Windows XP, Netgear wg311v2 wireless

[Nithin]

I recently reinstalled windows. Connected to the network and installed all
updates. But after i install sp2 i can't connect to the network anymore.

if i uninstall sp2, it works fine. any ideas?

Thanks,
N.

 

[sun818]

Try re-installing your drivers for the wireless device. Unplug your USB device, Go to Device Manager - uninstall the USB device. Restart your computer. Then plug your USB device in - it should ask for drivers. Browse to your drivers files at that point. Its odd that Windows will also think your USB device is a new one if you put in a different port - that can sometimes cause issues too.

 

[Nithin]

its a pci card. but i will try reinstalling the driver.

 

[Markbnj]

Didn't SP2 add the firewall? You might check control panel->security center and see how it is set up.

There is also Windows Wireless Zero Configuration manager. Try disabling it in services to see if that makes a difference.

 

[Nithin]

i did try disabling firewall. didn't fix it. i'll try disabling the service.

 

[Markbnj]

We could use some more information, too. Do you have the wireless network icon in the system tray, showing "not connected" or "no network?"

If you double click that icon, or open network connections from control panel, does the local wireless network show up in the detected networks list?

If so, and you click connect, what happens?

 

[Nithin]

yes i have the not connected icon in the tray.

the local wireless does show up in the detected list.

if i click connect it shows a dialog "waiting for network" or something like that and keeps trying.
after a while it says "could not connect to preferred network".

 

[Markbnj]

Ok, well based on that I'm going to say that the hardware and driver are working fine. In other words, the device can receive tranmissions from the router, and Windows can access the device, otherwise you wouldn't see the network detected in the list. It has to be some configuration issue with how the system is trying to connect.

I would look at the properties for the network connection. Select "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)". Click Properties. In the "General Tab" make sure the two radio buttons labelled "Obtain an ... automatically" are set. Click the "Advanced" button, and make sure that the only thing set in the "IP Settings" tab is "DHCP Enabled" under "IP Addresses."

I assume the connection is not encrypted with WEP, since you don't mention the system asking you for a WEP key when you connect (you should turn this on). I also assume that the router is correctly set up to work as a DHCP server, since the system connects when you remove SP2.

Do you by any chance also have a LAN adapter (non wireless) in the system? If so it should show up under Network Connections in control panel. If you do, try disabling it.

 

[Nithin]

Yes, I checked the dhcp and made sure its set.

WEP is enabled and I've entered the key into the properties. When I click connect, the key is already filled in and I just press next.

There is an ethernet card but it doesn't have the driver installed so it doesn't show up.

I'm pretty sure I've setup everything right because there is no problem when sp2 is gone.

 

[Markbnj]

Given all that, the number one possible cause is that the WEP key is incorrect. Are you sure it's right? It might be that when you uninstall SP2 you get the old (and correct) WEP key back.

 

[Nithin]

ya because i had to enter all the settings again. when i installed sp2, that bloated pos wiped out my
wireless settings also. x-( so there is no old/new key. i pasted it from a text file and
i'm pretty sure i got that right.

but i will check it again.

 

[JW310]

What version of the drivers are you using? Are you using the latest drivers from Netgear's website? I know the older drivers have issues with SP2 - need to use the latest drivers for the card to work right in WinXP SP2. I've got the same card in my system and with the drivers that came on the CD, I was never able to get the card to work in SP2. Heck, I was lucky if the thing didn't bluescreen on me with the old drivers.

JW

 

[Nithin]

Originally posted by: JW310
What version of the drivers are you using? Are you using the latest drivers from Netgear's website? I know the older drivers have issues with SP2 - need to use the latest drivers for the card to work right in WinXP SP2. I've got the same card in my system and with the drivers that came on the CD, I was never able to get the card to work in SP2. Heck, I was lucky if the thing didn't bluescreen on me with the old drivers.

JW

ah, this sounds promising. i'm using the cd driver and app. and the app is crashing so badly.

 

[Nithin]

cool! new driver fixed it. thanks!

 

[JW310]

Originally posted by: Nithin
cool! new driver fixed it. thanks!

No problem. Like I said, I ran into a similar problem on my setup and noticed that Netgear had updated drivers that made note of fixing a compatibility issue with SP2, and those drivers worked for me. Glad they worked for you, too!

JW

 

[Markbnj]

Excellent. Glad you got it worked out.