Selecting "preferred networks" window hangs Explorer.exe
 

Home PC running XP SP3 Media Center Edition 2005
Work Laptop running XP Pro SP3
Home Laptop running XP Home SP3

All are set with Wireless Zero Configuration enabled (so XP takes care of managing WiFi connections) and all exhibit the same problem since I switched the home network to WPA-PSK from WEP 64 bit yesterday (having retired an old laptop that only supported the latter level of encryption)

Wireless router is a Home Hub v1 running 6.2.6.E firmware

1. Double click WiFi icon in System Tray
2. Observe connected status
3. Click "View Available Networks" button
4. Click "Change the order of preferred networks" button
5. Observe that the wireless dialogue box disappears entirely and Explorer hangs; nothing what so ever is "clickable" to do anything
6. Press CTRL-ALT-DEL and open Task Manager
7. Observe nothing has state "Not Responding"
8. Observe CPU is 0% to 1% so nothing is running away with itself
9. Kill the Explorer process via the Processes tab
10. Restart the Explorer process via "New Task" Explorer in the Applications tab
11. Observe that everything comes back to life and the wireless connection still exists
12. Repeat initial steps
13. Observe that this time the preferred networks window DOES display

Regular as clockwork
Every time

Que?!?!?

Wireless Zero Configuration is, I'm afraid to say, !!!!e. It's possibly the worst wireless client software that exists on the face of the planet. Almost every third party alternative is superior, and that's a shocking thing to say.

It's getting confused because you have the network details stored in the registry and associated with a different security protocol. Try changing the name (SSID) of the network and watch everything magically burst back into life.

Nice try, Shunter :)
Unfortunately, no joy :(

Hmmm. More problems with WZC, this time reporting "(Unsecured)" after the network name in the pop-up balloon connection message when infact WPA-PSK is being used.

The reason I use WZC is that I look after three laptops and one PC, all running different flavours of XP (1 x Home SP2, 2 x Pro SP3, 1 x MCE 2005 SP2). Using WZC therefore gives a single method of taking care of wireless configuration on all of them. This is especially useful with laptops, which of course get connected to more WLANs than does the home PC (two, to be precise)

So, in view of Shunter's comment and my two problems (admittedly neither of them actually stopping usage), can any PPRuNer reading this recommend a free (or free trial) wireless configuration utility that I can try instead of WZC?


Cheers,
XV105

I have no great regard for WZC, but it works for me (after learning its foibles).

I would recommend removing the TCP/IP stack on the problem machine(s), along with the NIC drivers and then re-installing the drivers followed by TCP/IP.

At least, given what I understand from your situation, that is what I would do myself.

I would also double check that there is no other wifi configuration utility butting in uninvited.

SD

Thanks, SD.

No butting in uninvited; as I wrote in my last post I would like recommendations for another utility to try (even though until now I have had no problems at all with WZC beyond the annoyance of the connection pop-up balloon message willy-nilly)

To be sure I understand correctly, please will you describe how to clear the TCP/IP stack. The drivers I am quite comfortable with.


TVM

You know, I've just remembered you don't have to!

If you uninstall ALL network cards, Windows automatically removes TCP/IP, as there is nothing left to bind it to.

To remove TCP/IP manually (without removing the card), just go to the NIC Properties and remove the protocol. As I recall, if you remove the only protocol it will also remove any clients and services that depend on it (e.g. Client for MS Networks, File and Printer Sharing).

SD

Thanks, SD, though unfortunately, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Both problems are exactly the same as before.

I did however find that I am not alone with "connected to XXXX (unsecured)" balloon messages: secured but unsecured??? Help - dslreports.com

I'm not going back to WEP security (which didn't exhibit either problem) so I will live with both issues if I have to, but as mentioned earlier if any PPRuNer can recommend a free, or free trial, alternative wireless configuration tool, I'd like to learn about it.

Cheers,
XV105