"Association" problem

That's what Intel PROset/wireless tools diagnostic comes up with, which is as close as I've been able to come to finding the root of this problem that suddenly popped up last Wednesday. I'm suddenly not able to connect with my wireless router, or with any other network. I can connect using Ethernet.

I got my T400 with Vista Business (SP2) last January and it's been solid and trouble free. The 5100 AGN wireless has automatically logged me onto whatever available network I happen to choose - certainly my wireless router. I turn the T400 on and wireless is connected. When I'm travelling with it it has no problem connecting with whatever is available.

Until this last Wednesday. I did the MS updates that came out and then did my usual housekeeping routine. A complete virus scan with NOD32, CCleaner, IObit's Advanced SystemCare 4 (deep care option), then a "defrag and deep optimize" with Smart DeFrag 2 (IObit) then a re-boot.

No more wireless connection since then. The radio seems to be fine. The little yellow antenna is on, Device Driver along with other utilities all say the adapter is working normally. It recognizes seven networks around my house but can't connect with any of them, whether my router or a neighbor's unsecured one. I took it to a local laptop shop where the tech used all of his normal tricks and came up with nothing other than he thinks it's a software problem. That means a Vista problem in this case.

Vista has all the little updates. It was missing a few I hadn't found before for some reason, but installing them made no difference with this current problem.

What I've done:

Ran the Lenovo Diagnostics - no problems
Checked on and updated as necessary any and all drivers.
Took it to my nearby shop to see if the tech could get it to connect with his shop systems. Nope. He agreed the wireless adapter is fine.

I called Lenovo in Atlanta today and spent the better part of an hour going over everything with a tech remotely logged onto my computer via Ethernet. We covered everything he could think of and finally concluded that I might try going back to a restore point prior to last Wednesday, or reinstalling the original disk image with Lenovo disks he is sending via UPS. Neither choice is attractive. I'll try the former before doing the latter but I'm so unwilling to give up seven months of updates, additions, and system tweaks just to get my system to connect to my router wirelessly. Going backwards in order to go forwards may eventually be the only solution but it is an extreme last resort. I'm still hoping for a proper fix for this situation.

After hanging up with Lenovo I got on this forum and went through every post I could find that seemed to relate to my problem and have tried most of the suggestions, even the most esoteric ones like turning off TCP/IPv6 on the 5100 AGN. Somebody suggested that. I've also turned off NOD32 and MS Security Essentials. Also turned off the firewall. No joy. When running the Intel diagnostics it passes all the checks until it gets to Associations. It fails that with the message "Not Associated". Clicking the Troubleshooting button with that utility doesn't do anything. So I downloaded the most recent version of that utility from Intel's site. The Troubleshooting button does the same thing. Nothing.

Vista seems to have a history of causing wireless problems but the complaints seem to be that connections are intermittent and unreliable. In my case the wireless connections have not been intermittent or unreliable. Quite the opposite. They've been seamless and solid whether at home or travelling.

When this happened a couple days ago I figured it was the 5100 AGN causing trouble since some posters have said they've had to replace their card. I wish that were the problem but the adapter, in everyone's opinion, is fine.

I know reinstalling the Vista Business SP2 will probably fix the problem but I'm loathe to do that, especially since the problem will probably recur since I don't know it's exact source.

When I'm at home I can use Ethernet, but I really need the wireless function for business travels and have a trip scheduled in another week. Can anyone think of something I haven't tried, or can someone suggest a workaround?

Thanks for any suggestions,

Mike

 

From my past experiences with some faulty Intel 5100/5300 wireless cards are that they can detect wireless networks but can't connect.

DO you know anyone whom uses a T400, T500, R400, R500, W500, X200 machines? if you do, try to ask whether you can take out their wireless card and put it in your machine, to test whether it is the card or the software that is at fault.

 

That might be it.

I did a restore to the day previous to the failure and it made no difference. I was able to safely get back to most recent status.

Next will be to put the original HD in the machine and see if the association problem still exists.

If it does, I think I have enough grounds to ask for a new card, or to take it in to a local Lenovo service center for a card replacement. I think the latter choice would get my T400 back on the road faster.

Thanks for the reply.

Is there any particular event associated with failure of these cards?

Is one better than the other (5100/5300) and are they interchangeable?

Is there a more reliable wireless card that will fit that you can recommend?

Mike

 

i am not sure whether it is the Intel 5100/5300 cards or that generation of thinkpads that cause the intel card to fail, but failure of these cards are fairly common.

If you use a modified bios, then you can get the Intel 6200 or 6300 card, but as said i am not sure it is the actual machine that is causing the failure or not. Or just bad batch of the intel wireless card.

 

"Cherish is the word I have for you..."

Renee

 

I wish you hadn't done that. It's stuck in my head for two days now. I hate that.

********

I've got two "new" cards on the way, one from Reno and another from Hong Kong. The one from HK really is new. Sounds like I better have one or two of these in the arsenal if they're known to be so flaky.

Thanks you two,

Mike

 

This gets curiosier.

I got my new wireless card and put it in. No change in behavior. Could that be two bad wireless cards?

I don't think so . . . especially when all diagnostics indicate the cards are working without problem.

So . . . since I'm out of town and need wireless I bought a Linksys USB wireless connector and stuck it in - voila, I have wireless again.

When I get home I'll boot up with a cloned system disk and see if the 5100 AGN will connect. I've no good reason for not trying that before - can't believe I didn't. I did try a previous restore point (previous to the connection problem) to no avail.

Meantime, I'll download the Intel drivers and try them instead of the Lenovo drivers . . . ya never know.

This looks more and more like a Vista idiosyncrasy, even though the notebook has been solid as a rock since I got it in January. Some new OS or other software update might have twisted a wizzle deep inside the system . . . something so subtle that everything appears just fine on the surface to any and all check routines.

The mystery continues . . . but thanks to a USB dongle I have internet in my current travels.

Mike

 

If you use Access Connections, uninstall that. Reboot, then go to Programs and Features and choose to uninstall the Intel Wireless Driver software. You should get the option to repair the installation. Do that and that will likely fix your problem. If you wish you can install Access Connections again, but that is not necessary.

 

You can try an Ubuntu Live disc; it should automatically recognize and be able to use the 5100/5300 adapters.

 

Uninstalling and repairing the drivers didn't do anything. I don't use Access.

Don't have a Ubantu disc, but will look into it. I think any disc with a new OS on it will probably fix the problem. This is a Vista corruption/glitch to my mind just now.

A USB wireless dongle is a good thing to carry in the bag I'm learning.

Mike

 

It could be a hardware problem, but check out the following:

How to determine and to recover from Winsock2 corruption in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, and in Windows Vista

How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

Troubleshoot network adapter problems