most wifi connection manager softwares identify the APs by both name
(ESSID) and MAC address (BSSID) and also by encryption method, while
windows WZC see them by the ESSID only, even if in your neighborhood
there were a hundred APs with network name linksys, WZC would display
only one linksys

i have a theory that one of your neighbour happen to have a WRT54G
broadcasting a stronger signal (having higher txpower by using 3rd
party firmware, or a much higher gain antenna) but having the same
network name as yours, then your laptop, by the wisdom of Windows WZC,
will seek to connect to that one, or it will drop the connection to
your router to pursuit your neighbour's whenever it's on, that'll be
as successful as a blind date... lol

but anyways, if that theory is correct then i dont know how another
laptop of yours connects to your router and not another linksys. i can
only assume that it has different chipset.

so before you go hunting for the connection software, or reinstall
windows, you may want to go the setup page of your router and change
the network name to something unique... and let WZC works it magic...

cheers


arilisanne wrote:
> On Jan 28, 8:46 pm, "ejm" <ejmconsult...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I believe you issue is that your laptop use Intel 802.11b Wireless and
> > the router is most likely set for only G.
> > Goto into the router's control panel and make sure it is set for both
> > g and b. If as I believe it is not then choose the choice that allows
> > both b and g to be available.
>
> It's set to "Mixed" mode; it worked (albeit intermittently) and then
> stopped, for no apparent reason.
>
>
> John Navas said --
>
> >1. Try your laptop in a public hotspot to ensure the wireless is working
> >properly.
> >
> >2. Turn off _all_ security on the wireless router while troubleshooting.
> >Generally the best way to do that is to reset it to factory defaults.
>
> I have done both of these things. No luck.
>
> b...@scn.org said --
>
> >the VAIO works with a wired connection with the router, is that
> >correct? if not then i would recommend a TCP/IP
> >and windows socket (winsocks) repair. Google for those and you shall
> >find freeware that will reset windows XP networking settings to
> >default... or you can reinstall Windows... nah... just kidding ...
> >anyways i dont think you need to do this step at all
>
> Yes, it works fine with a wired connection so I don't think I need to
> do that...
>
> b also said
>
> >so, if you already know the buitl-in wifi chipset in your VAIO, then
> >download the connection manager software form the chipset manufacturer
> >(or the card's OEM, or SONY) then use it instead of windows WZC.. in
> >my desktop i have this service completely disabled, preventing it from
> >even loggin on the system....
>
> Okay. I'm a little confused by the whole wireless zero mystery. I
> have read some similar suggestions to this -- I did try disabling the
> wireless zero, but re-enabled it cause I didn't know how to set up the
> manufacturer's connection manager software. Am not quite sure where
> to find that but I will do some digging...
>
> Thanks everyone... I will give this a shot but am actually considering
> reinstalling Windows from scratch on this machine if I can't come up
> wtih a better fix soon...