Vista 64bit and Wireless routers

[ovenpaa]

I have a Thinkpad T61 that refuses to connect to my local wireless network, I am inclined to believe this is a compatibility issue with my Linksys WRT54gc router so I need a new router.

Can anyone recommend a wireless router that will support Vista 64bit (SMB2) connections?

 

[WiiMW]

do you broadcast your wireless network name ?

I had a friend who wanted to use her wireless at our house (an IBM laptop) .. broadcast the name - all OK

 

[ovenpaa]

Yes it is set to broadcast and I have tried WEP and WPA personal as well, my machine just flatly refuses to see the network.

 

[WiiMW]

you could back off the security as a test ...
my iPod won't connect with WPA

 

[ovenpaa]

This is the strange part, my iPhone connects, the wife's eeeP is on as is my shite old Dell, it is just the T61 and the slight nagging doubt I have is it was second hand from eBlag. I have installed a fresh copy of Vista Business, loaded the correct drivers and Lenovo stuff and it all checks out OK and runs like a dream but it just flatly refuses to see the local wireless network.

Next thing is to try is a walk up the lane with the laptop and see if it detects any other networks however the iPhone is showing them from here as do the other machines.

So it is either an SMB2/Vista 64 thing or a borked laptop

 

[Blackal]

I assume that you aren't using Thinkvantage to handle the connection? (Use windows - there's a tickbox in the advanced settings of the network properties pane)

Thinkvantage is fine for unsecured networks, but not for secure ones - I have found.

My laptop is also a T61 (XP pro) connected to a netgear system. Thinkvantage just wouldn't play ball.

HTH

Al

 

[ovenpaa]

Closing the Think vantage access down didn't help, nor did getting superglue on my finger and then wondering why the biometrics scanner had packed up.

Spilling coffee over it this morning was the final straw, the poor thing shut down for two hours in a sulk but responded to a hasty dismantle and clean. Maybe someone is trying to tell me I am doomed with 64bit O/S's

Ah well it is up and working again and the wireless will have to wait, I am off on my hols in an hours time and I guess I should pack something.

 

[Blackal]

Not sure if you are aware - but there is a dismantling guide available for the T-61 online (or it used to be) - shows you exactly what screws require to be removed to get at which component.

Enjoy yer hols!

Al

 

[SJRoome]

Hi

The T61 has a very high performance WiFi system.

I assume that you know there is a wireless on/off switch on a T61? Its at the front left. If its switched off you wont see any networks at all.

Steve

 

[EggChaser]

I have a WRT54GS that works fine with a Thinkpad T60P (but on XP have not tried Vista), although I did find my Macbook forced me to enable the broadcast of the network name.

 

[Mick_rw]

I have...

I have a WRT54GS that works fine with a Thinkpad T60P (but on XP have not tried Vista), although I did find my Macbook forced me to enable the broadcast of the network name.

a WRT54GS with Vista 64bit and it works fine......

PS it is set to WPA2

 

[ovenpaa]

Hmmm....

Back from holiday and I tried another router as well to no avail, it does make me wonder if this is a hardware or driver issue despite the device being found and showing as OK, I will drag it into work tomorrow to see if it detects anything.

The perils of buying from eBlag I guess Otherwise it is a lovely machine.

 

[ovenpaa]

As an update, it found the business wifi immediately however I have no idea what it is as it is not our network This does confirm my view it is a router compatibility issue at home.

So is anyone running Vista 64 with wireless and if so what is the router?

 

[Clive]

I have had Vista 64 running against a Belkin F5D7230 (but am now running W7 64)

Have you been through all your router config pages - no Mac address filtering set etc?

What is the Network card in the Thinkpad? - the few details I have found suggests it is 802.11n capable which should be backward compatible with your 802.11g router - maybe there is some property set in Vista device manager that needs adjusting?

Is the thinkpad given a DHCP 192.168.x.x address from the router?

 

[Clive]

As an update, it found the business wifi immediately however I have no idea what it is as it is not our network

Was that with the standard Windows Wireless Network config tool or the bespoke network card one?

 

[DanielM]

Worth trying this...

Its easy to get wrapped up in blaming hardware, drivers etc.. The 64bit may be a red herring.

I have got an extensive wireless network, with a repeater aswell to help boost the areas that normally couldn't see the network. All was working well, Apple mini mac, two laptops, a Wii, Sony PSP etc... Along comes a new Apple Macbook, and it has a hell of a time keeping a signal, and losing it completely never to return.

The long and the short of it, it was fixed by changing the wireless channel number (it was originally at 11 - which was chosen at random), and is now 1. There are clear rules on how channels work when they overlap, and this may be causing your problems. It seems the newer equipment (as in my Macbook) chose to ignore a valid router because of crosstalk.

I would suggest trying this, just to check.