nstrom
join:2003-09-19
New Haven, CT
| WG311 v2 restart problem w/ WinXP SP2
I just purchased a brand-new WG311 v2 802.11g/b PCI card and WGR614 router for my girlfriend.
System is a Shuttle SN41G2B, running with an Athlon XP 2500+ and 512MB RAM under Windows XP Professional SP2. (All critical/hardware patches from Windows Update as of 8/28/04 installed)
As per directions, I installed the driver software for the WG311 before installing the card. Shut down, installed the card, rebooted. Windows found new hardware wizard, installed the drivers, and got to a prompt (I didn't write down the exact wording) prompting for Windows' internal wireless configuration tool to be disabled in order to fully configure the card with the Netgear utility. Clicked "Yes", HDD whirred for a bit, waited a bit, then -click- the system restarted. No notification, no program shutdown, just a restart. On startup, got that same prompt. Clicked "Yes", and same thing -- another reboot. Next time, I tried "No" -- same thing. One thing of note, after the dialog came up, the Windows Wireless Network Connection Icon appeared in the taskbar, and the card appeared to be working, but if I clicked on Yes or No, the system would reboot.
I was able to get the system to boot without crashing by booting into safe mode, going to device manager, and disabling the Netgear card. Decided to try the "version 1.0.1.7" Netgear drivers from here because I noticed that according to a Netgear knowledgebase article, Internet Connection Fails in Windows XP After Installing Microsoft's Hotfix Q815485. System exhibited the same restarting beahvior. And, Netgear, by the way, Hotfix Q815485 is rolled into SP2, so there's no way to remove it.
Following an idea from this thread (which seems to document a similar but not identical problem), it seemed that the Netgear utility, and not the drivers, was causing the problem. I booted up with the card disabled, removed the Netgear software with Add/Remove Programs, removed the card from Device Manager, and then rebooted. When the add new hardware dialog came up, I told it I would select the driver to use, then clicked "Have Disk" and browsed to the Drivers\Win XP directory on the Netgear CD. This managed to install the drivers *without* the utility software: netwg311.sys v5.0.20, date 12/2/2003.
I then set up the router easily and the wireless card works fine now, using the built-in Windows configuration. I'm concerned about upgrades -- if Netgear pushes out a new driver version with this same problem, I'll have to repeat this whole process.
I'm surprised this card was able to get a PC World "Best Buy" award with the number of problems people have been having with it. Anyways, if any Netgear people are reading this forum, the Shuttle system is practically a pre-built system (only CPU, RAM, HDD and CD-RW added -- using onboard video, ethernet, sound) so hopefully this problem should be reproducible and fixable. |
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nstrom
join:2003-09-19
New Haven, CT | BTW, forum mods -- should this post go to the hardware forum instead, since it is a NIC problem and not a router problem? If so, I apologize -- I just realized now. |
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Scoobs72
join:2004-01-15
| nstrom, I wouldn't recommend using the Netgear utility - the SP2 config utility is much improved on the old SP1 config tool, and the Netgear utility doesn't support WPA-PSK anyway.
There's been a lot of problems posted about the WG311 v1 which uses an atheros chipset, but not too many about the WG311 v2 which uses a Texas instruments chipset (same one as the USR5416 and the DLink DWL-G520+). |
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decslo
join:2004-08-29
San Luis Obispo, CA
| reply to nstrom
nstrom-
Thanks a bunch for your post. I have been wrestling with the same issue w/ my WG311 v2 since the XP SP2 update. Clearly the Netgear utility in its present version is not compatible with the new XP Wireless tool. You suggestion to unistall the Netgear utility, and let XP handle the connection worked flawlessly (too bad I learned this after 8 hrs. of frustration). Let Netgear take a lesson from this. Thanks again |
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bluezanetti
Premium
join:2003-10-04
| said by decslo  :
...Clearly the Netgear utility in its present version is not compatible with the new XP Wireless tool. You suggestion to unistall the Netgear utility, and let XP handle the connection worked flawlessly (too bad I learned this after 8 hrs. of frustration). Let Netgear take a lesson from this. Thanks again
At least it was only 8 hours. Similar problem, different card, described in »Win XP SP2 and Netgear HA311
I have tried both the Netgear utility and Windows Wireless Zero with no joy. I hadn't uninstalled the Netgear utility, though, before trying the native Windows configurator. I said what the heck, nothing to lose. So far it's about 4 hours in on two machines and no problems. Fingers are crossed since I thought I had success before, only to have it dashed, but this scheme seems to be working. Thanks for the suggestion also.
Blue |
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wtego12
@bcvloh.ameritech
| reply to nstrom
I had the same problem as NSTROM desribed. I should have read this forum earlier to save a few hour's trial and error. In the end, I am still not problem free. During the computer shutdown, everything looks like normal. At the very end, a DOS like display appears: "Hardware Malfunction, Call your hardware vender for support. NMI: Parity check/Memory parity error. This system has halted" I have to unplug the power cord to final shutdown. The computer starts as normal. The wireless network works. The only remedy is that the wireless network has to be disabled before the Window shuts down normally. any suggestion? |
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Scoobs72
join:2004-01-15
| wtego12, the NMI Parity error has been fixed in a release of the Texas Instruments driver by US Robotics. See attached link:
»www.usr.com/support/product-temp···rod=5416
The fix was made n the version 5 drivers, but the latest are now version 6 across all the manufacturers - USR, Netgear and DLink, Xterasys and a few others. Which driver version are you using from Netgear? Is it the latest release? |
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wtego12
@148.141.x.x | Thanks Scoobs72. I believe I have the latest driver (Ver 1.0.1.7) downloaded from GETGEAR.COM. I finally be able to contact the Netgear tech support. The suggestion is to uninstall SP2. I should get better answer than that. |
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markjclark
join:2000-08-11
clubs:  | I am having the same problem just shuts down 4 try corrupted OS. I just went from DE-LINK to this problem with netgear. Yes I have SP2 installed and no it won't be removed the card will. |
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Mujja
join:2004-09-01
| I'm using the WG311v2 NIC with the WGR614v1 and WinXP SP2 withouit any problems. The NIC and Router are using the latest available firmwares.
I didn't install the Netgear software, from within Device Manager I searched for the WG311 driver and enabled it this way. SP2 wireless config utlity does the rest and I have had no resets or any other problems. |
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wtego12
@bcvloh.ameritech | Mujja,
Is encryption enabled? I have no problem in OPEN system, but it quit to work in WEP or WPA. |
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VideoBuddha
@range217-43.btcentra
| reply to markjclark
I have a WG311v2 card too, and same as the others here installing SP2 meant it stopped working. In fact more irritatingly, it would find the connection and then lose it seconds later.
I had no joy by removing the netgear driver and letting the windows xp wireless connection do it for me, it started fine when I tried to repair the connection, but then it insisted on trying to renew the IP address, which broke it again
I did fix it eventually, I removed the netgear driver and then downloaded the one dated June 22nd 2004 on their site and installed it from scratch and all seems to working fine now. |
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djdanska
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
Glen Ellyn, IL
clubs: | reply to nstrom
Thank gosh it wasn't just me. What disadvantages do i have by letting windows handle it vs. netgear's software?
--
My Homepage: »www.danboy.com :We find strength in numbers. |
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nstrom
join:2003-09-19
New Haven, CT
| I don't know; I've only ever used Windows's built-in utility. Since the driver is the same, I can't imagine that range or signal strength would be different; it's probably just ease-of-use issues, and perhaps tech support issues (ie. if you call Netgear they might not support you running Windows's built-in utility).
But, as Scoobs72 said, "I wouldn't recommend using the Netgear utility - the SP2 config utility is much improved on the old SP1 config tool". I've had no problmes with the built-in tool, so I'll leave my config as is for now. |
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viper6000
@optonline.net
| reply to nstrom
Hey Guys,
I have the exact same problem as wtego12 (Parity check/Memory parity error on shutdown) - too bad I did not read this forum before purchasing this stupid card! Other than this shutdown problem, the card seems to be working fine with my Netgear router. I have WinXP SP2 and here's what I have tried so far:
1. Uninstalled the netgear software, uninstalled the card from device manager and then rebooted.
2. Prior to this I had downloaded the latest driver from the netgear site - wg311v2_wpa_1_0_1_7.zip posted on June 2004.
3. After the reboot, I let windows detect the card and search for a driver and install it. I've also tried to manually install this same driver, but no luck. :-(
Any ideas/suggestions would be greeeeatly appreciated. Thanks! |
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trade
join:2002-09-25
Fullerton, CA
| reply to nstrom
I have the same card and only use the USRobotics drivers with it.
You can download the 5416 drivers from here »www.usr.com/support/product-temp···rod=5416
This drivers are very reliable and have WPA and WPKS security also you can try get 125mbps with your router.
TRADE |
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Kohle2
join:2004-09-11
64385
| reply to nstrom
I have the same Hardware in use. I install it at XP-System with SP1. It works fine. After i install SP2 it doesn`t work again so I tried the Tool from netgear. It also shutdown the system after I had made a login so I decided to reinstall my system. After this installation I Install the toll and the card driver at XP with SP1. The Network was working again fine. I tried another chance with SP2 so i load it down from the microsoft website. After installing the network is again no more working. The only thing that was positiv the system is not shuting down his self. So i uninstall the SP2 and the system and the network is running fine. I have wrote some lines at netgear and i'm reale intrestet at their answer whats the problem is. |
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MurrayOldfield
@net.au
| reply to nstrom
I had similar problem on WG311 V1 PCI card after upgrade to XP SP2. Thanks to you guys and gals only took 1/2 hours to fix...
Following steps, but you milage may vary...
1. Change to use MS wireless utility
2. muddle around for ages trying to get it to connect with WPA
3. read forum
4. remove netgear drivers and utility
5. reboot
6. copy down wg311_1_3.zip from netgear web site
7. run wg311_1_3.zip
8. enter WEP Hex password into MS utility
All appears OK
Thanks, MO |
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sport172
@ntl.com
|  reply to nstrom
I have this problem to. It started with the rebooting issue until I removed SP2 and the Netgear utility.
Now the card finds the router (WGR614) but losses the connection after a few seconds.
I have the latest downloaded the latest driver from the Netgear site but the issue remains.
I have read on a couple on other forums that this may be due to the fact that the card does not like AMD processors and I have a AMD 3200 64, it the only thing I can think that could be causing the issue. I am about to call ebuyer and get this card exchanged after messing with it for 2 days. |
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seaxouri
join:2000-12-29
Greensboro, NC
|  reply to nstrom
I have NG 311v2 and saw the same 'instant reboot' problem after upgrading to SP2 and the latest NIC drivers(v1.0.1.7).
Of course I'm not uninstalling SP2, what a stupid response.
The only way I got it to work was to use the Windows wireless network support option... which is what I see others have done too.
I use the new PSK method, which seems easy to setup, but seems to have its own set of problems. I have a box that I use as a web server, that is served over the wireless connection. I also have a NG 614v4 router. After upgrading the latest firmware (v5.02) now it seems my wireless connection drops after a long period of time (like a day or so). This is annoying because I have to manually reconnect the wireless box. At least when I had the NG software doing it, it would auto-reconnect. The Windows stuff does not, so now I am stuck.
Two thumbs down. One for MS, one for NG. |
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