Problem with wireless after boot

[Reckoning]

I'm having trouble with booting a computer and getting the wireless card to connect automatically.
I have my modem in 1 room that's shooting out the wireless signal and another computer (with vista) in another room with a wireless card that i connect through USB. When i boot the comp with vista, sometimes it will connect to the internet by itsself and run fine. Other times when i boot it will have no internet connection and when i go to network settings it acts as if there were no network card connected. So what usually fixes this is if i disconnect the card (either disconnect the coord straight from the card or disconnect the coord from the USB port) and then reconnect it. Once i reconnect it, the computer will recognize my modem and it remembers my WEP password by itsself and will connect. So my assumption was it was a faulty card / coord / USB port. I ordered a brand new card, including a new coord, and have tried many diff USB ports. This problem is persisting. What can i do to get this to ALWAYS connect? Is it something with windows? Does windows have a timer on the USB port that shuts off after there is no read or something? I'm pretty sure it's not anything with my modem cuz once the card is successfully connected it finds my modem along with a few other surrounding networks automatically.

 

[DelJo63]

look for an update to the USB device driver.

Another choice might be to disconnect the USB device prior to booting and then
reconnect it AFTER booting and login in.

 

[almcneil]

Sometimes it takes Vista longer to startup and connect to the Internet than you expect.

I run an in-home computer servcies business. Yes, I have worked on many Vista computers and I notice that Vista takes a very long time to startup. Sometimes the Internet comes up in a reasonable amount of time, other times it takes a lot longer. Be patient.

How much memory does your Vista computer have? I recommend you have at least 2 GB. Vista is a real memory hog. If you go to 4 GB, you'll need the 64-bit version of Vista.

Repost if you're still having problems getting Vista to automaticall detect and connect to the wireless Internet.

Best,
-- Andy

 

[Reckoning]

look for an update to the USB device driver.

Another choice might be to disconnect the USB device prior to booting and then
reconnect it AFTER booting and login in.

Well The driver i have is the one off the cd that came with it, and when looking online there is nothing new, and i'm trying to get it to boot WITHOUT me having the replug anything in. I can get it fine with just plugging it in each time i log but its kind of an inconvenience

Sometimes it takes Vista longer to startup and connect to the Internet than you expect.

I run an in-home computer servcies business. Yes, I have worked on many Vista computers and I notice that Vista takes a very long time to startup. Sometimes the Internet comes up in a reasonable amount of time, other times it takes a lot longer. Be patient.

How much memory does your Vista computer have? I recommend you have at least 2 GB. Vista is a real memory hog. If you go to 4 GB, you'll need the 64-bit version of Vista.

Repost if you're still having problems getting Vista to automaticall detect and connect to the wireless Internet.

Best,
-- Andy

The comp has 2gb and yes ive noticed vista boots much slower than xp with even less ram. I'm pretty sure it's not a matter of just waiting it out because ive waited several minutes and it does nothing until i actually reconnect the device

 

[almcneil]

...The comp has 2gb and yes ive noticed vista boots much slower than xp with even less ram. I'm pretty sure it's not a matter of just waiting it out because ive waited several minutes and it does nothing until i actually reconnect the device

Well, if that's the case, here's what I'd do. Delete the saved settings for the wireless connection. Set it all up again. Then try several restarts and see if it connects automatically and consistently. Also, time how long it takes Vista to startup. We may have to go through the startup list and eliminate some background programs.

Repost with results.

Best,
-- Andy

 

[Reckoning]

Well, if that's the case, here's what I'd do. Delete the saved settings for the wireless connection. Set it all up again. Then try several restarts and see if it connects automatically and consistently. Also, time how long it takes Vista to startup. We may have to go through the startup list and eliminate some background programs.

Repost with results.

Best,
-- Andy

I deleted everything and set it all back up and it seems to be working fine so far, we'll see if i get any complaints on that comp in a few days
The comp took 1min 20secs from the time i pushed the on button until the time the desktop loaded.
I've noticed vista has A LOT of processes running at start up and i've gone and disabled quite a few of ones im positive are not necessary, but even so there are a lot more running than what i know xp requires to run.

Thanks for all your help Andy

 

[almcneil]

Then the problem is likely resolved. If you can consistently startup now without the problem, then it was something in the wireless connection setup.

One the biggest differences I've noticed since I went from engineer to technician, is that as a techie you work until the problem is gone. You don't necessarily know what the cause was. As an engineer, we worked until we determine the exact cause then made a fix. We always knew what the exact problem was. It's taken me some time to get used to the uneasy feeling of not always knowing what the exact root cause is.

-- Andy