How to make laptop's wireless connection reconnect if disconnected?

Once in a while, the laptop's wireless connection will be disconnected
due to interferences or something (not sure what exactly). Then, a
balloon pop-up comes to say the network connection was lost and there
are other wireless connections available to use. Obviously, I only want
to use mine and not my neighbor's open wireless network. My secured
network (WEP, key, etc.) is listed in preferred network. How can I have
Windows XP Media Center (all updates) always reconnect to it, when it is
available by itself?

On a Dell desktop with Windows 2000 SP4 (all updates) in the same house,
the network is automatically reconnected after disconnections. The
laptop's XP doesn't do this.

Thank you in advance.
--
"When the ants unite their mouths, they can carry an elephant."
--Mossian Proverb
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: NT or
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
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On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 03:51:46 -0800, Ant wrote:

Once in a while, the laptop's wireless connection will be disconnected
due to interferences or something (not sure what exactly). Then, a
balloon pop-up comes to say the network connection was lost and there
are other wireless connections available to use. Obviously, I only want
to use mine and not my neighbor's open wireless network. My secured
network (WEP, key, etc.) is listed in preferred network. How can I have
Windows XP Media Center (all updates) always reconnect to it, when it is
available by itself?

On a Dell desktop with Windows 2000 SP4 (all updates) in the same house,
the network is automatically reconnected after disconnections. The
laptop's XP doesn't do this.

Thank you in advance.

If not broadcasting your SSID, you'll want to take a look at this:

Your Computer Connects to an Access Point That Broadcasts Its SSID Instead
of an Access Point That Does Not Broadcast its SSID
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=811427

--
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows XP Shell/User

On 3/21/2004 1:08 PM PT, Sharon F wrote:

Once in a while, the laptop's wireless connection will be disconnected
due to interferences or something (not sure what exactly). Then, a
balloon pop-up comes to say the network connection was lost and there
are other wireless connections available to use. Obviously, I only want
to use mine and not my neighbor's open wireless network. My secured
network (WEP, key, etc.) is listed in preferred network. How can I have
Windows XP Media Center (all updates) always reconnect to it, when it is
available by itself?

On a Dell desktop with Windows 2000 SP4 (all updates) in the same house,
the network is automatically reconnected after disconnections. The
laptop's XP doesn't do this.

Thank you in advance.


If not broadcasting your SSID, you'll want to take a look at this:

Your Computer Connects to an Access Point That Broadcasts Its SSID Instead
of an Access Point That Does Not Broadcast its SSID
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=811427

Yes, Linksys WAP11 is not broadcasting its SSID. I have to type it in
each computers that want to connect to it. After reading your link, I am
still confused on how to fix this issue (didn't see any
workarounds/solutions), how can I make XP reconnect to my preferred
network location when this happens:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/ima...s/cg110202.gif
? It happens about every 15 minutes or so and it is very annoying! The
notebook owner is a computer novice. I want it to work like Windows
2000's setup which autoreconnects to the specific network location by
itself.

Note: I am not a wireless expert.
--
"The ants sought personal revenge for my having sprayed them the day
before." --Oliver Smith
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: NT or
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

Ant, if you are using the WZC you want to make sure that the SSID
Broadcasting is enabled. It must broadcast a SSID. If you are not using the
WZC, you can disable this service and use a Linksys Utility for the wireless
network adapter you are using. However, Linksys Techincal support is trying
to encourage users to use Windows XP's configuration for setting up a
network. In fact, disabling the SSID isn't a secure method, and this is
discussed in that MS KB article that Sharon posted.

______________
Eric


"Ant" wrote in message
...
On 3/21/2004 1:08 PM PT, Sharon F wrote:

Once in a while, the laptop's wireless connection will be disconnected
due to interferences or something (not sure what exactly). Then, a
balloon pop-up comes to say the network connection was lost and there
are other wireless connections available to use. Obviously, I only want
to use mine and not my neighbor's open wireless network. My secured
network (WEP, key, etc.) is listed in preferred network. How can I have
Windows XP Media Center (all updates) always reconnect to it, when it is
available by itself?

On a Dell desktop with Windows 2000 SP4 (all updates) in the same house,
the network is automatically reconnected after disconnections. The
laptop's XP doesn't do this.

Thank you in advance.


If not broadcasting your SSID, you'll want to take a look at this:

Your Computer Connects to an Access Point That Broadcasts Its SSID
Instead
of an Access Point That Does Not Broadcast its SSID
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=811427

Yes, Linksys WAP11 is not broadcasting its SSID. I have to type it in
each computers that want to connect to it. After reading your link, I am
still confused on how to fix this issue (didn't see any
workarounds/solutions), how can I make XP reconnect to my preferred
network location when this happens:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/ima...s/cg110202.gif
? It happens about every 15 minutes or so and it is very annoying! The
notebook owner is a computer novice. I want it to work like Windows
2000's setup which autoreconnects to the specific network location by
itself.

Note: I am not a wireless expert.
--
"The ants sought personal revenge for my having sprayed them the day
before." --Oliver Smith
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: NT or
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

I need to find out if Atheros NIC drivers (the brand listed in Windows
XP Media Center) has a utility like Linksys Utility. I do NOT want my
Linksys WAP11 to broadcast its SSID for security reasons. I know it is
not the most secured way, but it can makes people looking for one more
frustrated and time to find it. So is MAC address spoofing, it can be
done but tedious. I usually turn off the WAP when out for a long periods
of time.


On 3/21/2004 1:45 PM PT, Eric Cross wrote:

Ant, if you are using the WZC you want to make sure that the SSID
Broadcasting is enabled. It must broadcast a SSID. If you are not using the
WZC, you can disable this service and use a Linksys Utility for the wireless
network adapter you are using. However, Linksys Techincal support is trying
to encourage users to use Windows XP's configuration for setting up a
network. In fact, disabling the SSID isn't a secure method, and this is
discussed in that MS KB article that Sharon posted.

Once in a while, the laptop's wireless connection will be disconnected
due to interferences or something (not sure what exactly). Then, a
balloon pop-up comes to say the network connection was lost and there
are other wireless connections available to use. Obviously, I only want
to use mine and not my neighbor's open wireless network. My secured
network (WEP, key, etc.) is listed in preferred network. How can I have
Windows XP Media Center (all updates) always reconnect to it, when it is
available by itself?

On a Dell desktop with Windows 2000 SP4 (all updates) in the same house,
the network is automatically reconnected after disconnections. The
laptop's XP doesn't do this.

Thank you in advance.


If not broadcasting your SSID, you'll want to take a look at this:

Your Computer Connects to an Access Point That Broadcasts Its SSID

Instead

of an Access Point That Does Not Broadcast its SSID
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=811427

Yes, Linksys WAP11 is not broadcasting its SSID. I have to type it in
each computers that want to connect to it. After reading your link, I am
still confused on how to fix this issue (didn't see any
workarounds/solutions), how can I make XP reconnect to my preferred
network location when this happens:


http://www.microsoft.com/technet/ima...s/cg110202.gif

? It happens about every 15 minutes or so and it is very annoying! The
notebook owner is a computer novice. I want it to work like Windows
2000's setup which autoreconnects to the specific network location by
itself.

Note: I am not a wireless expert.
--
"God is a mean kid sitting on an ant-hill with a magnifying glass, and
I'm the ant." --Bruce Nolan (Bruce Almighty movie)
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: NT or
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 13:27:54 -0800, Ant wrote:

Yes, Linksys WAP11 is not broadcasting its SSID. I have to type it in
each computers that want to connect to it. After reading your link, I am
still confused on how to fix this issue (didn't see any
workarounds/solutions)

Change the configuration of the wireless access point so that it is
broadcasting the SSID. Then when the network drops, it will pick up the
preferred network that you've designated in your network connection
settings.

--
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows XP Shell/User

On 3/21/2004 2:50 PM PT, Sharon F wrote:

Yes, Linksys WAP11 is not broadcasting its SSID. I have to type it in
each computers that want to connect to it. After reading your link, I am
still confused on how to fix this issue (didn't see any
workarounds/solutions)

Change the configuration of the wireless access point so that it is
broadcasting the SSID. Then when the network drops, it will pick up the
preferred network that you've designated in your network connection
settings.

Why can't I leave SSID broadcasting disabled? I do not want to broadcast
to outside the house.
--
"Ants can destroy a tree. Therefore this ant can destroy a tree."
--Logic & Fallacy
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: NT or
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 15:53:38 -0800, Ant wrote:

Why can't I leave SSID broadcasting disabled? I do not want to broadcast
to outside the house.

Because if you leave it off, every time you get dropped off of your
network, you'll end up where you are now - picking up the neighboar's
network.

There is another possibility that I can think of ... if you're on good
terms with your neighbor, have them stop broadcasting their SSID too.

--
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows XP Shell/User

On 3/21/2004 4:59 PM PT, Sharon F wrote:

Why can't I leave SSID broadcasting disabled? I do not want to broadcast
to outside the house.

Because if you leave it off, every time you get dropped off of your
network, you'll end up where you are now - picking up the neighboar's
network.

Hmm, how come I don't have this problem in Windows 2000 SP4 desktop? It
always uses the preferred one even though it picks up the other
networks. I just want to copy this behavior.


There is another possibility that I can think of ... if you're on good
terms with your neighbor, have them stop broadcasting their SSID too.

Hmmm, yeah there are like five other open networks and I have no idea
who has the WAP opened (bad in my opinion -- got to be careful when
using a stranger's network because they could be sniffing your
connection especially with confidential information).

Surprisingly, this wireless networking is actually difficult to set up
and behave the way you want it. I wonder if SP2 will improve this.
--
"I once heard the survivors of a colony of ants that had been partially
obliterated by a cow's foot seriously debating the intention of the gods
towards their civilization" --Archy the Cockroach from Don Marquis'
"Archy and Mehitabel" book ("Certain Maxims of Archy" poem)
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: NT or
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

On 3/21/2004 4:59 PM PT, Sharon F wrote:

Why can't I leave SSID broadcasting disabled? I do not want to broadcast
to outside the house.

Because if you leave it off, every time you get dropped off of your
network, you'll end up where you are now - picking up the neighboar's
network.

Actually, is there a way to filter out specific WAPs (e.g., ignore list)?
--
"I once heard the survivors of a colony of ants that had been partially
obliterated by a cow's foot seriously debating the intention of the gods
towards their civilization" --Archy the Cockroach from Don Marquis'
"Archy and Mehitabel" book ("Certain Maxims of Archy" poem)
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: NT or
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )