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harrisjamieh · Apr 17, 2006, 04:18 AM

This happened with the hack XOM also.

When I start up windows, *sometimes* it auto connects to the internet via wireless. But after 10/15 minutes, it disconnects, and will not allow to reconnect. If the system does not connect when it first starts up, then again, windows will not let me connect to the network - it detects it, but when i click connect I just get a smal box come up saying 'connecting' or something, and eventually that goes away, leaving my unconnected. Clicking 'repair' also does not do the trick

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

ghporter · Apr 17, 2006, 08:56 AM

First, I'm going to let this stay in this forum ONLY UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT WHAT NETWORKING ISSUE IT IS, because it surely is a networking issue.

Second, I do not recall which Intel Mac you have, so listing your hardware would be a nice thing. And of course, did you have any problems when you installed the Windows drivers on your Mac? ONE slipped driver could easily hose things up.

Finally, is there anything else going on? Are you using cable or DSL? Are you using the built in connection software to make the initial connection with the Internet (as in DSL) or is there some other hardware doing it?

harrisjamieh · Apr 17, 2006, 09:02 AM

Right, well this doesn't really belong in the networking forum, because its an issue with windows, and as I understand it, this forum is dedicated to any issues with alternative OS's. There is no problem with wireless in OS X.

I have an iMac (see sig) I didn't experience any problems when installing the drivers, and the thing that gets me is that is *sometimes* connects automatically, but then disconnects itself indefinatly.

Theres nothing else going on, im using a 2Wire wireless router to access my DSL connection running at 2 MBPS (6.5 from Wednesday onwards). Im not using any extra software to make the initial software, just the standard XP wireless manager it has built into it.

ghporter · Apr 17, 2006, 11:24 AM

I think this is a gray area between Windows-on-Mac and networking, but we'll work it here for a while to help out other Windows-on-Mac users.

There's a serious conflict possible when installing drivers for wireless hardware under Windows XP. If you don't explicitly disable any configuration utilities that come with the hardware, you can wind up with BOTH the configuration utility and XP trying to manage the hardware at the same time. This is technically called "Very Bad."

Make sure that the Boot Camp drivers disc didn't install any sort of AirPort configuration utility for you. This may not be particularly simple to do; you may have to search a lot to find such an application. It SHOULD show up in the Start menu, maybe under the heading AirPort, and maybe under Accessories/AirPort, or even just Accessories.

Anyone with experience in this, PLEASE post your experience. I'm helping out here because I have Windows experience, NOT because I have an Intel Mac to play with Boot Camp with...

harrisjamieh · Apr 27, 2006, 04:04 PM

*Bump*

I'm still having problems with this darned wireless..., am I on my own here with these probs?

I don't know what it can be, because I had the same problem with the unofficial XOM hack. I've totally reset my router - back to factory and put all my user stuff back into it etc. Also, I have windows laptops around the house that have no problems connecting to the network, so its not like the router 'doesnt like windows' (though I wouldn't blame it for not liking windows

).

This is really puzzling!

Chinasaur · Aug 6, 2006, 12:05 AM

Just installed Boot Camp with XP Home on my iMac 2Ghz. I also have no wireless connectivity and know that I am putting in my 128bit hex key orrectly.

Anyone have any ideas? harris..you ever get your problem sorted?

Don't know which 3rd party utilty to download to supersede windows managing the wireless configuration on my imacl.

ghporter · Aug 6, 2006, 10:13 AM

Have you made SURE you are only allowing ONE piece of software to manage the wireless?

Chinasaur · Aug 6, 2006, 11:46 AM

This is a vanilla XP install using boot camp drivers. If there is, it's not my fault. I know windows and there is no other wirless proggie in action. "Let windows manage this connection" is checked.

So is there a proggie I can use for this Broadcom chip? I never let Windows manage my wireless devices as it invariably hoses it..which it seems to be doing here.

I do not broadcast my SSID, I use 128bit WEP encryption and now I'm not sure it's taking all of my key. Bluetooth and sound and video are all working.

ghporter · Aug 6, 2006, 01:43 PM

So you're certain that there isn't some AirPort app running too? (Even if you have "let Windows manage..." selected a vendor program can interfere and cause the whole thing to fail.

One thing I have noticed with some Windows machines is that entering the key in the "Connect to" dialog doesn't always work, but entering the SSID and key through the Add/Remove options in the wireless adapter's properties "Wireless Networks" tab comes through every time.

And here's a silly question on my part: how are you entering the key? You know that Windows doesn't need the '$' for a hex key, right? (Grasping at straws here-this SHOULD work.)

Chinasaur · Aug 6, 2006, 01:58 PM

Thanks for the suggestions..no offense taken. Sometimes we all forget the obvious

Yeah, I'm not using the $ sign.

I will attempt to enter via the other way you suggest. I'm thinking that it's not "taking" because the SSID is not broadcast. I'll turn it on, then once it's available, I'll connect to it and hope it holds after I stop broadcast.

Unless Apple adds another app, there can't be another wireless config app running on this install.

I'll also try WPA. I've been meaning to upgrade to WPA-PSK but haven't. I have a feeling WPA would work better and I know it's more secure.

Chinasaur · Aug 6, 2006, 02:44 PM

Broadcasting SSID did it. By the time Windows finished booting to desktop, the wireless connection had been established.

So I have to broadcast my SSID whenever I logon. I'll try WPA and see if it works without broadcasting.

Thanks for taking the time to help.

:cheers:

ghporter · Aug 6, 2006, 06:45 PM

Aside from not letting the neighbors know that there's another wireless network around, you really don't get any security from not broadcasting your SSID. Just use decent security (which WPA IS and WEP IS NOT) and a good passphrase (nice and long and very random-you only have to enter it once after all!) and you'll be fine.

Not broadcasting the SSID is useful only if you're going to make it hard for anyone, including authorized users, to connect. At my school, you have to take your computer to the networking office so they can do two things to let you online: manually enter the SSID of the campus-wide wireless network, and add the computer's wireless MAC address to the "allowed" list. Even if you know the SSID, you can't get online without having your MAC address added, so this makes it simpler for the school to control who gets to use the wireless network. Otherwise it could be chaos here!