FIXING VISTA WIRELESS NETWORKING PROBLEMS - SEVERAL SOLUTIONS

For all of you "techies" out there, before I even go through the fixes, do
NOT waste your time with the Alternate IP configuration options on the
wireless adapter. THEY FLAT DON'T WORK AT ALL in Vista.

If you have a wireless access point, and you KNOW it works on other
computers, but you get a "local only" message from Vista, the built-in DHCP
router in your Wireless Access Point probably is NOT compatible with Vista...
Here is one solution that may work for SOME routers (but it does NOT work for
all of them!)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233/en-us

If this does not work, and you still get the "local only" message, but you
KNOW the access point works with XP wireless, etc., then MANUALLY SET the IP
address info. Unfortunately, if you have to manually set the IP info, you
will have to delete those settings with other wireless access points. And
let me say one more time, DO NOT waste your time with the Alternate IP
configuration, it doesn't work!

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928152/en-us (affects mostly wireless on
laptops)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929847/en-us (Vista and XP together in a
wireless environment)

If your Gateway is on a different subnet (usually locations with large
numbers of wireless spots such as businesses, universities, etc.) then you
may have connection problems that FORCE you to manually configure your IP
settings on the adapter. This is a FIX for XP SP2 that doesn't look like it
made it into Vista, so, if you are experiencing this problem, LIKE ME, then
you have no choice but to manually configure the IP settings.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=822596

If you are having periodic connection problems (and you know they didn't
exist before), Vista has changed the Automitic IP Address discovery timing to
be almost instantaneous. So if you have an older wireless access point, or
one that has long broadcast / "handshake" times, then you may have trouble
because of this "improvement."

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931550/en-us (MS Does not provide a
solution, only info. Like the other options, you will likely have to
MANUALLY set up your IP info in the adapter, or purchase a new wireless
access point.)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929824/en-us (problems if you have the SAME
Gateway address as the one assigned to the computer you are trying to connect
to the Wireless spot).

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To see your adapter info, use a command prompt window (Start > Run > type in
CMD) and then type:

ipconfig /all

Find your network adapter and write down the Gateway, DNS, IP Address, and
other settings.



Also, go to the EVENT VIEWER and see if there are any messages related to
you trying to connect to your wireless adapter at the times you tried to
connect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Regardless of the problem, if you KNOW the wireless spot works, and you had
little or no trouble on XP, try MANUALLY setting up the IP info for that
wireless access point.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm VERY disappointed at how many problems there are with the Vista wireless
networking. Especially when SO MANY of the early Vista users are exactly the
same customer base that USES WIRELESS!

what router and firmware version are you using?

Thank you, Bill.

As you know, many (if not all) of us are experiencing problems getting
wireless networking to function properly with the new Vista operating
system. Hopefully one of your suggestions will provide us with a roadmap to
a solution.

Much appreciated,

Papa

Thanks Barb for your interest. However my specific issue is not as much with
the access point as it is with an XP SP2 "fix" that doesn't look like it made
it into Vista.

My Gateway is on a totally different subnet. I'm also in a working
environment, in a large corporation, with about 30 access points. NONE of
them are broadcasting SSID's (no problem there), and they are all using WEP
128. The Wireless access points are high-end Cisco's... Like I said though,
based on the messages I'm getting, and some of the testing I've done, it is
specifically related to not being able to determine the Gateway when it is on
a different subnet.

This is a FIX for XP SP2 that doesn't look like it made it into Vista.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=822596

I'm an IT contractor at a client site who has chosen not to adopt Vista
because of VPN problems. I seriously doubt they are going to escalate a
wireless issue for me, especially since I have a manual workaround.

And when I'm home, my wireless network is fine. I don't have any trouble at
all with it. Probably my biggest aggravation is that the Alternate IP config
doesn't work, AT ALL... It wouldn't bother me having to use manual IP
settings if I didn't have to do it EVERY TIME I change from business to hotel
to home, or other places. What a royal PAIN!

I guess my frustration stems from the fact that I would have expected that
the networking piece would have been more "bulletproof" in Vista...

I had this problem suddenly occur when using my home router - it had
worked fine for several days, and than today I received this
'unidentified network - local only' notification. The only solution
that worked for me was to uninstall & reinstall my network adapter. I
would hope there is a more elegant solution.

I finally gave up on trying to get wireless to work in my laptop. I had two
issues with Vista network. First my Wireless network Verizon did not have
Vista drivers for my PC Card. Then their was the issue at home connecting to
my router! I finally gave up and reinstalled XP. I had the same problem with
my desktop machine with wireless connection. So I went back to Cat5 and so
far so good. My only thought to Microsoft is have you never heard the saying"
if it is'nt broke don't fix it" Well I think you should look that up!

i too am having problems.

several of the people with me have the exact same computer running windows
xp and no problem.

i have a dell latitude d610 with intel 2200bg pro wireless card.

the diagnostics, etc. do not fix things.

i have a clear connection to the wireless network here at the hotel but have
been cutoff from the internet. it keeps saying i need a different firewall
setting but even when i disable the firewall setting, it tells me there is a
dns issue.

this is a _serious_ problem and i am UTTERLY perplexed why things that
worked in xp are changed like this?

if this isn't fixed very soon, i'm going back to windows xp. and i'm also
about to start giving in to my students repeated arguments that we should
switch to macs.

Bill, could you explain how to do this: "try MANUALLY setting up the IP info
for that
wireless access point." I'm having internet connection problems too, and
have found much of the info way to technical for me, so please write
instructions for someone as dumb as I am :)

Hi

Best possible solution to this problem, would be consider of doing the
following.

1. Make sure your Router's Settings is 100% Correct.
2. Try on a different Laptop or PC thats running on Vista, if that Wirless
Network + Internet Work, then its defintely your Wirless Adapters Problem,
becasue you know for a face that theirs nothing wrong with the ROUTER.
3. Consider purchasing a new adapter, doesnt have to be Wirless N, cheap
Wirless G will the do trick, if its suits you the best. ( Remember to buy it
from Retail Shop such as Dick Smith, as they can be refunded )

Please Do note: Never purchase Dlink products, as they are hopeless, Linksys
what i regard as the forfront of the Networking world.

Almost all the solutions Forums on The net DONT WORK for this Vista Wireless
problem,
Mines got fixed, after i discovered it was my adapter problem.

Hello Bill thanks for your post.
Can I add that it's not just Wireless networks. My Vista machine can not
connect to dlink router wired networks either.
I bought a Sony Vaio UX Palmtop running Vista but I find although it works
with my wireless network at home I can not use it to connect to wireless
hotspots when I travel.

Vista is a disgrace - there is no other word for it. I now have to figure
out how to get the little UX back to Windows XP despite it having a zillion
onboard devices that i will need to find drivers for. Absolute nightmare.

Microsoft - you deserve to be shot in the head and then left to rot in hell.
This forum is just a mass of posts about local only connections and no one
with any answers and idiot MSVPs just saying please find a new driver or
please reinstall Vista.

Well I wrote a Post earlier to inform people how I fixed my Internet Issues
with Vista; so Ill make this Post Short and Sweet. I went out and Bought a
Certified for Vista Router; since then I have not had 1 random Drop; nor have
I lost my Home Network; I used to have to reboot to get my Network Connection
Back; and I spent weeks applying hotfixes; taking advice from these Forums;
etc. I finally came to the Conclusion that it made sense to get a New Router
to take advantage of the Vista Options. It was an easy Fix; granted I would
have preferred not to spend the money on a new router; but after a little
over a week of a Constant Internet Connection not to mention the increased
speed it was well worth every $.

Here's what worked for me. Using Dlink plug in usb wireless on new
Dell machine running windows home premium and a d-link router.
o Disable the broadcast DHCP using the registry edit fix in the ms
knowledge base http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233/en-us
o Disable TCP/IP V6
o Manually assign an IP number and DNS to the connection;
o Tell the router to manually assign same IP number to MAC address of
wireless adapter
o Revert from 128 bit WEP to 64bit (I suspect this was not necessary)
o (AND!) flash the latest firmware on the router.

Elapsed time nearly 2 hours... (mostly figuring things to try!)

Sure is amazing one has to do this! Perhaps some of the steps are not
necessary but I am not going to fiddle to find out.

Buying a new Vista compatible router may well have resolved your problems but
it is incredibly wasteful if we all had to go out and buy a new router simply
because MS had rewritten their networking stack.

The right thing here is for MS to FIX this issue and TBH they should remove
the Vista stack and put the XP (WORKING!) one in in it's place....don't try
to fix (they dont seem to be anyway) something that is just plain broke.

One other thing I know of worth trying is to ensure that your Power
Management on your desktops/laptops ensure the Wireless (and USB if USB
Wirelss) adaptor is set to maximum performance and NEVER allow the machine to
switch it off to conserve power....that will help the dropouts but is not a
complete solution.

Hi
Most Router manufacturer offer a firmware upgrade to make their Router
compatible with new major OS' when they come out.
If such an upgrade is not offered it usually indicates the device based on
old chipset that can not be upgraded any more.
In such case it is a good idea to get a new Router to begin with.
Decent routers can be found for $20 and up. Attaching inflated societal
verbal value to pieces of silicone and plastic does not serve any purposes
when its involves sums of money that are less than month fee for an Internet
connection.