From: RnR on
On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:18:17 -0500, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net>
wrote:

>RnR wrote:
>> On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:13:35 -0500, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> As many may recall, I reported that Dell Windows 7 laptops were unable
>>> to establish wifi connections with a US Robotics router. After some
>>> time trying to determine the cause of the problem, I told my sometime
>>> client that the router should be replaced, because it is old and no
>>> longer supported by the manufacturer. I looked at the US Robotics web
>>> site just now and saw that the router, model USR8054, is not supported
>>> with Windows 7 by US Robotics, whatever that means. A couple of people
>>> here said that I had taken the easy way out in recommending replacement.
>>> In fact, they are right. With my laptop, I could have snooped the
>>> packets for the wifi connect from my XP laptop and from a Win 7 laptop
>>> and compared them. That would take more time than the client was
>>
>> What exactly would you be looking for in those packets to find the
>> wifi connect?
>>
>>
>>
>>> willing to pay for, so I did not do it. Too many bits to compare! At
>>> this point, let's just believe that Microsoft changed something in the
>>> wifi connect protocol between Vista and Windows 7.
>>>
>>> Spoke to client today. A replacement Linksys wifi router works
>>> perfectly with their Windows 7 computers now... Ben Myers
>
>
>I would have to capture the packets for both ends of the wifi connection
>dialog. One set of captured packets would be for a successful connect
>between an XP laptop and the USR8054. The other set would be between a
>Win 7 laptop and USR8054. What I would be looking for would be
>differences in messages sent by XP and Win 7 computers. Beyond this, I
>cannot say exactly what I would be looking for and what I might find.
>
>The router in question was wide open with no security, no encryption and
>no password. Microsoft has treated this combination with increased
>paranoia going from XP to Vista (UGH!) to Win 7. I would expect to see
>some differences among all three sets of packets... Ben Myers


This definitely sounds easier said then done. I've looked at packets
a couple of years ago and after a short time, I gave up. I wasn't
looking for anything special but just wanted to see if I could use a
packet sniffer. I think your advice to switch routers was the right
one, all things considered.
From: BillW50 on
Ben Myers wrote:
> As many may recall, I reported that Dell Windows 7 laptops were unable
> to establish wifi connections with a US Robotics router. After some
> time trying to determine the cause of the problem, I told my sometime
> client that the router should be replaced, because it is old and no
> longer supported by the manufacturer. I looked at the US Robotics web
> site just now and saw that the router, model USR8054, is not supported
> with Windows 7 by US Robotics, whatever that means. A couple of people
> here said that I had taken the easy way out in recommending replacement.
> In fact, they are right. With my laptop, I could have snooped the
> packets for the wifi connect from my XP laptop and from a Win 7 laptop
> and compared them. That would take more time than the client was
> willing to pay for, so I did not do it. Too many bits to compare! At
> this point, let's just believe that Microsoft changed something in the
> wifi connect protocol between Vista and Windows 7.
>
> Spoke to client today. A replacement Linksys wifi router works
> perfectly with their Windows 7 computers now... Ben Myers

I installed Windows 7 RC (I have two unopened Win7 Upgrade on the shelf)
on this machine the other day. And the 2Wire DSL/wireless router worked
great (like it always does). Although today, this Windows 7 wouldn't log
on, but the Windows XP machines were.

It had taken me a few minutes, but found this Windows 7 was using the
Public Profile and not the Private one. Adjusted the settings and it is
now working great.

I dunno, if anybody is having trouble with Windows 7 connecting to the
wireless router... they might want to check this setting in Windows 7.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows 7 (build 7100)
From: Ben Myers on
BillW50 wrote:
> Ben Myers wrote:
>> As many may recall, I reported that Dell Windows 7 laptops were unable
>> to establish wifi connections with a US Robotics router. After some
>> time trying to determine the cause of the problem, I told my sometime
>> client that the router should be replaced, because it is old and no
>> longer supported by the manufacturer. I looked at the US Robotics web
>> site just now and saw that the router, model USR8054, is not supported
>> with Windows 7 by US Robotics, whatever that means. A couple of
>> people here said that I had taken the easy way out in recommending
>> replacement. In fact, they are right. With my laptop, I could have
>> snooped the packets for the wifi connect from my XP laptop and from a
>> Win 7 laptop and compared them. That would take more time than the
>> client was willing to pay for, so I did not do it. Too many bits to
>> compare! At this point, let's just believe that Microsoft changed
>> something in the wifi connect protocol between Vista and Windows 7.
>>
>> Spoke to client today. A replacement Linksys wifi router works
>> perfectly with their Windows 7 computers now... Ben Myers
>
> I installed Windows 7 RC (I have two unopened Win7 Upgrade on the shelf)
> on this machine the other day. And the 2Wire DSL/wireless router worked
> great (like it always does). Although today, this Windows 7 wouldn't log
> on, but the Windows XP machines were.
>
> It had taken me a few minutes, but found this Windows 7 was using the
> Public Profile and not the Private one. Adjusted the settings and it is
> now working great.
>
> I dunno, if anybody is having trouble with Windows 7 connecting to the
> wireless router... they might want to check this setting in Windows 7.
>

Thanks for the suggestion. Public vs Private was one of the Win 7 wifi
settings I tweaked before telling my client to replace the USR8054
router... Ben Myers