Mailing List os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com Archived Message #5873

From:	"Chris Hodgkins" <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>	Full Headers Undecoded message
Sender:	"OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>
Subject:	Re: [OS2Wireless] First experience with Vista and Wi-Fi
Date:	Sun, 08 Jul 2007 04:16:39 +0100
To:	"OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>

On Sat, 2007-07-07 at 15:21 -0400, Lewis G Rosenthal wrote: > Apologies for the reference in the subject to the Evil Empire's latest > alphaware foisted on an unsuspecting public... I just thought this > worthy of note. > > A couple weeks ago, I had occasion to break from the network upgrade I > was doing to visit a client whose two new Gateway notebooks (no, he > didn't get them form me, nor did I recommend them - egad, no!) were > having trouble connecting to his venerable LinkSys WRT11. I convinced > him that it was indeed time to upgrade the router/AP, and start with a > fresh WRT54G and perhaps opensource firmware (though I ended up sticking > - for the time being - with the factory pack). Out we went to pick one up. > > I configured the unit for WPA2 encryption, TKIP+AES, PSK (LinkSys refers > to this as "Personal") which I find to be the most user-friendly (some > non-standard clients have trouble with AES or TKIP - usually AES - so > accepting both makes things a bit easier). > > I was (as most of you on this list might guess) rather unimpressed with > Vista, particularly on the substandard Gateway hardware (selling > machines with Vista and only 512MB RAM is like selling W2K stations with > 128MB...it's not even a bad joke). However, my impression of Vista was > not simply as a result of the lackluster performance, but more the > inordinate amount of clicking to get to the proper area to set things up > (even after I figured out where it was). > > Once connected, I turned off beaconing in the AP. The notebooks > continued to work for the rest of the time I was there. I had a > workstation downstairs with an older LinkSys PCI card in it, which I > upgraded (the new card was defective, and kept dropping the signal; a > subsequent replacement resolved the issue). A couple days later, my > client called me to tell me that he couldn't get either of the notebooks > to connect. After a few minutes on the phone, I had him log into the > WRT54G from his wired desktop and turn beaconing back on. This seemed to > resolve the problem. > > I know we have kicked around on this list various issues with GenMAC and > non-beaconing AP's. I generally do not have a problem, but I was > wondering whether I missed a change in the RFC's somewhere? The > workstation downstairs with the LinkSys PCI card had no trouble once I > set up the profile with the (rather long) PSK. I was able to reboot > several times and get right onto the network. > I used to set most of the Access Points installed so that beaconing was disabled; unfortunately that extra 'security by obscurity has bitten me in the ass from time to time as well. In my particular instance it was a Linux distribution and its Network Manager app that tripped up when no SSID was being broadcast rather than XP or Vista. For a quieter life I now leave beaconing on. cheers =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>. To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <os2-wireless_users-off@2rosenthals.com> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <os2-wireless_users-digest@2rosenthals.com> To switch to the INDEX mode, E-mail to <os2-wireless_users-index@2rosenthals.com> Send administrative queries to <os2-wireless_users-request@2rosenthals.com> To subscribe (new addresses), E-mail to: <os2-wireless_users-on@2rosenthals.com> and reply to the confirmation email. Web archives are publicly available at: http://lists.2rosenthals.com This list is hosted by Rosenthal & Rosenthal, LLC P.O. Box 281, Deer Park, NY 11729-0281. Non- electronic communications related to content contained in these messages should be directed to the above address. (CAN-SPAM Act of 2003) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Subscribe: Feed, Digest, Index.
Unsubscribe
Mail to ListMaster