Big problem with USB Network Adapter

[OK]

Hey,

I cannot get my 3Com USB Network Adapter (3CRWE254G72) to work anymore. This is the case:

I'm on a part wired, part wireless LAN with a Barricade router as IP .1 and a 3Com wireless router as IP .2. I use the Barricade as gateway and DHCP server. The LAN works fine. I use Win XP.

The USB adapter has worked fine for about half a year now, although it has failed from time to time (connection dropped, but that could be router related), but I could always fix it by rebooting or similar.

Now, I can't get on the internet anymore, not with DHCP, not with manually assigned IP-address. I've uninstalled and reinstalled latest drivers without effect. Think I'm up to "Wireless connection #9 now", don't know where the others have gone.

Things to note when I use a manually assigned IP-address:
-Internet does not work, but
-I can ping the gateway (Barricade) and get 100% reply.
-I can ping the primary DNS server and get 100% reply.
-I can ping all other computers in the network and my own computer and get 100% reply.
-When I try to open "Network Connections" from Start Menu or My Computer, the taskbar or the "My Computer"-window hangs, respectively (unclickable).
-The icon with two computers symbolizing a network connection is not displayed in the taskbar.
-I can successfully connect to the internet with my computer using a network cable (not the USB adapter).
-Other computers in the network (wired/wireless) work flawlessly.

What is going on now? Clearly I have a connection (it is also indicated by lights on the USB adapter), so why doesn't this work?

I need your help guys!

[Midknyte]

disable the wireless zero config service and use the 3com utility to connect to the network.

[OK]

Hey again,

I found that the WZC service was already disabled. As an experiment, I disabled the 3Com network utility and enabled WZC. The result was...weird. The "Wireless network connection 8" icon appeared, but it says that "Wireless connection not available". However, I can now connect to the internet! I use a manually assigned IP address now.

I guess I should be satisfied with the internet working, but why does it show up as "not available"? I'm not connected with a network cable at the moment.

//EDIT I also have another question concerning this USB Adapter. Every time I physically remove it from the computer and reinsert it it wants me to reinstall the drivers! Why does it need to? Any way to avoid this, because I have to type in the network information from scratch every time.

[Midknyte]

that's why i hate usb network adapters. :rolleyes:

you can also try this:
http://www.overclockers.com/tips1190/

[OK]

Well, I'm not too fond of them either :)

Anyway, I can get Internet to work here now, by fiddling a bit with WZC and turning off the 3Com network utility. I currently use "Wireless Network Connection 7". Don't know where 8 and 9 went...

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.