HP Wireless Connection Profile Manager

[Brad Adrian]

<a href="http://www.hp.com/solutions1/corporatebusiness/wcm/">http://www.hp.com/solutions1/corporatebusiness/wcm/</a><br /><br />Do you own a Compaq WL110 PC 802.11b wireless card? Do you need to access multiple wireless networks, each with different configuration needs? If you answered "Yes" to both questions, you might want to try out Hewlett-Packard's free connection manager.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/hpconnect1.jpg" /><br /><br />"The HP Wireless Connection Manager is designed to make easy work of configuring your notebook or Pocket PC to automatically connect to 802.11b wireless networks. After you download the software, it instantly generates new location or wireless network profiles based on your current network configurations. It will also help you create profiles for new networks, automatically connect to preferred ones, and choose between overlapping ones. <br /><br />"Once established, these profiles are used for automatic connection to wireless networks, eliminating the need for manual reconfigurations. The HP Wireless Connection Manager also automatically detects and notifies you when you are in the range of wireless signals and provides you with the option of logging into known networks or subscribing to new networks."<br /><br />This looks like a great piece of software for anybody who has to keep navigating between WLANs. I really wanted to try it out, but unfortunately, I don't own the required card; the software will not install without the Compaq WL110 PC 802.11b wireless card. Anybody out there want to let us know if it's as helpful as it seems?

[nirav28]

Too bad its only for compaq 802.11b cards. I could really use this. I have to constantly keep changing my wlan cf card settings from static ip to dhcp whenever i leave the house and go to a place that has wlan access via dynamically assigned ips.

[JonnoB]

I can see uses for this in my Pocket PC, but in a notebook it is already possible to have multiple profiles with static and dhcp connections in each along with variable encryption options for each type of connection.

[Ravenswing]

Too bad its only for compaq 802.11b cards. I could really use this. I have to constantly keep changing my wlan cf card settings from static ip to dhcp whenever i leave the house and go to a place that has wlan access via dynamically assigned ips.

From the graphics shown, I don't think it would help you. Whether DHCP is used isn't a function of the wireless settings, it's a network adapter setting. This thing looks like it just takes care of wireless settings.

As for me, I have an Orinoco 802.11b PC card, and the software for that already allows you to define multiple profiles for different WLAN environments. I guess HP are just catching up.

[fmcpherson]

This type of functionality should come standard with all 802.11b cards and devices. As public hotspots become more available we will need ways to quickly change settings, particularly WEP and SSID. For example, there is no easy way to do this with my Toshiba E740.

[GadgetDave]

This type of functionality should come standard with all 802.11b cards and devices. As public hotspots become more available we will need ways to quickly change settings, particularly WEP and SSID. For example, there is no easy way to do this with my Toshiba E740.

Agreed - one piece I don't like about the WiFi in the e740. (But I won't give it up!!!)

But for a notebook, Win XP does this - the "Wireless Zero Config" service takes care of this (as long as you have compatible hardware - many 802.11b cards are). I have my notebook set up with Home, Work, and Airport profiles, and it detects where I am and connects beautifully.

MS, give us that for the PPC!!

[Grey]

On the page for the download is also a link to the latest HpCompaq drivers for there wl110 card, this is the same card as the Orinoco, so install there driver and the software will also work for your Orinoco card, and my guess any card based on this one.

Grey

[msprague]

On the page for the download is also a link to the latest HpCompaq drivers for there wl110 card, this is the same card as the Orinoco, so install there driver and the software will also work for your Orinoco card, and my guess any card based on this one.

Grey
Is there any danger of damaging a device by experimenting with "un-approved" drivers? For example I have a Socket WLAN CompactFlash card and I have been using the Symbol Wireless Networker driver with it for about a week now because I was having "issues" with the Socket driver. Hey, they looked like the same card. I have been happy with the Symbol driver. Is there any harm in trying these wl110 drivers out as well? I know that they may not function, but will I do damage?
Thanks,
http://michael.sprague.name/pocketpc/

[Janak Parekh]

Is there any danger of damaging a device by experimenting with "un-approved" drivers? For example I have a Socket WLAN CompactFlash card and I have been using the Symbol Wireless Networker driver with it for about a week now because I was having "issues" with the Socket driver. Hey, they looked like the same card. I have been happy with the Symbol driver. Is there any harm in trying these wl110 drivers out as well? I know that they may not function, but will I do damage?
The Compaq drivers won't work, at all. They won't detect the card, nada. The Symbol and Socket cards are hardwarewise identical (they co-manufactured it) - that's why you were able to swap drivers.

By the way, Orinoco has had profile support for years and years for their cards -- for both Win32 and WinCE. They were also one of the first to support 802.11 on WinCE. Unfortunately, they only manufacture PC cards, not CF cards...

--bdj

[commander66]

I wanted to test the Wireless Connection Manager a few minutes ago.
After downloading I tried to install but the software will not work under Windows XP. What´s that ? A joke ? :?

[Pony99CA]

By the way, Orinoco has had profile support for years and years for their cards -- for both Win32 and WinCE. They were also one of the first to support 802.11 on WinCE. Unfortunately, they only manufacture PC cards, not CF cards...

That sounds great, but I have two problems with Orinoco cards.

First, I use 128-bit WEP on my home WLAN, and no Orinoco products seem to support this. The Silver card only supports 64-bit WEP encryption, while the Gold supports 128-bit RC4 encryption. I'd have to change my Router/Access Point to get high-grade encryption.

Second, it seems hard to find Orinoco products (at least on Amazon). Apparently Proxim bought out Agere, and Amazon doesn't carry these any more. I went to Proxim's Web site and found where Orinoco lives now. Check out Orinoco Wireless (http://www.orinocowireless.com).

Not having a CF card product actually isn't a big deal to me, as I have the dual PCMCIA sleeve.

Steve

[dunneldeen]

I wanted to test the Wireless Connection Manager a few minutes ago.
After downloading I tried to install but the software will not work under Windows XP. What´s that ? A joke ? :?

Windows XP has wireless connection management built in, why would you need this?