usb wireless adaptor - unsuccessful and intermittent bootup

tonyblair · #1 January 22nd, 2008, 01:27 PM

Hi,

I have a desktop pc running XP and I have a wireless network at home. The pc has a plug-in dongle wireless usb network adapter (D-Link Airplus G DWL-G122). When I boot up the pc, most times one of the two green leds on the dongle flashes a few times (the one called "act") but the other ("link") remains off.
The pc detects my wireless network (system tray says so).

My home wireless network is working fine as I have other devices on it and they work fine.

If I reboot or unplug and reinsert the dongle it sometimes hooks up but this seems to be becoming less frequent - took an hour this morning but that just may be the way it is feeling today. However, I do notice varying sequences of flashes from the "act" led. I can even recognise the sequence of flashes that won't succeed (about 4 different types I reckon) and the one that is likely to work when it completes! Trouble is, it takes so many attempts - maybe 30 this morning.

When I unplug it, I get varying messages from the system tray saying things like "Your device can work faster with a faster usb port" (still doesn't operate), "Unrecognised device" (ditto) etc. As far as I am aware, nothing has changed on my system and I have been using the D link with no problems at all for a couple of years at least so I'm guessing that the usb speed etc is not the real issue? I have tried other usb ports - I have 7 or so - but to no avail. Other devices connected by usb are printer, scanner, webcam/microphone and these all work fine and haven't changed in the past year or so.

I am assuming that the device is ok but that the ability for it to find the wireless network seems to be the issue - that said, I'm no tekkie so that may be misleading. Maybe its something deeper in the bios or something? I'm lost when it gets to that side of things!

I've been to the manufacturers, uninstalled then reinstalled the driver (clean install I think...?) but nothing changes.

I'd be really grateful if you were able to diagnose this problem and offer me some advice to solve it permanently.

Many thanks in anticipation

Tony

**z1p** · #2 January 22nd, 2008, 03:09 PM

Have you added anything new to your USB connections?
Have your tied the USB adapter in another machine?

Have you had any virus/malware issues lately?
What do you have for a router and how old is the router and adapter?

tonyblair · #3 January 22nd, 2008, 03:54 PM

My usb connections haven't changed - I may have unplugged or swapped them around a couple of times to try to get this dongle going and to move my printer etc but nothing new.

I haven't tried it in another machine - the others have inbuilt wireless so I didn't want to mess them up by offering them an alternative to use. What if they got dependent on the dongle!! ;-)

I have had a few virus malware issues from time to time over the past year or so but have none now, as far as I can tell - got forum advice and cleaned everything as they occurred by using hjt, killbox, combofix, ccleaner, dss and avg antirootkit. My last hjt log was ok about 3 weeks back and no other symptoms since. I've been, running Prevx2, avgfree anti virus, and have done recent scans with spywareblaster and spybot S&D so tend to be pretty clear. Having said that - you never know....?

The router is a wireless router - BT Voyager - and I've had it about 4 years. It seems to be working fine and never gives any problems with my family's laptops etc.

Many thanks,

Tony

**z1p** · #4 January 22nd, 2008, 09:28 PM

Try the steps below.

Quote:

http://www.google.com/notebook/publi...QnSwoQveC4tu8h

Repairing the Winsock and TCP stack on XP
Windows XP provides several commands to repair issues with the TCP protocol stack. The commands increase in the degree that they are likely to impact other software on the system, so it is best to progress through them one at a time to limit the other software that has to be reinstalled or repaired afterwards.

First try, "netsh winsock reset catalog" in a command window. If that doesn't work, try "netsh winsock reset" and finally try "netsh int ip reset ipreset.log". All three of these commands should be run in a command window.

tonyblair · #5 January 22nd, 2008, 11:19 PM

Well, I tried "netsh winsock reset catalog". Result: on reboot, the"act" led flashed pretty much continuously right through the minute or so of reboot. But.... no hookup. So I unplugged the dongle and replugged it - success!

However, this isn't how it should work so I went for "netsh winsock reset". Hmmm! Now there's no flashy startup sequence and I lost the wireless network icon in "network connections", leaving me with two - "Local area connection" (crossed out) and "1394 connection" which seems to be on but how do I hook up to it? No sign of the wirelss network icon. I tried to "setup a home or small office network" and got a wireless network icon, after it finished setting up, but no hook up when I tried to "repair connection" to get it to work.

Tried unplugging the replugging the dongle a few times but no connection, just a few flashes or the "act" led.

On rebot, this new wireless network icon is no longer there and Device Manager no longer shows the D-Link adapter under "Network adapters".

I was about to try your "netsh int ip reset ipreset.log" proposal but thought I'd just check with you first. How's this look so far? My confidence is getting shaky..... erk! Things seem to be going downhill.... although I assume this is necessary before they go uphill again..? If I do try "netsh int ip reset ipreset.log", can I get back to somewhere safe easily if it wipes out everything it can....? I assume so but nice to know what to expect first. ;-)

Typing this on another laptop on the same wireless lan, btw.

Thanks as ever,

Rgds,

Tony

tonyblair · #6 January 22nd, 2008, 11:35 PM

further to the previous, I tried unplugging and replugging again and it hooked up eventually after a few goes. Still not ideal though. Also, the firewall warning came on so I had to switch it on manually.

Tony

**z1p** · #7 January 23rd, 2008, 03:28 AM

The ip reset does wipe alot out and shouldn't be a big issue.

I'd take the dongle out, do the ip reset and reboot. Then insert the dongle and see if it is detected.

tonyblair · #8 January 23rd, 2008, 11:26 AM

Hi again,

OK, did that. Nothing's changed. Still the same unreliable hook up. Took about 6 attempts at plugging and unplugging or rebooting to get the right sequence of "act" lights this time, but it seems entirely random.

It may be nothing, but when I ran the "netsh int ip reset ipreset.log" (and I think yesterday too with the other netsh requests) when the system command started it opened a system window and started netsh.exe. After a couple of secs, it closed. I didn't see any words scrolling down the window or anything. I assume it works without showing anything...?

Anyway, here I am back at square one. Still intermittent hook up and, when I unplug and replug the dongle I get mesages from the tray saying things like "device not working" or "try using a faster usb port" etc.

Hmmm! Do need a screwdriver? :-)

Tony