Trouble connecting to a 'non ssid broadcasting' wifi network

Hi all,

i try to keep it small and to the point:
i ve got a Toshiba Protege R500 + Windows XP SP3 and all the latest greatest
drivers+firmwares from Toshiba (auto update toshiba tool). The R500 works
without any problems on almost all WiFi Network i ve come in touch with
accept of two. These two (cisco aironet based) networks do not broadcast
their SSID. Other devices (HP compaq nc6400, HP iPAQ 214, etc) can connect
to the non-broadcasting cisco WiFi Networks without any Problem.
The settings on the nc6400 and the Protege R500 are as far as i can tell,
exactly the same.

What i ve tried so far on the Protege R500:
- Using Intel Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
- Using the Toshiba Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
- Using Windows zero config to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck

Its preefered to use Windows zero config, the other two were just a try to
solve the problem.
The option "Connect even if the network is not broadcasting" is enabled.

So: Why does the Protege R500 can connect to all and every WiFi Network
which broadcasts its
ssid but not to networks that do not broadcast its ssid?


any help is greatly appreciated

Gregor Stefka

Gregor Stefka

Ok, I'll try to reply shortly and to the point.
The driver and SP3 WZC client definitely support connection
to non-broadcasting SSIDs.
A sniffer can help to explain what's going:
- configuration problem on PC side, or wrong driver version
- configuration problem on the AP side
- a bug

Regards,
-- PA

Gregor Stefka wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> i try to keep it small and to the point:
> i ve got a Toshiba Protege R500 + Windows XP SP3 and all the latest
> greatest drivers+firmwares from Toshiba (auto update toshiba tool). The
> R500 works without any problems on almost all WiFi Network i ve come in
> touch with accept of two. These two (cisco aironet based) networks do
> not broadcast their SSID. Other devices (HP compaq nc6400, HP iPAQ 214,
> etc) can connect to the non-broadcasting cisco WiFi Networks without any
> Problem.
> The settings on the nc6400 and the Protege R500 are as far as i can
> tell, exactly the same.
>
> What i ve tried so far on the Protege R500:
> - Using Intel Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
> - Using the Toshiba Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
> - Using Windows zero config to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>
> Its preefered to use Windows zero config, the other two were just a try
> to solve the problem.
> The option "Connect even if the network is not broadcasting" is enabled.
>
> So: Why does the Protege R500 can connect to all and every WiFi Network
> which broadcasts its
> ssid but not to networks that do not broadcast its ssid?
>
>
> any help is greatly appreciated
>
> Gregor Stefka
>
>

Pavel A.

Can you point me in the right direction? How do I diagnose this with what
sniffer?
Wireshark? or some special WiFi Sniffer?
What I am I looking for once I ve got sniffed something?

tia
Gregor Stefka

"Pavel A." <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:%...
> Ok, I'll try to reply shortly and to the point.
> The driver and SP3 WZC client definitely support connection
> to non-broadcasting SSIDs.
> A sniffer can help to explain what's going:
> - configuration problem on PC side, or wrong driver version
> - configuration problem on the AP side
> - a bug
>
> Regards,
> -- PA
>
> Gregor Stefka wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> i try to keep it small and to the point:
>> i ve got a Toshiba Protege R500 + Windows XP SP3 and all the latest
>> greatest drivers+firmwares from Toshiba (auto update toshiba tool). The
>> R500 works without any problems on almost all WiFi Network i ve come in
>> touch with accept of two. These two (cisco aironet based) networks do
>> not broadcast their SSID. Other devices (HP compaq nc6400, HP iPAQ 214,
>> etc) can connect to the non-broadcasting cisco WiFi Networks without any
>> Problem.
>> The settings on the nc6400 and the Protege R500 are as far as i can tell,
>> exactly the same.
>>
>> What i ve tried so far on the Protege R500:
>> - Using Intel Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>> - Using the Toshiba Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>> - Using Windows zero config to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>
>> Its preefered to use Windows zero config, the other two were just a try
>> to solve the problem.
>> The option "Connect even if the network is not broadcasting" is enabled.
>>
>> So: Why does the Protege R500 can connect to all and every WiFi Network
>> which broadcasts its
>> ssid but not to networks that do not broadcast its ssid?
>>
>>
>> any help is greatly appreciated
>>
>> Gregor Stefka
>>

Gregor Stefka

Gregor Stefka wrote:
> Can you point me in the right direction? How do I diagnose this with
> what sniffer?
> Wireshark? or some special WiFi Sniffer?

This already is not going to be a short reply
I've used Omnipeek, others could recommend Wireshark or something else.

> What I am I looking for once I ve got sniffed something?

Look for probe requests from your PC for the specified SSID,
on the channel specified on your AP; and whether
the AP replies to them. If it does reply - what follows.

Rergards,
--PA


> tia
> Gregor Stefka
>
> "Pavel A." <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:%...
>> Ok, I'll try to reply shortly and to the point.
>> The driver and SP3 WZC client definitely support connection
>> to non-broadcasting SSIDs.
>> A sniffer can help to explain what's going:
>> - configuration problem on PC side, or wrong driver version
>> - configuration problem on the AP side
>> - a bug
>>
>> Regards,
>> -- PA
>>
>> Gregor Stefka wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> i try to keep it small and to the point:
>>> i ve got a Toshiba Protege R500 + Windows XP SP3 and all the latest
>>> greatest drivers+firmwares from Toshiba (auto update toshiba tool).
>>> The R500 works without any problems on almost all WiFi Network i ve
>>> come in touch with accept of two. These two (cisco aironet based)
>>> networks do not broadcast their SSID. Other devices (HP compaq
>>> nc6400, HP iPAQ 214, etc) can connect to the non-broadcasting cisco
>>> WiFi Networks without any Problem.
>>> The settings on the nc6400 and the Protege R500 are as far as i can
>>> tell, exactly the same.
>>>
>>> What i ve tried so far on the Protege R500:
>>> - Using Intel Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>> - Using the Toshiba Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>> - Using Windows zero config to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>>
>>> Its preefered to use Windows zero config, the other two were just a
>>> try to solve the problem.
>>> The option "Connect even if the network is not broadcasting" is enabled.
>>>
>>> So: Why does the Protege R500 can connect to all and every WiFi
>>> Network which broadcasts its
>>> ssid but not to networks that do not broadcast its ssid?
>>>
>>>
>>> any help is greatly appreciated
>>>
>>> Gregor Stefka
>>>

Pavel A.

Thank you for your help Pavel!
I ve hoped that something like this (sniffing/analyzing the network traffic)
is the absolute last resort
and there are less drastic options for me to try first. Any local security
policy / registry or driver
setting of some kind,.....just something quick & simple.

Gregor Stefka

"Pavel A." <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:%...
> Gregor Stefka wrote:
>> Can you point me in the right direction? How do I diagnose this with what
>> sniffer?
>> Wireshark? or some special WiFi Sniffer?
>
> This already is not going to be a short reply
> I've used Omnipeek, others could recommend Wireshark or something else.
>
>> What I am I looking for once I ve got sniffed something?
>
> Look for probe requests from your PC for the specified SSID,
> on the channel specified on your AP; and whether
> the AP replies to them. If it does reply - what follows.
>
> Rergards,
> --PA
>
>
>> tia
>> Gregor Stefka
>>
>> "Pavel A." <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>> news:%...
>>> Ok, I'll try to reply shortly and to the point.
>>> The driver and SP3 WZC client definitely support connection
>>> to non-broadcasting SSIDs.
>>> A sniffer can help to explain what's going:
>>> - configuration problem on PC side, or wrong driver version
>>> - configuration problem on the AP side
>>> - a bug
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> -- PA
>>>
>>> Gregor Stefka wrote:
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> i try to keep it small and to the point:
>>>> i ve got a Toshiba Protege R500 + Windows XP SP3 and all the latest
>>>> greatest drivers+firmwares from Toshiba (auto update toshiba tool). The
>>>> R500 works without any problems on almost all WiFi Network i ve come in
>>>> touch with accept of two. These two (cisco aironet based) networks do
>>>> not broadcast their SSID. Other devices (HP compaq nc6400, HP iPAQ
>>>> 214, etc) can connect to the non-broadcasting cisco WiFi Networks
>>>> without any Problem.
>>>> The settings on the nc6400 and the Protege R500 are as far as i can
>>>> tell, exactly the same.
>>>>
>>>> What i ve tried so far on the Protege R500:
>>>> - Using Intel Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>>> - Using the Toshiba Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>>> - Using Windows zero config to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>>>
>>>> Its preefered to use Windows zero config, the other two were just a try
>>>> to solve the problem.
>>>> The option "Connect even if the network is not broadcasting" is
>>>> enabled.
>>>>
>>>> So: Why does the Protege R500 can connect to all and every WiFi Network
>>>> which broadcasts its
>>>> ssid but not to networks that do not broadcast its ssid?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> any help is greatly appreciated
>>>>
>>>> Gregor Stefka
>>>>

Gregor Stefka

Hmm. Then can you enable SSID broadcast on the router,
will it help? If not, the channel of the router may be
unsupported or blocked in the wi-fi adapter,
or the router has some kind of security, MAC address
filtering, etc.

--PA

Gregor Stefka wrote:
> Thank you for your help Pavel!
> I ve hoped that something like this (sniffing/analyzing the network
> traffic) is the absolute last resort
> and there are less drastic options for me to try first. Any local
> security policy / registry or driver
> setting of some kind,.....just something quick & simple.
>
> Gregor Stefka
>
> "Pavel A." <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:%...
>> Gregor Stefka wrote:
>>> Can you point me in the right direction? How do I diagnose this with
>>> what sniffer?
>>> Wireshark? or some special WiFi Sniffer?
>>
>> This already is not going to be a short reply
>> I've used Omnipeek, others could recommend Wireshark or something else.
>>
>>> What I am I looking for once I ve got sniffed something?
>>
>> Look for probe requests from your PC for the specified SSID,
>> on the channel specified on your AP; and whether
>> the AP replies to them. If it does reply - what follows.
>>
>> Rergards,
>> --PA
>>
>>
>>> tia
>>> Gregor Stefka
>>>
>>> "Pavel A." <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>>> news:%...
>>>> Ok, I'll try to reply shortly and to the point.
>>>> The driver and SP3 WZC client definitely support connection
>>>> to non-broadcasting SSIDs.
>>>> A sniffer can help to explain what's going:
>>>> - configuration problem on PC side, or wrong driver version
>>>> - configuration problem on the AP side
>>>> - a bug
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> -- PA
>>>>
>>>> Gregor Stefka wrote:
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> i try to keep it small and to the point:
>>>>> i ve got a Toshiba Protege R500 + Windows XP SP3 and all the latest
>>>>> greatest drivers+firmwares from Toshiba (auto update toshiba tool).
>>>>> The R500 works without any problems on almost all WiFi Network i ve
>>>>> come in touch with accept of two. These two (cisco aironet based)
>>>>> networks do not broadcast their SSID. Other devices (HP compaq
>>>>> nc6400, HP iPAQ 214, etc) can connect to the non-broadcasting cisco
>>>>> WiFi Networks without any Problem.
>>>>> The settings on the nc6400 and the Protege R500 are as far as i can
>>>>> tell, exactly the same.
>>>>>
>>>>> What i ve tried so far on the Protege R500:
>>>>> - Using Intel Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>>>> - Using the Toshiba Software to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>>>> - Using Windows zero config to manage WiFi Networks, with no luck
>>>>>
>>>>> Its preefered to use Windows zero config, the other two were just a
>>>>> try to solve the problem.
>>>>> The option "Connect even if the network is not broadcasting" is
>>>>> enabled.
>>>>>
>>>>> So: Why does the Protege R500 can connect to all and every WiFi
>>>>> Network which broadcasts its
>>>>> ssid but not to networks that do not broadcast its ssid?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> any help is greatly appreciated
>>>>>
>>>>> Gregor Stefka
>>>>>
>

Pavel A.