jumping from preferred to non-preferred network

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Howard Delman - 28 Feb 2006 02:26 GMT

WinXPProSp2; Asus USB wireless network adapter.

My wireless network works fine, except... about once a day my computer
will switch its connection to another, non-preferred network. I then
need to manually tell it to re-connect to my home wireless network. All
is well until the next time.

Is there a way to instruct windows to only connect to my preferred home
network, and no other?

Howard

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Delman Design
Digital design from conception to production
http://www.blueneptune.com/~delman

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Chuck - 28 Feb 2006 03:22 GMT

>WinXPProSp2; Asus USB wireless network adapter.
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>Howard

Howard,

# First, no matter what else you do, Enable the SSID broadcast!
# Give your SSID a unique value, but don't use your name, phone number, or
address.
# Designate your SSID as the only Preferred SSID.
# Disable the option to "Automatically connect to non-preferred networks".
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/11/make-your-wireless-computer-connect.html

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Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

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Howard Delman - 28 Feb 2006 04:00 GMT

>>WinXPProSp2; Asus USB wireless network adapter.
>>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> # Disable the option to "Automatically connect to non-preferred networks".
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/11/make-your-wireless-computer-connect.html

Chuck,

All of your suggestions were done when the network was set up. This is
quite puzzling to me, since my network is my only "preferred" network,
and the option to connect to non-preferred networks is unchecked.

Howard

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Delman Design
Digital design from conception to production
http://www.blueneptune.com/~delman

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Chuck - 28 Feb 2006 04:47 GMT

>>>WinXPProSp2; Asus USB wireless network adapter.
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
>Howard

Well, Howard,

If you explicitly disabled "connect to non-preferred networks", and it's
connecting anyway, you have a problem with your WiFi card driver. Which client
manager are you using? Make sure you're only using one!
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/01/stabilise-your-wifi-use-only-one-wifi.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/01/stabilise-your-wifi-use-only-one-wifi.html

And do you have the latest drivers for the network card? Did you get them from
the vendor?
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/driver-updates-from-microsoft-please.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/driver-updates-from-microsoft-please.html

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Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

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Howard Delman - 28 Feb 2006 20:29 GMT

>>>>WinXPProSp2; Asus USB wireless network adapter.
>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> <http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/driver-updates-from-microsoft-please.html>
> http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/driver-updates-from-microsoft-please.html

Chuck,

Thanks for the tips. I just got the latest Asus driver, which is an
upgrade from rev 1.3 to rev 1.4. Obviously, I'll only know if it helps
if I don't see the problem again.

I am confused about the client managers, though. When I installed the
wireless adapter, I gained the "Asus WLAN Control Center." I initially
had difficulty getting connected, so I killed the Asus service, and went
back to Windows ZCS. I could then connect just fine. Now the only
problem I seem to have is the jumping between networks. As far as I can
tell, there are no Asus wifi utilities running. The only Asus software
involved is the driver. Windows should be the only manager running.

Any other ideas or suggestions?

Howard

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Delman Design
Digital design from conception to production
http://www.blueneptune.com/~delman

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Chuck - 28 Feb 2006 23:22 GMT

>>>>>WinXPProSp2; Asus USB wireless network adapter.
>>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 51 lines]
>tell, there are no Asus wifi utilities running. The only Asus software
>involved is the driver. Windows should be the only manager running.

Howard,

Your symptoms are reminiscent of running 2 WiFi clients, sort of what I was
getting for the first month on my laptop. Did you use Autoruns, and examine
carefully every program that's being auto started? You might be surprised.

Just killing a service doesn't stop all problems. You have to prevent all
components from loading.

If you truly don't have but one WiFi client running, and if you have disabled
"Automatically connect...", and if you have cleaned your Preferred list to only
include your AP, and you still see your WiFi adapter switch to another AP
without your involvement, then you have a hardware problem. And it's time to
involve Asus.

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Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

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