XP and WPA-PSK TKIP won't connect

I have just bought a 3com OfficeConnect wireless 11g firewall modem router
with a USB adapter
http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=395K

Using my laptop with Windows XP SP2 (newly rebuilt and fully patched by
windows update) I can connect using WEP 128bit but whenever I try the WPA-PSK
TKIP it never connects it gets stuck with 'aquiring network address'.
I have tried using my works Windows 2000 SP4 laptop and that connected
straight away using WPA, so I'm sure I'm missing something on the XP machine
but don;t know what.

Any ideas?
Thanks Gavin

 

Perhaps your wireless adapter on the laptop doesn't support WPA. Check
with the laptop mfr. There may be a firmware update.

Malke

 

the wireless adapter is a USB stick which came with the router, and it does
suport WPA and does work on the Windows 2000 machine just not the XP machine.

Gavin

 

Then I'm sorry but I don't know. I'm sure someone who knows about
wireless usb devices will come along, or you could check with the
device mftr.'s tech support.

Malke

 

Gavin,

Send back the 3Com kit and get something else that actually works. The
problem is the router, not the USB adapter. You are experiencing the well
known and documented problems for which 3Com consumer grade wireless routers
are notorious. They can sometimes support a single wireless client but never
reliably, and rarely more than one.

My recommendation is Draytek, which I bought when I gave up on the 3Com.
Expensive but actually does what it is supposed to do.


Good luck,

Liam

 

I got a Netgear router with USB adapter and I get the same error. Windows XP
Pro refuses to let the WPA-PSK work. Looking a other forums it appears to be
a common problem with Windows XP, but I can't find a solution.

 

Are you using SP2? There were some pre-SP2 WPA issues although I never had
any problems. Also, use Wireless Zero Configuration and not the utility that
came with the USB device.

 

I am using Windows XP professional Service Pack 2 with all patches from
windows.update.
I have recently reloaded the machine
Windows XP Pro SP1
Apply Service Pack 2
Apply all patches from windows.update

I am using the WZC and not the 3com util.
also updated the firmware on the router to the latest and downloaded thr
latest drivers from thr USB adapter (the ones on the CD appeared to be about
2 years old even though its new????)

 

Are you broadcasting the SSID? If it is hidden it won't help. Apart from
that I am not sure what the problem could be, but double check everything
such as MAC filtering and password accuracy. Also completely uninstall the
manufacturers utility in case that causes an issue when you are using WZC. I
have never had any WPA specific problems with any of the devices I have used
(the 3Com was just sh!te whatever I tried) and it seems strange you have the
same issue with the different manufacturers' equipment.

 

I've been doing some more testing.
(at the moment I'm using MAC filter and WEP 128bit as these work)
using another PC (Win2000) set thr router to using WPA.
on the XP machine found the network and set the key.
It wouldn't conect just got stuck on the 'aquiring network address'
rebooted the XP machine and watched the router connections on the win2000
machine.
as the XP machine booted the router gave it a IP but the XP machine doesn'y
show it and sits there trying to get one. ????

Also I am using the WZC and have only loaded the drivers for the USB adapter
NOT the manufacturers utility, and the SSID is not hidden.

There has got to be something somewhere doing something but I have no idea
what to try next.

Gavin

 

I recently tried switching from WEP over to WPA-PSK TKIP. Got nothing
but constant disconnects. Real flakey. Gone back to WEP and its rock solid.

 

Good Luck Man. Had this problem on many different notebooks and pda's
as well. Found many threads from people having the same problem. After
days of diag I just gave up and went back to WEP.

 

Possible Solution

I know this is an old thread, i was searching for a solution as i was getting the same waiting for address for ages.

I found a sort of work around myself. If you just assgn your xp machine it's own IP and set the default gateway to that of the router it should bypass this step.

So right click your wireless connection in network places, goto status, then properties.

Scroll down to TCP/IP, goto properties on that.

Next screen check 'User the following IP address' Pick one that your router allows or has been setup for on DHCP. In my case this was 192.168.0.3, subnet mask should take care of its self.

Set the Default gateway to your router's ip, In my case 192.168.0.1.

For DNS set the preferred DNS server as the router's ip, e.g. again in my case 192.168.0.1.

Now try connecting to the router with WPA/PSK running, enter your pass key in carefully and it should work.

This is by no means a nice or clean fix but it got my wireless up and running. I only rally wanted to test the router's wireless for my Asus eee coming tommorow, thats linux so I should be fine lol