Problem: Huge memory usage with Netgear WPN111 wireless adapter

Hi,

My PC frequently runs very slowly. Task Manager showed two instances
of WPN111.exe (the manager for my Netgear WPN111 wireless adapter),
each instance using up over 400Meg of memory and climbing. Questions:

(1) Has anyone else seen this problem? Any idea of the cause and
cure?

(2) I am running Windows XP Pro with separate logins for several
members of my family. Each person currently logged in gets their own
instance of the WPN111.exe program running. This seems a bad design:
why shouldn't the program be a system program, running a single
instance?

(3) The program typically uses 5-7% of the CPU, even if nothing is
being downloaded. This seems excessive. Is there a fix?

(4) The wireless connection seems to get dropped a lot. Popping the
wireless adapter out and back in usually cures it. If there a better
solution?

Regards,

Ponge

In message <1167678770.888191.13090@k21g2000cwa.googlegroups. com>,
pongevoorst@googlemail.com writes
>Hi,
>
>My PC frequently runs very slowly. Task Manager showed two instances
>of WPN111.exe (the manager for my Netgear WPN111 wireless adapter),
>each instance using up over 400Meg of memory and climbing. Questions:
>
>(1) Has anyone else seen this problem? Any idea of the cause and
>cure?
Can you let Windows manage the connection and ditch the Netgear stuff?
>
>(2) I am running Windows XP Pro with separate logins for several
>members of my family. Each person currently logged in gets their own
>instance of the WPN111.exe program running. This seems a bad design:
>why shouldn't the program be a system program, running a single
>instance?
Why not make it one then?
>
>(3) The program typically uses 5-7% of the CPU, even if nothing is
>being downloaded. This seems excessive. Is there a fix?
New drivers?
>
>(4) The wireless connection seems to get dropped a lot. Popping the
>wireless adapter out and back in usually cures it. If there a better
>solution?
>
>Regards,
>
>Ponge
>
Download newer drivers if available, if not then ditch the POS and buy a
different brand if you absolutely have to use WiFi.
--
Clint Sharp

> Clint Sharp wrote:

> Can you let Windows manage the connection and ditch the Netgear stuff?

Ha! I checked the Netgear web site, and found that I already have the
latest drivers. Then I uninstalled and re-installed all the Netgear
WPN111 software, specifying "Let Windows Zero Configuration manage the
connection." Reboot. The network works fine. The WPN111.exe process
is still there, growing in size. So, I killed the process, and...
NOTHING WENT WRONG!

As far as I can tell, the WPN111.exe process is a useless memory
leaker. It can be stopped without dire consequences. What on earth
are Netgear playing at? Naturally there is no mention of this problem
(or this process) on their support website. I'd swich to a different
WiFi adapter, except that Netgear Rangemax is a proprietary system, so
I'd drop back to 'g' speeds.

I don't want to have to find and kill the WPN111.exe processes every
time a member of my family logs onto XP. Does anyone know how I can
tell XP not to run it at logon?

Ponge

OK, cracked it. The WPN111.exe program is "Netgear WPN111 Smart
Wizard". I just renamed the WPN111.exe file, and it no longer starts
up.

Ponge

<pongevoorst@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:1167781036.161664.68520@48g2000cwx.googlegrou ps.com...
> OK, cracked it. The WPN111.exe program is "Netgear WPN111 Smart
> Wizard". I just renamed the WPN111.exe file, and it no longer starts
> up.

Uh, how about just checking the Startup folder? Or the Run registry entry?
Renaming the executable won't help you if/when you ever update the driver
and it puts it back again.