After I switched from Verizon FiOS to Comcast cable internet service, the Verizon folks were nice enough to allow me to keep my USB wireless adapter. And the adapter, which is a ZyXEL G-220 v2, works just fine (better than my internal Belkin adapter, as a matter of fact), with the exception of when I come out of sleep mode in Windows XP.

Problem is, when I come out of sleep mode, Windows seems to have trouble recognizing my USB device and I have to go through the effort of reinstalling the driver for the wireless adapter if I hope for it to work. Usually it takes a few times of unplugging and reconnecting the adapter before Windows decides it is indeed a wireless adapter and goes back to using it as normal.

My question is, has anyone else had this problem with a ZyXEL adapter? I've checked their website for better drivers, but usually I'm met with a broken link, and when I'm not it's just the same version I've been using for some time. If anyone has come across any sort of solution for not needing to manually reinstall the adapter every time you come out of sleep mode, that would be most helpful.

My setup is a 4-year-old homebuilt rig with an ASUS P4P800S-X mobo and a 3.0GHz Pentium 4 (Prescott) processor. As I mentioned earlier, I'm still running Win XP (Pro).

This is likely the issue:

Start->Run, devmgmt.msc
Rt click your adapter under Network Adapters. Select Properties
Click Power Management tab
Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power
Click OK

Unfortunately, my version of Device Manager doesn't provide me with device-specific power management options. (I'm running XP Pro SP3.) You're right, though... I definitely think this is a case of my computer attempting to tell my wireless NIC to go to sleep and the NIC saying "I don't think so."

Of course, I have no idea how old this adapter is... Verizon just gave it to me when things were looking a bit too complicated to route a Cat-5 cable upstairs and didn't ask for it back when I dropped their service. It's entirely possible I may just want to invest in a new one.

All the same, if there is a way to get XP to manage the power settings of individual devices, I'm certainly open to suggestions...

My version of Xp SP3 shows this option

Please try updating your Network driver, from your Computer's/Motherboard's Manufacture support page

1. You should definitely start at the ASUS support site for your motherboard. Your wireless network is something you added on? (i'm guessing) So it's driver won't be on Asus site. But do check things like your BIOS and chipset as well as checking their FAQ and knowledge base on any info relating to power saving modes
2. You'll find your wireless adapter drivers here. Though you might want to start in Device Manager and see which driver you're currently using (the only lists one for XP)