selecting a wireless router when multiple signals are available

[claudeallard]

I work in an area where multiple wireless routers are running. We use
each depending on which network we need to connect to. How can I force
Windows XPpro to use a specific one? When I enable my wireless
connection it will automatically connect to one and even though I have
removed it from my 'preferred networks' window it still will not drop
that connection and connect to the one I need.

Claude

 

[Lem]

I work in an area where multiple wireless routers are running. We use
each depending on which network we need to connect to. How can I force
Windows XPpro to use a specific one? When I enable my wireless
connection it will automatically connect to one and even though I have
removed it from my 'preferred networks' window it still will not drop
that connection and connect to the one I need.

Claude

I'm not sure what you mean. Assuming that each router has its own
unique name, do you mean that when you go to the "Chose a wireless
network" dialog and double-click on a network that it won't connect?
What happens if you click "Disconnect" and then try to connect to the
desired network?

As for removing networks from the list of preferred networks, you should
know that if you connect to a network that is not in your list of
preferred networks, as soon as you connect, Windows adds that network to
the top of the preferred network list, so that it will be the first one
that Windows will try to connect to. Moreover -- although I've never
personally experienced this -- Windows XP WZC ("Wireless Zero
Configuration") is supposed to "automatically select[] and connect[] to
a more preferred wireless network when it becomes available."

Try this: from the dialog box where the list of preferred networks is
displayed (Wireless Network Connection Properties), for each preferred
network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the
networks you want, by going to "view wireless networks" and
double-clicking on the desired network.

If none of this works for you, you may have to disable Windows WZC
(UNcheck the box "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings)
and install and use the configuration utility that's native to whatever
wireless hardware is installed in your computer.

 

[claudeallard]

Thanks Lem,
I looked for what you suggested:

network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the

but did not see a "connect when this network is in range" option.

On the other hand today when I click on the desired wireless router
SSID in the prefered networks pannel and move it to the top of the list
and then click OK to close the dialog box my wireless network
connection drops and reconnects to the desired router.

I would be interested to know if the "connect when this network is in
range" option is available only in a specific configuration of WinXP or
some add-on package.

Thanks again for your help.

I work in an area where multiple wireless routers are running. We use
each depending on which network we need to connect to. How can I force
Windows XPpro to use a specific one? When I enable my wireless
connection it will automatically connect to one and even though I have
removed it from my 'preferred networks' window it still will not drop
that connection and connect to the one I need.

Claude

I'm not sure what you mean. Assuming that each router has its own
unique name, do you mean that when you go to the "Chose a wireless
network" dialog and double-click on a network that it won't connect?
What happens if you click "Disconnect" and then try to connect to the
desired network?

As for removing networks from the list of preferred networks, you should
know that if you connect to a network that is not in your list of
preferred networks, as soon as you connect, Windows adds that network to
the top of the preferred network list, so that it will be the first one
that Windows will try to connect to. Moreover -- although I've never
personally experienced this -- Windows XP WZC ("Wireless Zero
Configuration") is supposed to "automatically select[] and connect[] to
a more preferred wireless network when it becomes available."

Try this: from the dialog box where the list of preferred networks is
displayed (Wireless Network Connection Properties), for each preferred
network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the
networks you want, by going to "view wireless networks" and
double-clicking on the desired network.

If none of this works for you, you may have to disable Windows WZC
(UNcheck the box "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings)
and install and use the configuration utility that's native to whatever
wireless hardware is installed in your computer.

 

[Lem]

Thanks Lem,
I looked for what you suggested:

network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the

but did not see a "connect when this network is in range" option.

On the other hand today when I click on the desired wireless router
SSID in the prefered networks pannel and move it to the top of the list
and then click OK to close the dialog box my wireless network
connection drops and reconnects to the desired router.

I would be interested to know if the "connect when this network is in
range" option is available only in a specific configuration of WinXP or
some add-on package.

Thanks again for your help.

I work in an area where multiple wireless routers are running. We use
each depending on which network we need to connect to. How can I force
Windows XPpro to use a specific one? When I enable my wireless
connection it will automatically connect to one and even though I have
removed it from my 'preferred networks' window it still will not drop
that connection and connect to the one I need.

Claude

I'm not sure what you mean. Assuming that each router has its own
unique name, do you mean that when you go to the "Chose a wireless
network" dialog and double-click on a network that it won't connect?
What happens if you click "Disconnect" and then try to connect to the
desired network?

As for removing networks from the list of preferred networks, you should
know that if you connect to a network that is not in your list of
preferred networks, as soon as you connect, Windows adds that network to
the top of the preferred network list, so that it will be the first one
that Windows will try to connect to. Moreover -- although I've never
personally experienced this -- Windows XP WZC ("Wireless Zero
Configuration") is supposed to "automatically select[] and connect[] to
a more preferred wireless network when it becomes available."

Try this: from the dialog box where the list of preferred networks is
displayed (Wireless Network Connection Properties), for each preferred
network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the
networks you want, by going to "view wireless networks" and
double-clicking on the desired network.

If none of this works for you, you may have to disable Windows WZC
(UNcheck the box "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings)
and install and use the configuration utility that's native to whatever
wireless hardware is installed in your computer.

It should be in WinXP service pack 2. See this article (it's the second
graphic on the page):
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg1102.mspx

(I don't have wifi on the computer where I am now, so can't double check).

 

[claudeallard]

All by chance I installed SP2 just this evening. I now see it as you
describe. And by bigger coincidence my sister just called with the
exact same problem (her wireless latched onto some nearby router and
would not let go). I was able to have her drop all the stray routers
from the preferred list and then when she closed the dialog window she
had success connecting to her own wireless router.

Thanks very much Lem for taking the time to lay out the details.

Claude

Thanks Lem,
I looked for what you suggested:

network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the

but did not see a "connect when this network is in range" option.

On the other hand today when I click on the desired wireless router
SSID in the prefered networks pannel and move it to the top of the list
and then click OK to close the dialog box my wireless network
connection drops and reconnects to the desired router.

I would be interested to know if the "connect when this network is in
range" option is available only in a specific configuration of WinXP or
some add-on package.

Thanks again for your help.

(e-mail address removed) wrote:
I work in an area where multiple wireless routers are running. We use
each depending on which network we need to connect to. How can I force
Windows XPpro to use a specific one? When I enable my wireless
connection it will automatically connect to one and even though I have
removed it from my 'preferred networks' window it still will not drop
that connection and connect to the one I need.

Claude

I'm not sure what you mean. Assuming that each router has its own
unique name, do you mean that when you go to the "Chose a wireless
network" dialog and double-click on a network that it won't connect?
What happens if you click "Disconnect" and then try to connect to the
desired network?

As for removing networks from the list of preferred networks, you should
know that if you connect to a network that is not in your list of
preferred networks, as soon as you connect, Windows adds that network to
the top of the preferred network list, so that it will be the first one
that Windows will try to connect to. Moreover -- although I've never
personally experienced this -- Windows XP WZC ("Wireless Zero
Configuration") is supposed to "automatically select[] and connect[] to
a more preferred wireless network when it becomes available."

Try this: from the dialog box where the list of preferred networks is
displayed (Wireless Network Connection Properties), for each preferred
network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the
networks you want, by going to "view wireless networks" and
double-clicking on the desired network.

If none of this works for you, you may have to disable Windows WZC
(UNcheck the box "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings)
and install and use the configuration utility that's native to whatever
wireless hardware is installed in your computer.

It should be in WinXP service pack 2. See this article (it's the second
graphic on the page):
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg1102.mspx

(I don't have wifi on the computer where I am now, so can't double check).

 

[Lem]

All by chance I installed SP2 just this evening. I now see it as you
describe. And by bigger coincidence my sister just called with the
exact same problem (her wireless latched onto some nearby router and
would not let go). I was able to have her drop all the stray routers
from the preferred list and then when she closed the dialog window she
had success connecting to her own wireless router.

Thanks very much Lem for taking the time to lay out the details.

Claude

Thanks Lem,
I looked for what you suggested:
network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the
but did not see a "connect when this network is in range" option.

On the other hand today when I click on the desired wireless router
SSID in the prefered networks pannel and move it to the top of the list
and then click OK to close the dialog box my wireless network
connection drops and reconnects to the desired router.

I would be interested to know if the "connect when this network is in
range" option is available only in a specific configuration of WinXP or
some add-on package.

Thanks again for your help.
Claude
Lem wrote:
(e-mail address removed) wrote:
I work in an area where multiple wireless routers are running. We use
each depending on which network we need to connect to. How can I force
Windows XPpro to use a specific one? When I enable my wireless
connection it will automatically connect to one and even though I have
removed it from my 'preferred networks' window it still will not drop
that connection and connect to the one I need.

Claude

I'm not sure what you mean. Assuming that each router has its own
unique name, do you mean that when you go to the "Chose a wireless
network" dialog and double-click on a network that it won't connect?
What happens if you click "Disconnect" and then try to connect to the
desired network?

As for removing networks from the list of preferred networks, you should
know that if you connect to a network that is not in your list of
preferred networks, as soon as you connect, Windows adds that network to
the top of the preferred network list, so that it will be the first one
that Windows will try to connect to. Moreover -- although I've never
personally experienced this -- Windows XP WZC ("Wireless Zero
Configuration") is supposed to "automatically select[] and connect[] to
a more preferred wireless network when it becomes available."

Try this: from the dialog box where the list of preferred networks is
displayed (Wireless Network Connection Properties), for each preferred
network, highlight the network, click "properties," click the
"connection" tab, and UNcheck the box to "connect when this network is
in range." You'll then have to manually connect to which ever of the
networks you want, by going to "view wireless networks" and
double-clicking on the desired network.

If none of this works for you, you may have to disable Windows WZC
(UNcheck the box "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings)
and install and use the configuration utility that's native to whatever
wireless hardware is installed in your computer.

It should be in WinXP service pack 2. See this article (it's the second
graphic on the page):
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg1102.mspx

(I don't have wifi on the computer where I am now, so can't double check).

You're welcome. And overall, you should be better off now that you've
installed SP2.