[Wirelessdriver-support] Network Configuration & Wireless Driver

[Bruce R. <ri...@ma...>]

Yuriwho wrote

"I summarized a method for getting the driver installed a several days 
ago. There should be no reason to log on as root to install it, however 
you are correct that the installer should be improved (it will be--just 
wait a little while). The real problem is that most people do not 
provide accurate descriptions of their problems (e.g. you provide very 
little description) and most of the problems are actually network 
configuration / access point configuration problems rather than 
wirelessdriver problems."

My TiPB 500MHz equipped with an internal Airport Card and a Lucent 
Technology Ornico Gold card (the Lucnet card in the PC port yields much 
better range; I haven't gotten around to opening the PB to remove 
Airport Card) is running OS X 10.2 using the b5.1 driver. Works fine. 
When I'm close enough to the wireless base station for the internal 
card to get a signal too, I can switch from one to the other. Both are 
working.

I took the PB to the library at a local college where I'm an authorized 
user and had the same problem as others are reporting on the list. This 
has to be a problem with Apple network settings not the the b5.1 driver.

This is what happened. The Lucent card was the active network device 
when I removed it ("Power off card"  is the active item in the menu bar 
just below the grayed out "Lucent Technologies WaveLAN/IEEE" 
identifier.  When "Power off card" is chosen the lights on the card 
turn off and the menu bar icon disappears. I put the PB to sleep, went 
to the library, woke the computer up, and reinserted the Lucent card.

The Network configuration panel opened and the new network "College 
Library" appeared in the "Connect to wireless network named:" box. 
There was no signal strength. An examination of the Network Preferences 
panel showed under the Ethernet Adapter (en2) choice with Configure: 
Using DHCP that the PB had a self-assigned, 169.254.213.12 address and 
a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask. I could not get a signal nor could I get a 
legitimate IP address.

I created a new location calling it "College" and tried everything 
again. No go. No signal.

I rebooted the computer. Everything worked. I had signal. I had a 
legitimate IP address. I was connected.

Why did the reboot work? I don't know. The Internet Connect utility 
only lists Airport, Internal Modem, and IrDA Modem Port in the 
"Configuration:" box. Is OS X confused by my configuration with both an 
Airport Card and a Lucent PC card? Why isn't the Lucent in the Internet 
Connect configuration list. If I turn Airport off, I get a message "You 
do not have an active modem, Airport, or PPPoE network port 
configuration.

On the Network preferences panel with Network Port Configurations 
shown, I have Ethernet Adaptor (en2), AirPort, Built-in Ethernet, 
Internal Modem, and IrDa Modem Port listed and checked.

Since returning home, I have created a "Home" location. I get the no 
signal, local IP address problem when moving and find that Powering off 
card, removing it,  and reinserting it solves the problem. i haven't 
had to reboot.

Comments by yuriwho or someone? Is this the driver or a network 
preferences/configuration problem possibly caused by my dual wireless 
card configuration?

---bwr