Fix for XP repeatedly dropping wireless link from WPC54G L..

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

rednblu@ix.netcom.com (Riley M. Sinder) wrote in
news:50ba1b04.0404120816.2359f89@posting.google.com:

> I thank many who contributed to this my most recent fix to my WPA
> wireless network. I keep my fingers crossed, but my wireless link has
> been going non-stop for over 48 hours between my Linksys WRT54G router
> version 2.0 and my WPC54G version 1.2 LapTop card under XP and WPA. I
> am not sure what would be the necessary and minimal fix process from
> the steps I summarize below. However, the following steps were a
> sufficient process. Maybe only step ten below would fix your system
> given your system's history and present configuration.
>
> In summary, 1) I installed XP updates in two different ways, 2) I
> pulled a WPC54G driver from Microsoft, and 3) I configured the XP
> Wireless Zero Configuration to use EAP (PEAP) Authentication.
>
> I am not sure what would be the necessary minimal fix process from the
> steps I summarize below. However, the following steps were a
> sufficient process.
>
> First, I had to pull the XP Patch for WPA from
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=815485 to get XP to cooperate with
> WPA in the first place. Then I rebooted and brought up a WPA network
> that would work for an hour and then require reconnecting an average
> of every few minutes.
>
> Second, I consulted the following medical school site
> http://www.bioinformatics.med.umich.edu/bicc/techsuppor...
> summarizing in one place the scattered information on XP and WPA
> available on the Microsoft site.
>
> Third, I downloaded and installed the cumulative update for the Zero
> Configuration for WPA from http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid =826942.
> This download got the update file WindowsXP-KB826942-x86-ENU.exe. I
> suspect that some of this update duplicated what I did in the First
> step above.
>
> Fourth, I did "Windows Update" to see if there was any still
> uninstalled update that controlled WPA. The only item I thought might
> be relevant was a driver that Microsoft recommended for the Linksys
> WPC54G. I elected to install this driver; I don't know if this was
> significant. This Microsoft driver update routine from "Windows
> Update" installed Linksys driver version 3.50.21.11 dated February 19,
> 2004.
>
> Fifth, I disabled the internal Ethernet port. In Network Connections,
> I right clicked the Ethernet wired LAN connection and clicked
> "Disable." Then I rebooted.
>
> Sixth, I uninstalled the Linksys "Wireless-G" card from both PCMCIA
> ports. I did this for PCMCIA slot #1 by 1) inserting the WPC54G into
> PCMCIA slot #1, 2) going to Control Panel, System, Hardware, Device
> Manager, + on Network Adapters, right click on Wireless adapter, 3)
> clicking Disable, then 4) clicking Uninstall. Then, I did the same
> thing for PCMCIA slot #2 by inserting the WPC54G into slot #2 and
> repeating the above uninstallation procedure.
>
> Seventh, I turned off the LapTop.
>
> Eighth, I inserted the WPC54G with the LapTop off. When I turned on
> the LapTop, XP did an automatic installation of the WPC54G card. The
> resulting driver was version 3.50.21.11 dated February 19, 2004.
>
> Ninth, I configured the WPA connection using WPA-PSK and TKIP as
> before.
>
> Tenth, when there still were still occasional drops of the wireless
> link, I configured the Wireless Authentication to use EAP (PEAP) by
> doing the following: right clicking the "Wireless Network Connection,"
> clicking View Available Network Connections, Advanced, Properties,
> Authentication, checking "Authenticate as computer," selecting
> "Protected EAP (PEAP)" from the dropdown list, Properties, checking
> "Validate Server Certificate," checking "Connect to these servers,"
> leaving blank the text box after "Connect to these servers," selecting
> "Secured Password EAP-MSCHAP v2" from the dropdown list, and checking
> the Enable Fast Reconnect. I am not sure that all of those "magic"
> selections are necessary. But I UNchecked some of that "magic"
> selection that made no sense to me, and the wireless link died
> repeatedly after five minutes--until I restored the "magic" selection.
>
> Eleventh, I Enabled the Ethernet wired port.
>
> Then I rebooted. And the WPC54G version 1.2 wireless connection came
> up, and as far as I know has not dropped the link to the WRT54G
> version 2.0 router day or night, through hibernations, reboots, and a
> thunderstorm.
>

I just disabled the WZC service, reinstalled the driver and simple config
it and things became solid as a rock.  

Duane