WIFI managers

[stevo1210]

I am using Windows ME on a laptop computer using a Cisco systems Aironet PCM-350 PCMCIA WIFI adaptor.
I have the driver installed but I have no wireless connection manager. This means that my adaptor works with Windows but I cannot connect to any wireless networks.
What are some wireless connection software that I can use??
When I used Windows 2000 on this laptop computer, I used BVRP connection manager lite, but since I have reverted to Windows ME (due to performance issues) the software does not work with Windows ME.

Thanks.

[kikkoman]

Re: WIFI managers

no idea about the connection software (but if you know the chipset, you can try driver+app from other brands, works in most cases).

be aware that WPA won't work under Win ME (AFAIK)

[starfury1]

Re: WIFI managers

well no idea
stevo on that but did a bit of searching...don't know if it will be of use or even make sense bit tired here to think about it really

did find this

Cisco AIR-PCM350

* Driver : airo
* Chipset : Cisco Aironet
* Special Notes : Monitor mode is supported however the firmware needs to be downgraded if one sees garbled output from airodump-ng wifi0.

stuffed if I know what it means ? (backtrack2 ?)

At this site

http://melbourne.wireless.org.au/wik...ows_98_2000_me

Windows
Windows 98/2000/ME
The Aironet Client Utility (ACU) is a good tool for configuring the Aironet devices.

drivers link dead thought


http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/...scg/pc_ch2.htm

below is a link but on the DL you need to sign in or something

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/...ries_home.html


hope something there is of some help

Cheers

winxp
http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/www/HowTo...WirelessXP.htm

[shadow]

Re: WIFI managers

Try this software: http://www.wirelesssecuritycorp.com/...PAAssistant.do

It is a free Wireless Manager that works under Windows 98, ME and 2000. Brilliant piece of software!

I use it on my Windows 2000 boxes because the wireless manager included with all the possible drivers that would work on my network card basically suck. They do not run as a service (like this application does) and as such WPA does not work until someone is logged on. Damn annoying!!! Windows 98 and ME do not have services (as far as I know) and I am sure that the wireless manager included with my network cards would work much better.

[starfury1]

Re: WIFI managers

thanks shadow

[stevo1210]

Re: WIFI managers

Try this software: http://www.wirelesssecuritycorp.com/...PAAssistant.do

It is a free Wireless Manager that works under Windows 98, ME and 2000. Brilliant piece of software!

I use it on my Windows 2000 boxes because the wireless manager included with all the possible drivers that would work on my network card basically suck. They do not run as a service (like this application does) and as such WPA does not work until someone is logged on. Damn annoying!!! Windows 98 and ME do not have services (as far as I know) and I am sure that the wireless manager included with my network cards would work much better.

I installed it onto my Windows ME laptop and it won't run and comes up with a BSOD. So my solution to this was to use a Xircom 10/100 CardbusII ethernet adaptor so I can get onto the internet. I think I need a new Wireless card.
I think a cheapo generic $15 one off eBay should do the trick.
It's a real shame because this Cisco wireless card is really good except I don't have the wireless utility (I have drivers though) because I was given this card.

Thanks.

Thanks.

[bgavin]

Re: WIFI managers

I am using Windows ME on a laptop computer...

There is your first problem...

ME and Vista.. right up there with New Coke.



Yessir, Windows CE, ME, and NT make up Windows CEMENT. Guaranteed to sink your computing experience.

[shadow]

Re: WIFI managers

My experiences with Windows ME were pretty good. It was virtually exactly the same as Windows 98SE!

Windows NT 4 was gun! Too bad it does not have native USB support and a few other extras.

Never used Windows CE, I can't comment on it.

BTW Stevo, I also have a few other Wireless Managers. Just have to dig them up and find out what OS's they support.

[shadow]

Re: WIFI managers

I got the newest official driver bundle from the Cisco website for you stevo. I could not upload it here on the badcaps website for some reason. Oh well. Here is the link: http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e_Bundle_2.zip

It has the newest drivers and the newest ACU (Aironet Client Utility) that will work with Windows 98 (and hence Windows ME). I think it also has the newest firmware upgrade in the package as well. I have never seen firmware upgrades for NIC's, however I guess this is a corporate CISCO product that we are talking about and not some cheapo product like I am using.

[stevo1210]

Re: WIFI managers

I got the newest official driver bundle from the Cisco website for you stevo. I could not upload it here on the badcaps website for some reason. Oh well. Here is the link: http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e_Bundle_2.zip

It has the newest drivers and the newest ACU (Aironet Client Utility) that will work with Windows 98 (and hence Windows ME). I think it also has the newest firmware upgrade in the package as well. I have never seen firmware upgrades for NIC's, however I guess this is a corporate CISCO product that we are talking about and not some cheapo product like I am using.

Thank you so much, Shadow!!.

I got the Cisco card working now by using the utility you uploaded. It works perfectly on Windows ME.
Now I just have to figure out a way to make it connect to my network instead of someone elses network.

Thanks.

[starfury1]

Re: WIFI managers

I just have to figure out a way to make it connect to my network instead of someone elses network.

A typical, someone running an unsecured network

First off, Stevo make sure you AP has a different name to the default one in the box.
used the highest security supported by all your cards and AP
then use a nice long password random key
turn off the SSID broadcast on your AP

usually the easy way is setup without encryption then secure everything
then turn off the SSID

how you get there is up to you
others here, really into wireless probably have better ideas on this thought

also make sure (again depending) you are on the right channel
(Aust 1~11 USA have 1~13 available, not sure but think latest security is channel hopping I'll have to refresh what the story is there))

this (depending) is not 100% safe but its "lot better" then being in the position of "someone elses!"

few links to browse if you feel like it

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...ess_secure.htm

http://netsecurity.about.com/od/hack.../aa072004b.htm

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1428

(page 4~5)

http://www.intranetjournal.com/artic...07_10_03a.html

(page 2)

http://lifehacker.com/software/wifi/...ork-162754.php

didn't really read them but they look like they will have most of what you need to know just need to apply the outline to your network.

Thanks again shadow too.....thats the sort of stuff I was looking for but my searching was not going well and I was stuffed .

HTH Stevo

Wireless along with leaving your P2P in sharing mode with Uploads now being counted as DL can leave you in a whole world of hurt.

So make sure you have at lest some security running on your wireless.

Generally speaking here

Using an unsecured network without permission is illegal
just cause they left the front door open doesn't give anyone the right to step through it
but wireless network gear is designed to find available networks
so there is not much you can do about "Seeing" it if its broadcasting all over the place, its presents...you just don't "use" it
(and I hear 10,000 war drivers say why not)

cheers

[stevo1210]

Re: WIFI managers

My AP has a different name to my neighbours network but some of my PCs (Vista ones) decide to connect to my neighbours network instead and everytime when windows is loaded, I have to switch it over to my network. It's a real PITA. Unfortunately that's how Vista wants to do things so from a 5 minute bootup, I have to make it 7 because I have to switch wireless networks for obvious security reasons. Could it be because I have a WEP security code??

Oh and I got the wireless on my Cisco card functioning correctly. In fact I'm typing this with it.

Thanks.

[kikkoman]

Re: WIFI managers

don't have much experience with vista (every time i've seen it so far, i've scrapped it immediately) but this is what i know:

http://safari.oreilly.com/9780789737779/ch07lev1sec5

if all your clients' adapters support it, use WPA.
WEP can be cracked within a few hours, even with MAC filter enabled and SSID broadcast disabled. those options aren't worth a toss.
i've tried it recently just for fun - it's easy as pie.

[starfury1]

Re: WIFI managers

well no idea on Vista
but shouldn't it have some way of setting a "default" connection?

every time i've seen it so far, I've scrapped it immediately

obviously no Vista Fanboy LOL...dont blame you

yeah as above too...the best you got, use it
WEP is better then nothing though.
but his right you may as well have nothing if someone wants to really crack it
there are tools to make the job easy from what little I know

Cheers

[kikkoman]

Re: WIFI managers

but his right you may as well have nothing if someone wants to really crack it

if you choose your pw wisely (ideally randomized with symbols, numbers, upper/lower case), it's a huge difference since WPA cracking requires brute-forcing. you'd need months....at least.
afaik, wordlists work too, but you won't find such a pass"word" in those.
even rainbow tables won't stand a chance against such a combination.

in order to crack WEP, however, all you need is to listen to some traffic -usually a few hours, but it can be sped up (in extreme cases a matter of 10 min.), the cracking itself takes about ten seconds, no matter what the password is.

IMHO using WEP is GROSSLY negligent.

[shadow]

Re: WIFI managers

On my network I use WPA with a random maximum size pre-shared key. I think that is 56 characters with random characters, mixed case and symbols. As kikkoman says, there is no easy way to get past WPA security yet (and there probably won't be because it has been around for ages and no fundamental flaw has been discovered like with WEP).

[shadow]

Re: WIFI managers

This is the website that I have used to get my random WPA key: http://www.kurtm.net/wpa-pskgen/

The maximum length is actually 63 characters. These keys would take a damn long time to crack using brute-force methods.

The best I could find about fixing your default wireless connection issue on Vista machines is this quote: "In the tray right click on the icon and select wireless conections and choose your connection as default."

Very vague. Maybe from that you can figure out what you are supposed to do to set a default wireless connection.

[starfury1]

Re: WIFI managers

I use WPA with a random maximum size pre-shared key. I think that is 56 characters with random characters, mixed case and symbols. As kikkoman says,

thats my understanding, the more random and longer the better.
(and yeah I thought it was 64 bit, I do vaguely remember something funny with it and the number 56..that could be why you had that in mind)

The best I could find about fixing your default wireless connection issue on Vista machines is this quote: "In the tray right click on the icon and select wireless connections and choose your connection as default."

from memory there is with WinXP so suppose there has to be with Vista

I got a feeling its somewhere when you "search" for wireless networks once it finds them you can select one as default.

I don't know for sure thought.
(not really setup on this machine so I cant run thought it)

just to clarify my comment

but his right you may as well have nothing if someone wants to really crack it

this in regards to WEP security only.
(should have said that to make it clearer thought)

WEP is better then nothing and would keep noobs out but someone who wanted to crack it could without much trouble.
(I've read through the "how to's" just never bothered to put it to the test on my own network)

all new stuff has stronger security onboard
but watch some of the older stuff,

hers a wiki for those wondering what we are talking about

I have read its possible to setup a VPN too (for the really paranoid)
not sure on the wireless side of things now, forgotten exactly what I read
but guess there must be some real negatives to doing it or other wise it would be real popular I suppose.
(although quick search seems education, (uni's etc) places are using it)

I'll have to look into that

Cheers

[shadow]

Re: WIFI managers

Connecting to a wireless network through VPN is very secure. There are extremely secure protocols that VPN's can utilise. The main issue with it is that you basically need a server. Most home users will not have a computer (really a server) running 24x7 for sharing the Internet, DNS, DHCP, VPN etc.

[stevo1210]

Re: WIFI managers

I set my Dlink router to WPA security mode earlier this week and had to switch back to WEP encryption because the Cisco Aironet adaptor in my laptop didn't support WPA and only WEP.