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Can't get ThinkPad T42 to connect to Netgear MR314 w/ 128 bit WEP

Hi there,

For the life of me, I can't get my work laptop (brand new ThinkPad T42 with built-in Intel wireless adapter, running XP) to connect to my home Netgear MR314 access point with 128 bit WEP turned on. I also have MAC address filtering turned on.

If I disable WEP, I can get it to connect. But if I leave WEP activated, I can't. The MAC address filtering doesn't seem to make a difference. I've tried setting up 64 bit WEP instead and that didn't seem to help.

I'd rather not disable WEP, and I'd rather not downgrade to 64 bit.

The infuriating thing is that I went through this situation a few weeks ago, which was the first time I brought home the work laptop. When I first tried it, I couldn't get it to connect. I tried all combinations of turning WEP on and off, changing it from 128 bit to 64 bit and back, turning on the MAC address filtering and turning it off, power cycling the router, etc. -- I tried a million combinations and finally, in desperation, I rebooted one more time and miraculously, it worked (with 128 bit WEP and MAC address filtering ENABLED). I had tried so many things that I wasn't sure what worked, but at that point the work laptop was able to connect no matter how many times I rebooted it. I had no further problems for the rest of the weekend (well, aside from the fact that I was *working* the whole weekend).

Since I had the correct settings (WEP key, SSID, etc.) stored in XP (my network was listed as the only "preferred" network), I figured that next time I brought it home, it would already have the settings and would just see my network.

No dice. I've spent the evening trying all these things again (turning various settings on and off, power cycling the laptop, router, etc.) with no luck.

Any ideas? Suggestions? Troubleshooting steps or diagnostic utilities? I'm stumped and frustrated.

Reply to
News Reader
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I have a T42 and I turned off (Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings) and use the IBM Access Connections ( it is the little black looking pc icon in the sys tray). It will walk you through creating multiple profiles if needed, enter your wep keys etc. Might give it a try.

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utilities? I'm

Reply to
Airhead

I've run into exactly the same problem with other laptops and routers. What's common is that W2K and XP are rather tenacious about retaining the previous IP address. You go to work, get an IP address from their system, come home, and it still thinks you're at work. You can see it happen by running: Start -> Run -> cmd IPCONFIG If it show the last IP addresses as assigned by work, some hot spot, the hotel, or whatever, that's the problem.

Reboot, snarl, banging on the keyboard does nothing. A few things that work are: IPCONFIG /RELEASE (wait about 5 seconds) IPCONFIG /RENEW and then run: IPCONFIG to see if it worked.

IBM has it's own profile manager which I assume works, as I've never tried it. Instead, I use NetSwitcher:

formatting link
manageing locations. I have a worse problem. I have to have my laptop ready and configured for every one of my custmers LANs. Last time I counted, I had about 70 different configurations stored. Some have VPN's, some use LDAP directory services, a few Kerberos authentications, some proxy servers, some multiple protocols, and a few protocol shims. Of course the names or IP addresses for non-DHCP delivered devices, such as SMTP email servers, change at each location. It's a nice mess that NetSwitcher solves. Unfortunately, for really drastic changes, Netswitcher requires a reboot, so it sometimes turns into a time burner. I try to switch configuration before I arrive.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

I'll see if I have that IBM Access thing -- this isn't exactly an off-the-shelf configuration, so there's no guarantee that anything that comes installed with a T42 will be on there. The IT folks re-image the drive with the stuff THEY want on there... but I'll take a look.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Reply to
News Reader

Ugh. I was assuming that you were getting a wireless association (connection) and were dealing strictly with a DHCP issue. To troubleshoot a "cannot connect" issue, we need some info on your laptop configuration. -Do you have XP SP2 installed? -Are you running Wireless Zero Config in addition to the IBM Access Connections thing? -Is there anything unusual in the Device Manager (more red x's)? -Does your corporate configuration include a proprietary VPN shim? If you're getting the message "There's wireless networks out there", does your wireless routers SSID show up on the list when displayed? If so, your laptop is hearing the broadcasts. If it takes a while before the X appears and it fails to connect, it could be: -Bad WEP key. Use 5 chars for 64bit, 13 chars for 128bit. -Battle between Wireless Zero Config and your wireless card. Disable WZC under Control Panel -> Admin Stuff -> Services or temporarily with: net stop WZCSVC

Drivel: You might wanna download and run Belarc Advisor:

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's a free "inventory" program that generates a web page with all your hardware, software, versions, serials, updates, nicely itemized. If you don't know what IT shoved into your machine, this will tell you. From experience, imaged installs tend to be seriously out of data as to updates and bug fixes.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Thanks. I'll give that a try, too. At work I use a wired connection (and furthermore, NOT the one on the side of the laptop -- the one on the docking station -- not sure if those are considered two different interfaces). Anyway, it is only at home that I want to use the wireless adapter. Does that have something to do with my problem?

Reply to
News Reader

Oh, I might add that I don't think I'm even getting to the point where getting the DHCP lease failing would be to blame (where IPCONFIG/RELEASE + RENEW might help get rid of an old IP) -- I'm not even getting a connection at all (I either get a red X through the connection in the system tray or I get the "there are wireless networks available" notice -- but I don't get the confirmation that I'm connected to a network, signal strength, etc.)

I've also tried going into the Network Connections control panel and right-clicking the wireless connection and disabling and then enabling. No luck there, either.

Reply to
News Reader

What type of wireless is on the laptop, my t42 has a intel 2200bg, using intel 8.0.12.20000 driver. COuld be with the work drive image that it is using just a compatible driver, if so might help to update.

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Reply to
Airhead

It seems to be:

Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter Driver Provider: Intel Driver Date: 3/7/2003 Driver Version: 1.1.5.0

Reply to
News Reader

Nope. XP Pro SP1.

I do not have the IBM Access Connections thing at all. I am running Wireless Zero Config.

Nothing red.

We have the Nortel VPN client, but that's not running right now -- unless it is always secretly doing something.

Yes, it sees the network.

Hmm. My 128 bit WEP key seems to be 26 hex characters.

Hmm, if I stop this, then I have NO config utility at all.

Wow, there's a lot of stuff on there!

OK, you're not going to believe this -- I swear I'm not crazy -- but it just started working! The only things I've done today are: I stopped and started the WZC service (via the services control panel) and then suspended the PC (because the battery was low and I had to go do something else before getting back to this issue). When I resumed it, a few seconds later the wireless network connected (with WEP enabled).

Totally bizarre. I'm afraid to mess it up now... but maybe that's just the weird voodoo I have to perform -- stop/start the service then suspend and wake up. Come to think of it, I think the last time I brought this thing home, it was acting strange, so I gave up for a while, suspended it and then came back and woke it up and that's when things started working. I didn't remember that until now. Any ideas on that one? Very strange!

Reply to
News Reader

OK, I can now do this predictably and repeatably... full reboot and the thing can't connect. But suspend and immediately resume (which takes all of about 10 seconds on this thing) and the wireless connection is made immediately (no need to stop/start WZC). Very, very strange! What on Earth would cause this? If anyone has any theories, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks to everyone on this thread for your troubleshooting suggestions! Now I'll just remember (maybe I'll stick a post-it on my laptop bag) that when I go home, I need to reboot and then suspend/resume and away I go... I just wish I had figured this out before Sunday afternoon on a long weekend when I had a lot of work to do... oh well. I'll know for next time.

Reply to
News Reader

While checking for updates for my Intel 2200BG, I looked at the 2100 and you are a few levels down. There have been quite a few fixes (connectivity issues etc.)

Hear is a link

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latest is 1.2.3.14

Cheers

suspended the PC

later the

suspend and

suggestions! Now

weekend when I

Reply to
Airhead

"News Reader" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com...

Hey Newsreader, does the companyname of the company you're working for start with "S" and ends with "t"?

BR's, Invest

Reply to
Invest

I would first go to intel.com and check for the latest drivers. My t42 is brand new and is 2 levels down. There have been many fixes in those two levels. A lot of companies are redoing their drivers to be winxp compatible. Microsoft has a list of xp compatible hardware but cant geive you the link because it is bookmarked on my old laptop!

Reply to
Airhead

Nope. I guess there are a few large companies that use Thinkpads and the Nortel VPN...?

Reply to
News Reader

Hmm. The T42 is pretty new and was intended for use with XP, no? And I would assume the IT people put together a good drive image... but maybe that is a flawed assumption.

I'm a little hesitant to install the "generic" (non-OEM) Intel drivers from intel.com. And they actually block windowsupdate at work because they manage all updates automatically centrally.

Plus, if I update it and screw something up, what am I gonna say to the helpdesk people? ;-)

Maybe I'll stick with the weird-but-reliable reboot-then-suspend-and-resume trick...

Reply to
News Reader

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