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    Do you use Access Connections?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by pipspeak, Jul 21, 2009.

  1. pipspeak

    pipspeak Notebook Deity

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    Just curious how popular Access Connections is with the NBR crowd. Personally I like the GUI but hate the bloated nature of the software and ultimately seem to always uninstall it. YMMV. If you found third party software that does the same job using fewer resources, let us know about it.
     
    pipspeak, Jul 21, 2009
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  2. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

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    AC has certain features that would be useful if I connected to networks requiring more advanced settings, or if I needed to maintain a static IP in a certain network, and dynamic in another.

    But, since I do not have those needs, I see no reason for me to use AC - it's too bloated and slow for my liking, and besides, Vista does it just fine.
     
    MidnightSun, Jul 21, 2009
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  3. drjohn

    drjohn Notebook Consultant

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    I use it, although I don't have complicated wireless needs--home network plus occasional connections when I'm traveling or on vacation.

    It's worked well for me and AC on my ThinkPad connects/reconnects way faster than my wife's Dell Inspiron running Windows default software or Dell's Intel Proset package, so I've kept it.
     
    drjohn, Jul 21, 2009
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  4. useroflaptops

    useroflaptops Notebook Evangelist

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    I never use it. The only thinkvantage/thinkpad software I ever use is client security.
     
    useroflaptops, Jul 22, 2009
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  5. jonlumpkin

    jonlumpkin NBR Transmogrifier

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    I used to be a big fan of it (Especially on my T40 with XP). However, Windows has gotten MUCH better at managing a wide variety of connections over the years and Access Connections has gotten much more bloated and slower.

    It does have some nice features (e.g. change printers and security settings automatically for each network), but I don't really need this feature and often had reliability problems (I blame Vista x64 as Access Connections never played that well with it).
     
    jonlumpkin, Jul 22, 2009
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  6. wolssiloa

    wolssiloa Notebook Geek

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    Access Connections is useful when you have to maintain a specific IP on a work network for instance. But there are other free portable software to manage that e.g. NetSetMan. You also seem to need AC if you want to turn WiMax on/off. Not sure if Intel's utility can handle that, but you would need Intel's service to be running as well.
    However I am unable to figure out how to turn Bluetooth on/off without AC. Anyone know how?
     
    wolssiloa, Jul 22, 2009
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  7. jonlumpkin

    jonlumpkin NBR Transmogrifier

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    If you install the "System Interface Driver" and "Hotkey Utility", but NOT "Access Connections" it is still possible to use Fn+F5 to adjust the radios (WLAN, Bluetooth, WWAN, Wi-Max?) individually.
     
    jonlumpkin, Jul 22, 2009
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  8. jaakobi

    jaakobi Notebook Evangelist

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    You are awesome! Thank you!

    My experience with Access Connections? I needed to use it with my university wireless system. Half the time it would come up with "Connection Failed!" when I tried to connect. Every time, it was slow as heck to connect, it took maybe 25-30 seconds on average to connect. I hated it. Now I use Windows 7's built in wireless utility. It connects fast (always within 10 seconds or so, and if it doesn't connect, you know sooner), and surprisingly, it works natively with my university wireless. It's way more reliable, I've had no disconnects.
     
    jaakobi, Jul 22, 2009
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  9. usapatriot

    usapatriot Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    On my old XP laptop, I used Intel's ProSet software, but now on my new Thinkpad, I use Vista's wireless utility which is very good.
     
    usapatriot, Jul 22, 2009
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