Now that I have got this working, here is the documentation that I promised:
NOTE: This process is not perfect !
I wanted to ensure the process was repeatable - it's not 100%, however as it has worked and proved that both the hardware and the GenMac driver appear to work as expected (the issues are around TCPIP configuration and how it interfaces to WlanMon as far as I can see), I wanted to pass
this information on.
Since others have said they haven't been able to even get their cards working at all, I felt this process may be of use to them. Also the more people testing, will isolate the issues affecting operation that much quicker.
The first time this process was followed it worked perfectly, the second time, it failed until I removed TCPBEUI (which had worked previously), the third time no matter what I did in the TCPIP and WlanMon configurations, I could not get it to work, the forth time, it worked correctly again.
1802 Bios fix run to allow the IBM hardware to accept this Toshiba
branded Mini_PCI card. (The patch removes the hardware check).
CMOS (BIOS) Settings - no changes - default settings.
1. Download the required software;
GENMAC Wrapper Version 1.00 and v 1.6 upgrade package.
WLANMON v 2.12
(There are later versions - use at your own risk - this process used
these versions).
2. Clean-up Stage (Skip this if this is your first install attempt).
MPTS - Remove protocols from 2200BG card
- Remove any SVista or VPC virtual network protocol drivers
(on any card)
- Remove NIC definition for 2200BG card.
- Adjust any remaining card to be the first adapter.
CONFIG.SYS - Rem out all Uniaud lines.
- Rem out all virtualPC lines.
- Delete the Run Helperw.exe line
OS2.INI - Using either REGEDIT2 or inimaint (or similar INI editor),
Delete the following four keys from
OS2.INI/HINI_USER_PROFILE
Wireless Lan monitor:Networks
Wireless Lan monitor:Profiles
Wireless Lan monitor:Properties
Wireless Lan monitor:Stream Profiles
(these should be the only "wireless" entries that are present).
DESKTOP - Delete Wireless LAN Monitor folder and any shadows or
copies you made of it or its contained objects.
(if you installed Wlanmon as a Widget previously -
delete the widget).
-- REBOOT the system --
DISK - Delete the complete GENMAC directory tree - normally written
to the system root drive.
- Delete any directories you created to install (x)wlanmon into
3. Check Status.
Make sure your other (Non WLAN) network connection is working
correctly.
Check configuration in MPTS
Check condiguration in TCPCFG2
Check configuration in LANINST
Note: You should have LAN interface zero and the loopback interface
configured normally in TCPCFG2 - we will not configure the WLAN
interface here, rather we let WLANMON do this for us.
-- COLD RESTART --
Check no errors are indicated on boot up and that communication is
working on your non-WLAN NIC.
4. Install GENMAC driver.
Go to the temporary directory where you downloaded the code into and
create a sub-directory for GENMAC. e.g. if you downnloaded to E:\TEMP
create E:\TEMP\GENMAC
Unzip the GENMAC v 1.00 Zip file into this new subdirectory.
Unzip the GENMAC v 1.6 zip package into the SAME subdirectory.
Go into the subdirectory and execute the INSTALL.CMD file. This will
create a directory tree called \GENMAC off the system root, load
the required NIF and MAC files into \IBMCOM\MACS and add a line to
the start of CONFIG.SYS for the HELPERW.EXE program.
Run MPTS and select and add the INTEL WLAN 2200BG as the next NIC in
the configuration (i.e. if your onboard ethernet connection is the
first NIC, make this the second NIC.)
Now add ONLY the TCPIP protocol to the 2200BG NIC (if you need
additional protocols, add them once the card is working - often TCPIP
is all you need). Check the protocol number allocated to the TCPIP
protocol does not conflict with any existing number - normally it
would have a protocol number of 1. If there is a conflict adjust to
avoid this by using the "change number" button.
Still from within MPTS, edit the 2200BG card settings:
Make Network Name (SSID) either blank or the name of your access
point (this field is case sensitive).
Change Debug Level from "NO" to "NONE".
Change Wrapper Options from "NO" to "STACK32".
Exit MPTS and save everything, letting CONFIG.SYS be updated.
-- SHUT DOWN and COLD BOOT the system --
On reboot - check that the card is indicated as having it's driver
loaded, this text is in red and must also indicate that it is version
1.6. - Should say "loaded for device ....".
(Note: If you find that you have the wrong version of GENMAC, you
cannot simply copy over HELPERW.EXE and GENM32W.OS2 - the
copy will not give an error, but the file will not change as
it is locked - you will need to run the "Unlock" program (in
the GENMAC package, in the \BIN subdirectory) first and then
replace these files.
If the driver does not load at this point, this could suggest a
faulty card.
5. Install WLANMON.
Firstly it is important to note that we will install the EXE version
and NOT the widget.
Create a directory to hold WLANMON e.g. E:\WLANMON and unzip the
(v2.12) package from the temporary directory where you downloaded it
to this new directory.
Execute the INSTEXE.CMD file from this directory, it will install the
program in its current location and create a folder on the desktop.
Start the wireless Lan Monitor and you will see a welcome screen and
a flashing small ICON.
Press OK.
Now drag the ICON to a better place on the desktop and right mouse
button (RMB)click it. I don't like this small ICON so I always select
Window and click on Large Window Size. Then again Window and "always
stay on top".
If you are happy with the small icon, these two actions are optional.
Now we will set the overall properties, so RMB - Properties.
Radio tab - Set activate radio on startup
Connection scan tab - Set scan for connections on startup
- change interval and retries to something more
sensible - default is 2/3600, I use 4/15.
Device tab -this must show "Genmac wrapper INTEL 2200WLAN [8086:4220]
and version WIND32$ 1.06, if not either the card is
faulty or you have missed/incorrectly actioned an
instruction above.
TCP/IP tab - click Execute LAN config on disconnect - on.
- leave Conflict at "prompt user".
Script tab - leave both options ON, even though the scripts don't
exist.
Mouse Actions tab - Leave as set (next profile / Scan).
Error handling tab - Leave all three options selected.
Display tab 1 - Leave as set (system value / 0)
Display tab 2 - Info only.
Information tab - must indicate v 2.12.
Exit properties and RMB on the ICON again
- Select ADD/EDIT Profile then NEW ....
Connection tab 1 - Enter a Profile name - e.g. HomeWiFi
- Leave Connect as Basic ......
- click on "create a network"
- click on "include in connection scan"
- enter the SSID of your access point in the
network name field.
Connection tab 2 - is greyed out.
Security tab 1 - Encryption - in my case this was WEP64
Enter the key number set to be used with
your access point(AP) (1,2,3 or 4) - check your
AP for what you set it to.
Either generate using a known passphrase or
enter all four keys manually.
TCP/IP tab - Although most access points also work as DHCP servers
during this initial set up stage I prefer to give the
system a static IP address. To do this, click on
"configure manually", enter the IP address and subnet
mask, Click on "more TCP/IP options" and enter the
default gateway IP address.
Close this new profile and then press close on "select a profile"
RMB on the ICON again, click on "select profile" and then the
profile you just created (this should be the only one available.
RMB on the ICON and click on "scan for connection".
RMB one last time on the ICON and select EXIT to close WLANMON.
-- SHUT DOWN, POWER OFF and RESTART the laptop --
6. Testing
If you are lucky, once the system has fully booted, if you click on
WLANMON the icon will load and go green - you have connectivity !
In this state the reset TCPIP configuration option in the ICON RMB
menu will be selectable - this is grey until the connection is
working.
Also you will be able to do a scan of hotspots, set the type to all
and you will see your access point and possibly others in your area
listed.
If you do not get into a connected mode, you can try the following
changes:
Remove TCPBEUI and Netbios from your onboard NIC and restart.
Change WLANMON not to allocate a static IP address but rather to use
DHCP.
Change Wrapper to be the first NIC and the onboard to be the second.
Any and all TCP/IP configuration changes whether through TCPCFG2 or
the profile in WLANMON REQUIRE you to do a reboot of the system
before they will "settle in".
Once you have the system working, a small change like adding in DNS
addresses can stop the link working AND backing out the change
DOES NOT return the link to operation ! The only way I have found
around this is to delete the four OS2.INI entries and then re-
configure WLANMON again.
This lets me conclude that the area that is less than perfect is
WLANMONs configuration of TCPIP and this stops the WiFi connection
from working at all.
It may be better to manually configure this TCPIP connection in
TCPCFG2 and disable the "create a network" in connection tab 1 of
the profile properties, however the notes with this software
recommend not to do this.
Again, I would like to stress that this process is not 100% ! I am not the developer of the driver or application and as such, I cannot do more than document my findings. The key finding is that this hardware DOES work under eCS 2.0B2. This hopefully is a good starting point to clarify the last few variables to get the solution stable.