New Windows XP Service Pack 3 Glitch Renders Wi-Fi Adapters Useless

Yesterday I was working with a couple of my technicians in Schrock Innovations’ Lincoln Service Center, and we started noticing a problem with the adapters in the notebook computers on the bench.

One by one each notebook’s wireless network adapter stopped working. We were getting the following error from the Windows Zero Configuration Service :

Windows is unable to find a certificate to log you on to the network [Network name here]

After comparing our notes on the three separate units, we realized we had all just installed Windows XP Service Pack 3 before the problem occurred.

We went into the properties for the network adapter and turned off the 802.11x Authentication (the source of the error) which was somehow turned on by Service Pack 3 as far as we could tell. But after rebooting the computer the authentication would turn its self back on every time.

After some trial and error, we developed a procedure to resolve the issue. Leave me a comment if this has been helpful to you.

1. Right click on Network Places
2. Left click on Properties
3. Right click on the wireless connection icon
4. Left click on Properties
5. Select the Wireless Networks Tab
6. Left click on the Properties button
7. Left click on the Authentication Tab
8. Uncheck Enable IEEE 802.1xx authentication for this network
9. Left click OK
10. Remove all wireless networks from the list of networks
11. Pres OK
12. Reboot your computer
13. When Windows pops a balloon about available wireless networks, click it
14. Reconnect to your secure wireless network with your WEP or other key