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Wireless wierdness. can connect to unsecured but says media disconnected on secured

5K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  JohnWill 
#1 ·
Hi

For 2 days now I have battled this problem and have had no joy.

I can connect to unsecured networks fine but when I try to connect to a secured network I fail, ipconfig/all shows the media as disconnected even though it isn't and if I try to connect again to an unsecured network it works fine.

If I use a cable straight into the access point everything works fine. 2 other laptops in the house work fine as well.

I have an HP pavilion laptop zd8000 (zd8007ea to be precise) running XP. I am using a wireless usb dongle which is a kcorp kls-685.

I have posted the ipconfig/all text below. I have the password for the secured network, this problem has happened in various locations and my laptop is the only common denominator, I am sure it is to blame.

Many thanks for your help.

G

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

CONNECTION TO UNSECURED NETWORK

C:\Documents and Settings\G>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : L
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Wireless 802.11g USB Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-D4-EF-BF
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.138.163
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.138.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 1.169.249.225
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.138.1
192.168.138.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 28 February 2008 16:53:03
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 28 February 2008 20:13:03

CONNECTION TO THE SECURED NERTWORK

C:\Documents and Settings\G>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : L
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Wireless 802.11g USB Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-D4-EF-BF

CONNECTION TO THE SECURED NETWORK USING A CABLE

C:\Documents and Settings\G>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : L
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : SE572

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : SE572
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethe
rnet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-C0-9F-85-B4-D6
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 28 February 2008 17:00:18
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 03 March 2008 17:00:18

Thanks again.
G
 
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#7 ·
Have you tried re-entering the WPA key into the router to make SURE you have it right? Also remove any stored wireless profiles and then connect and recreate them. If you have one stored with the wrong key, it can result in the symptoms you see.
 
#8 ·
If you have never connected to a WPA secured network see if there is an updated driver.

If you were connected, sometimes a wireless adapter and router get "out of sync." If John's way doesn't get you connected again, I like the technique of disable encryption on router, connect, re-enable encryption, and reconnect.
 
#9 ·
Thanks again for the responses.

First question first,

the wireless connection shows up as automatic. This is also my preferred network. The unsecured shows up as manual and that's the one I can connect to. On occasion I think it has tried to go to the secured network, can't connect then tries the unsecured and is successful.

The key is definitely right, I have checked and double checked that and I have deleted, at least what I think were the profiles, from network connections. I have reinstalled the drivers and even removed the HP wireless assistant and enabled windows zero configuration.

I have run a winsock fix and a couple of other netsh commands that I have seen elsewhere, I have even added a reg entry as per the microsoft website, I think I have done that correctly, but still no joy.

I have been able to connect to wpa-psk routers before.

We changed the router last night and I can connect to it just fine, it is only a temporary solution though as that router is a bit temperamental hence the use of the one I can't connect to. I know this has solved the problem in the short term but I would still like to know why when I take the laptop to other places I have the same problem.

Thanks again for your time and help.

G
 
#10 ·
You're now having a problem connecting to any WPA secured network? All I can suggest is to make sure you have the latest driver for the USB wireless adapter. If you do have the latest driver, try the adapter with another computer. If successful there has to be some issue with your PC. You do have SP2, right? If unsuccessful with that adapter and another computer it is time to go shopping.
 
#11 ·
Hi

Yes Terry it is SP2. What's strange is that with the different router I can connect but three others I have tried in other houses I couldn't. I'm guessing that means it is not the USB adapter because for unsecured it works and is working as I type this, I could be wrong though.

Might be time to go shopping for a mac!!

cheers
G
 
#12 ·
It's probably not the adapter, it's the drivers. WPA obviously requires different drivers than WEP only connections. Many companies updated their drivers for WPA, but some never bothered for older products.
 
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