Richard,
I can't help you here and it is going to be up to you to continue the
investigation.
But I just wanted to mention that a long while ago I was playing with DLink
AirPlus app on XPe and it worked pretty well. Wireless settings were
persistnet through reboot if I recall it correctly.
I did not make any component out of the utility or DLink drivers that time.
I was testing some stuff on XPProEmulation image (
www.xpefiles.conm/
Development Utilities/Main folder) that time and played with wireless only
to get a convenient network connection.
Anyway, the point is that it worked and worked well on XPeProEmulation.
For your installer issue as well as for the wireless settings, you always
have an option of using tools like Regmon/Filemon, Regsnap/Inctrl5.
I know it is a routine and sometimes tedious work but this is all about
developing new XPe components.
KM