like to know the standard process for connecting to SSID broadcast disabled, WEP enabled network with WZC. I can take screenshots if what I wrote wasn't understandable, etc. I'll do anything to prevent using the Netgear provided "Smart Wizard."

TIA Drew

Reply to
Drew B.
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I can't comment on problems associated with SSID disabled, but am sure they are numerous.

Why do that? I provides no additional security -- just problems connecting.

WEP is better than nothing. WPA is rather good security. MAC address filtering and SSID broadcast disabling is just troublesome for legitimate users.

Reply to
Jerry Park

Well, you can always disable WZCS on the machine, which won't pop-up the preferred network or ask questions. You can config the card with the O/S Device Manager and give the SSID and WEP key and it will hold and be keep there.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Understood

Reply to
Jerry Park

In one building, it was done so that one "private" WAP with a different WEP key wouldn't show up on the list when people looked for a WAP.

It was supposed to be a convenience that it didn't show up. "I can't comment ..." applies here as well ;-)

Reply to
dold

Disabling SSID should mean there is no traffic unless a client is connected to the WAP. This means there is much less chance of a hacker finding a little-used AP in the first place. That's a good thing, IMHO.

But I agree that disabling SSID does create many and varied connection problems.

Reply to
Pete <out

Ok, I set the router to broadcast its SSID. I also unchecked the "Allow Windows to configure my wireless settings" box. Now I can connect to my router if I turn WEP off, but as soon as I turn it back on I am no longer allowed to connect. I can see the list of available networks, and if I enter the preper WEP key, nothing happens. I really just want to amke sure I'm doing this right:

  1. Right click on Wireless Network Connection icon
  2. Select "View Available Wireless Networks"
  3. Select my network from the list
  4. Enter the WEP key
  5. Click Connect
  6. Nothing happens.

Am I connecting correctly? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Reply to
Drew B.

The router is a 3Com 3CRWE454G72. The key is a 128 bit and is already hexidecimal. I guess I should be more specific about what happens when I click Connect. The window closes and it automatically chooses the access point of its choice, although it is never able to connect and gets stuck with an "Invalid IP Address" in the Support tab, even if it's an unsecured network. I'll take some screenshots tomorrow if this isn't understandable.

I was also unable to find any information about this topic elsewhere. (GIMF, you know)

Reply to
Drew B.

In the process of taking screenshots, I just got it to work. It was still having the same problems (not connecting to my the specified AP, etc.) I put my network, and only my network, on the preferred list. It showed "Invalid IP Address." I hit PrtScrn and saved it. By the time I was done, it had somewhat configured itself. It was showing Automatic Private Address, which not what this address type is, and the wrong IP, and the Defult Gateway was blank. I hit Repair, and it reconfigured it all. (DHCP assigned address, the default gateway, et al.)

I'm just happy that I don't have to use that Netgear configuration utility. What a piece of crap that was.

Reply to
Drew B.

Wrong. WZC displays a status message while it's doing it's thing. My guess(tm) is that it says "obtaining IP address" and eventually barfs with some like "Limited connectivity" message. How close did I get?

I managed to decode that you have a Netgear WG111 USB adapter and no clue what access point or router you're using. Don't you think it might be helpful to know what hardware you're using?

Dive into the config for your unspecified router and set the WEP key to use a Hex key instead of ASCII. Same thing when WZC asks for a WEP key. That should work.

The problem is that Microsloth didn't know about there being two ways to convert from ASCII to Hex. WZC is rather smart and will go through all the different 64/128 bit and Hex/ASCII combinations until it finds a matching encryption key, but duz not go through the two different algorithms. Useing a Hex key instead of ASCII avoids this problem.

Note: This issue is rapidly becoming an FAQ. Is there some web site that I can point to with a proper explanation or do I have scribble my own? I couldn't find anything useful.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Obviously, WZCS is not working it's a piece of crap in the first place, which is on Win 2k too but is disabled. The junk is disabled on my XP pro machine because it was a PITA that couldn't even hold the settings properly. Nor would the card's utility hold its settings either. I dumped both of them and went right to the O/S Device Manager for the card, installed the driver and configured the card's settings too and the wireless connection became as solid as rock just like it was solid as a rock when the machine was running the Win 2K O/S. WZC is for a roaming situation. If your not walking around trying to connect to other networks, then why do you need it?

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

You should be prepared for this one to be beaten into the ground. ;-)

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Thanks.

OK. Leave it there as ASCII is often a problem.

Automatically? There's a setting somewhere in WZC which allows one to connect to ANY available networkt. Bad idea because WZC will start at the top of the "prefered" list and take the first one it can connect to. Clear out the prefered list and disable the "connect to any available network" misfeature.

Any chance you have more than one access point in the area with the same SSID? Are you sure you are actually connecting to your own access point?

That just means that DHCP has failed. Do you have the WG111 setup to get it's IP address etc from the router? Do you have the DHCP server enabled and properly configured in the 3Com router?

Any chance you're blocking a connection by using MAC address filtering in the 3Com router?

I dunno what I would do without Google. I guess I might be forced to read the documentation. What a scarey thought...

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

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