Connected! I had to select 'Network Authentication [Shared Mode]'.
So the whole install process was: 1) Up/downgrade driver. Also install an older version of the Dell Utilities. The current version just says [Use the XP system]. 2) Set the Channel ID manually in System->Hardware config for driver. 3) Convert my WLAN to a weaker WEP key, and enter this key. 4) Tick 'Network Authentication' Plus a week or two of pain. And they wonder why people switch to other operating systems. Now that I can claim to be a platform-wireless expert, here's the level of ease for 5 platforms. 1] Apple's OS X.1/X.2 on iBook/Powerbook. The only internal card. Easier to install in the iBook than the Powerbook, in fact the Powerbook install was a pain, involving a screwdriver and with new powerbooks I hear it involves some kind of alum key which most users won't have. Software: I used the Apple Airport cards and these connected with little pain to the Netgear MR314, a common consumer wireless router [though upgraded now]. Only major issue is the specification of WEP keys. In 10.1 I think the WEP keys in hex had to be specified as "0xaaaa.." or something. This then changed with upgrades. No documentation, but easy to find on Apple users webpages. Pain level: 4/10. Some physical pain, one software issue. iBook was sweet. 2) Sharp Zaurus. A Linux PDA. I brought an AmbiCom CompactFlash card. I could not get it to connect after two weekends of pain. I went back to Best Buy and switched it for a Netgear CF card. It also wouldn't connect, but I happened across a Zaurus user's webpage which suggested I do a reboot on the machine. I did this and it worked fine, so I suspect the AmbiCom would have too. Pain level: 6/10. The software setup was poorly documented. When the Zaurus batteries ran low, the config was lost and I have to repeat it again. 3] SuSE Linux. I'm a linux fan, but I'm not a fan of expending effort for what should be easy. Installing a wireless card on SuSE linux was painful, ignoring the fact that PCMCIA issues were a major difficulty in the install. However, once I'd RTFM'd [Read The 'very-very-useful' Manual], it worked nicely. Typical linux. Sharp learning curve, but once you get there you have lots of power. Pain level: 5/10. It only took one period to deal with. Repeating it would still involve some effort, but there were ample google-solutions. It might be that I'm more experienced with Linux though. 4) Psion EPOC R5. This is an old laptop-like PDA of mine. They released a new OS and it went onto the network with ZERO problems. Once I'd gone through the process of upgrading the OS, the install worked just as I'd have expected. Pain level: 1/10. 1 because it had some options I could ignore, but I didn't know what they were. This is a very obscure device though [probably not more than a dozen in the US]. 5) Windows XP. Described at the top of the email, and in previous rants. Drivers, configurations that hid functionality, SP's that took away power, a confusing mix of Dell and Microsoft software, Dell technical support which after a lot of details told me 'ah, that would be a software issue' and redirected me to a hold queue that I never got to the end of [Apple tech support has been average to good]. Oh, and it grabs next doors connection. Pain level: 9/10. I avoid giving it 10/10 because if it obviously works well for my neighbour :) So, ignoring my old PDA, Apple wins :) For a lucky newbie, MS would do well, but it's limited. Linux shows that it has the power and ability, but that it takes savvy. I suspect this describes much of the cutting-edge-feature-list. While all of the 3 major OS's do fine for normal things, like easy installs onto Desktops, MS has limitations, Linux gets complex, and Apple costs money. Hopefully this was of interest to some :) Hen On Sat, 4 Jan 2003, Henri Yandell wrote: > Yet another reason why XP sucketh. | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will | be January 28. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>.
