Keef
7th May 2009, 22:36
I've ignored 'em for months, but decided I should ask...
The laptop (ThinkPad T43 running XP Pro) has built-in WiFi as well as wired LAN. There are docking stations with wired LAN in both houses, and it drops straight onto them. There are also wireless networks in both places. The Norfolk house can also connect via VPN to the Essex one so that I can access stuff on the server and the desktop machine there.
In Essex, the laptop just uses the wired LAN, and behaves immaculately. It knows the wireless network is there, but it doesn't use it unless I remove it from the docking station. Then, it calmly connects to WiFi and continues working. All as it should be.
In Norfolk, it does two strange things. First it always starts both the wired network and the Wireless connection whenever it's powered up. I can't suss why. Second, it quite often decides at random times that it needs to open the VPN to the Essex machine, which pops up a "Dial-Up" type confirmation screen. Everything stops network-wise until I close that screen. If I don't notice it's open (when it gets behind another screen), things don't work.
I've done all the usual things to stop it bringing up the VPN screen, such as "Never dial a connection" and more. It still does it - although the network connection is present (in wired AND WiFi form) and working fine.
Has anyone any idea why it will suddenly decide it needs to connect to the VPN? Or how to stop it doing that?
Does it matter that it's opened both wired and WiFi network connections at the same time? I can shut down either one manually (using the ThinkPad "Connect Utilities") but that usually prompts a "Please May I Dial the VPN?". I don't notice any speed difference either way - the ADSL in Norfolk is very much faster than in Essex, which may be hiding it, I dunno.
I'll probably be changing the laptop over to Win 7 in early June, and hope the problem will disappear then :)
The laptop (ThinkPad T43 running XP Pro) has built-in WiFi as well as wired LAN. There are docking stations with wired LAN in both houses, and it drops straight onto them. There are also wireless networks in both places. The Norfolk house can also connect via VPN to the Essex one so that I can access stuff on the server and the desktop machine there.
In Essex, the laptop just uses the wired LAN, and behaves immaculately. It knows the wireless network is there, but it doesn't use it unless I remove it from the docking station. Then, it calmly connects to WiFi and continues working. All as it should be.
In Norfolk, it does two strange things. First it always starts both the wired network and the Wireless connection whenever it's powered up. I can't suss why. Second, it quite often decides at random times that it needs to open the VPN to the Essex machine, which pops up a "Dial-Up" type confirmation screen. Everything stops network-wise until I close that screen. If I don't notice it's open (when it gets behind another screen), things don't work.
I've done all the usual things to stop it bringing up the VPN screen, such as "Never dial a connection" and more. It still does it - although the network connection is present (in wired AND WiFi form) and working fine.
Has anyone any idea why it will suddenly decide it needs to connect to the VPN? Or how to stop it doing that?
Does it matter that it's opened both wired and WiFi network connections at the same time? I can shut down either one manually (using the ThinkPad "Connect Utilities") but that usually prompts a "Please May I Dial the VPN?". I don't notice any speed difference either way - the ADSL in Norfolk is very much faster than in Essex, which may be hiding it, I dunno.
I'll probably be changing the laptop over to Win 7 in early June, and hope the problem will disappear then :)