WPA-PSK on Vista Ultimate

  • Thread starter Thread starter joris.spriet
  • Start date Start date
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joris.spriet

Hi,

I run Windows Vista Ultimate on my work laptop. Last week I installed
broadband at home, using an ADSL modem with built-in router and WiFi
access point. So I decide to secure the wireless part using WPA-PSK.

So I boot my hobby pc, on which I run linux. I boot the modem/router/
access point, associate to the wireless network, set the Wi-Fi to use
WPA-PSK, set my subscription parameters and off I go : wireless
internet access.

Ok, so then I decide to do some work, but surprisingly the Vista
machine refuses to associate to the WiFi network; with an ethernet
cable it works perfectly (of course), but where I will be using the
pc, there is no ethernet; that's what I bought the wireless for in the
first place. I install the very latest drivers (it's an Intel WiFi
card), but no avail.

Some investigation shows that Vista experiences problem during some
stage of associating with the wireless network : in the Event Log
there is an entry mentioning:
'Layer 2 security key exchange did not generate multicast keys before
timeout'.

Next day I boot my machine to work, and, surprise : it works. Strange.

Yesterday evening, I wanted to check some e-mail on the office
server. It worked.

Tonight, I again wanted to get some extra work done, but, nooo, Vista
pertinently refused to connect to the WiFi. Same error all over
again. I enabled, disabled, re-enabled, shutdown, reboot with WiFi
card on, reboot with WiFi card of, I don't know, I rebooted the
machine like 15 times. Then suddenly bingo, it works.

What is going on here ? Googling for Vista, WPA and Layer2 gives like
thousands of hits...
I went through some of the Microsoft forum postings. Some people talk
about Vista-compatible routers ?
Come on... I already tested with another machine running XP SP2. It
worked every time. Every time !
Also my linux machine (and no : I don't want to start a flame linux vs
Windows) managed to connect every time, and this is even older
hardware than my Vista machine. I've had this machine for two months,
and I'm seriously considering replacing Vista with XP SP2. I've had
enough. This way I cannot be productive : I lost like an hour just
rebooting my machine, crossing my fingers...

So what's the news with Vista and WPA-PSK. In fact, what's the
problem ?
It surely must be a known issue...

Anyone any hints or tips to make it work (work like : always work).

Some details:
Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
driver : 12.0.0.82 (latest one I could find on Intel site)
Vista Ultimate SP1

Joris Spriet
 
Download, install and run the trial version of Network Magic.
It really simplifies troubleshooting connection issues.http://www.networkmagic.com/
Click to expand...

I'll try it next time. I downloaded it and have it ready for
installation.

However, I found a way where connecting to the wireless network with
WPA-PSK
security seems to be working.

I disconnect the laptop from the AC adaptor, then select "Power Saver"
power plan
(as opposed to "High Performance" which I normally use) and ...
bingo ! It connects.
Then afterwards I reconnect the AC adaptor, and reselect "High
Performance" power
plan, and it just keeps working...

If I shut down the pc, and try to connect to the WiFi with the AC
adaptor and use
power plan "High Performance", it just fails....
I haven't tried the "Balanced" power plan, and frankly I don't plan to
do so.

I guess there is a serious timing bug (I suspect choosing "Power
Saver" lowers the
CPU speed ?) somewhere....

Thanks for the tip anyway - I hope I'll never need to install it.

Joris Spriet
 
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