Hi, for some reason I can't connect online to my wireless router in a Power User account. I have to fiddle around with it a lot to make it work (disable wireless adapter, uncheck box so windows won't configure wireless...then set them back again and again...). I don't have any problems connecting in my Administrator account.

Is there a setting in Group Policy that is affecting this loss connection? Again, it seems to happen a lot in the Power User account...because I got it working and even restarted to log back in the same account - still online, so I said great. Next day, sister turned on computer again and can't go online again. I logged into Admin...there's the internet

I'm using Windows XP Pro that's using a USB wireless adapter.

Thanks.

Only thing I can think of is some sort of power saving settings that could cause this. Anyways I'm no WinXP wizard so there might be something else too.

There must be some way around this. I had no choice but to change those Power User accounts to Administrators It's not related to the power saving mode...since it worked without any problems with Administrator rights.

I'm open to any other suggestions.

Thanks.

Hello,

I do not see why a Power User account should be prevented from connecting to the network --- just experimented with my XP Pro wireless mobile PC, creating a Power User account and it has no problem.

It's true a Power User account cannot change network settings, but once you make a successful connection configuration with an Administrator account, the Power User account should simply inherit it.

Maybe we need a couple of troubleshooting, to narrow down the possible cause.

Using this PC, can you possibly try the followings maybe?
1. connect to LAN with a LAN cable, and see if problem exists with the Power User account.
2. move the PC closer to the wireless router, and see if the problem still reproduces.
3. change the USB wireless adaptor to any other wireless adaptor (preferably not a USB one), and see if that changes anything.

And two questions:
1. Is the Power User virtually "losing" connection that is once established, without any reboots and/or PC power off/on? Or is it that a Power User cannot connect to the LAN first of all, after start up?
2. Have you assigned a static IP to the PC, or is it configured to obtain it from the DHCP?

I am in little doubt if your problem is maybe related to the USB wireless adaptor + Windows XP problem:
When you restart your Windows XP-based computer, you cannot connect to your wireless network

Didn't try connecting it to my home network yet using ethernet cable, but I don't think that's possible. Room where the router is and the computer is kind of far (too far for the cables to reach either way).

I don't think it's a problem with the distance for the wireless problem. I have no problems at all in my Administrator account. Once I log back in the Power User account...havoc begins. I have to do so many things and hope it works. For example, I tried removing my network profile (with SSID, password, etc.). Then uncheck the box so Windows will not configure it. I tried using the program (TrendNet) that came with the wireless adapter and sometimes it works and sometimes not (don't know why). If all else fails, I try disabling the wireless adapter and enabling it again...hoping it picks up some signal so I can enter in my wireless credentials again. But the same thing again, it may not let me connect at times. Everything is installed properly...I'm 100% sure since I don't have any problems whatsoever with the wireless in my Administrator account.

Power User can't connect at startup at all. I think it connected before (rarely?) and then stopped. Comes and goes...

I actually just assigned the static IP like 2 days ago (was DHCP server assigned before). I will try changing those accounts back to Power User (they are admin. now).

Read the Microsoft article...it seems to apply only to a restart. The problem here is on a cold bootup (but probably applies to restart also...didn't keep track of that).

I'll try to change some settings here and there again to see what can be done. Read somewhere the other day that if I don't set Windows to connect automatically to preferred networks, then it may work. I'll try to post an update on this.

Still open to any comments just in case this fails Thanks.