wireless question

[Whittleberry]

I have a wireless laptop. I have set up data encryption on my wireless network (WPA Security Protocol). My laptop is configured to automatically connect to the network when it comes online. It works like a charm.

However.....over the past few months, 2 unsecured wireless networks have popped up in my area. When one of these networks comes online, I lose the connection to my network. I have to manually repair the connection. After that it works perfectly, at least until the other network comes online.

I'm guessing that my laptop is switching to the new network when it comes online. Because of the security protocol, my laptop cannot communicate with the unsecured network. This would explain the loss of connection.

I could switch to an unsecured network and hope that my laptop can seamlessly jump from network to network without loss of connectivity. However I''m not a big fan of that idea.

Suggestions?

[fazin]

let it switch. you're just riding off someone else's network heh.

hackers unite!

[beornj]

In your wireless network connection properties, this is the widow where you select your preferred networks and shows your available networks, go to advanced, it is the button at the bottom. On that next advanced screen, there is a button that says Automatically connect to non-preferred networks, make sure this is not checked. Go back to the previous window and make sure your network is in your preferred network list. This should take care of you automagically switching between networks.

-Beornj

[Whittleberry]

My network is in the preferred network list. Under advanced, the option to automatically connect to non-preferred networks was not checked. In addition to that checkbox I have the following three options:

Networks to access:

- Any available network (access point preferred) <-- currently checked
- Access point (infrastructure) networks only
- Computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks only

Should I switch to Access point networks only?

[Ruffi]

Should I switch to Access point networks only?

yes

[Greysun]

My network is in the preferred network list. Under advanced, the option to automatically connect to non-preferred networks was not checked. In addition to that checkbox I have the following three options:

Networks to access:

- Any available network (access point preferred) <-- currently checked
- Access point (infrastructure) networks only
- Computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks only

Should I switch to Access point networks only?

This is unlikely to fix your problem since ad hoc is a rarely used protocol. This is a method of connecting computers without the use of a wireless access point or router (much like the old crossover cable method). The chances that 2 separate ad hoc networks are near you is even smaller. You can try it since it's a simple change, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Try changing the wireless network name on your router/access point to something unique. Often times, people in the same area receive the same brand equipment from their cable or dsl provider which all have the same default wireless network name. Because each one has a specific WEP key, you will likely only be able to connect to one, but they can conflict when it comes to trying to connect.

If this doesn't fix it, try changing the frequency on your router/access point to a different channel.

Each one of these changes will, of course, require you to reconfigure each computer that connects via wireless.