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Vista networking bugs
Networking is impossible to avoid these days and somehow it doesn’t seem possible to use a computer without the internet. The trouble is, Vista does seem to have made this harder than with Windows XP.
This is partly due to the extra steps involved in getting to settings, although I recognise that this may not irritate less confident users as it does me. Even so, I’ve had situations where I just cannot get connected to a network. In one case I spent around half an hour trying to get a wired connection to work, until giving up and using wireless. I’d used wired because I’ve found it to be the most reliable. You plug the cable in, a little green light appears and everything works. No worries about interference or WEP/WPA codes.
It seems I’m not alone as the Windows Secrets website has an article covering some of the networking bugs in Vista, specifically those affecting DHCP. DHCP is a technology that lets the computer ask a server (normally the router at home) for all the network settings.
The most likely culprit for me is a bug when a computer has more than one network adapter built in. For the record, that’s all notebooks and, given that wired networking comes built into motherboards these days, plenty of desktop computers too.
Apparently this dual adapter problem, which manifests itself as Windows reporting only local network access without the internet, is known by Microsoft, but there is no indication of when it might be fixed. Looking back this may well be what happened to me.
So for the moment, I’m sticking with using just the one network adapter at a time. Even if that means wireless when I could use wired.
I have toyed with my Dad's Vista - and it is surely more complicated. He lost his 'My Pictures' and I had a tricky time finding the folder and restoring it. In fact, in the end I've ended up with an extra 'My Pictures' which I kept and renamed for fear of deleting the real 'My Pictures' in error.
Sound like I was confused? I was.
It's down to profiles; don't the majority of users - like me and my Dad - just want one profile on their computer?
Accomodating other users - family members - is all very well; but if there's only you using it, that just makes file management a lot more complicated.
I will hang on to XP as long as I can...
posted-by Robert Ralph | December 17, 2008 9:18 PM
Vista is more user friendly, you dont have to think anymore about fixing of the bugs, Vista will work for your problems.
posted-by Lady Gaga | December 19, 2008 12:57 PM
I've had a similar problem with XP too ever since a motherboard upgrade (the board had a network adapter on too), never could get it to go away.
As for Vista, I'm not impressed at all. I've had to use it several times when I've been asked to fix friends and families PC's and it made the whole process very unpleasant. My advice is stick with XP!
posted-by Ben Dixon | December 19, 2008 2:34 PM
I just wanted to stop by and say this was inspiring. I'm looking into Vista. Thanks for the advice.
posted-by Merudh Patel | December 21, 2008 12:38 AM
I've been totally surprised by how difficult it is with Vista to connect to our wireless network. We bought a brand new Dell because we thought everything would be optimized and configured properly, but it was a joke! We had to ditch the wireless connection in the end and run an extra long cable from our router. A friend of mine has a Macbook and she can hop on and off any connection with ease. Very frustrating!
posted-by Karen | December 22, 2008 9:18 PM
This is one of the primary reasons I've held off on Vista up to this point.
With a public beta of Windows 7 looming *very* soon - possibly as early as next month, is there any information circulating yet about any potential improvements in network connectivity in Windows 7?
posted-by Mike Long | December 24, 2008 7:09 AM
I have always been told by those with Vista installed to avoid it at all costs. I have the auto update feature disabled to ensure that I don't get it by default. Is that fair comment? 'They' tell me is more complicated and unreliable.
I'm assuming if I have the auto update switched off that that will mean I don't get the latest IE patch?
If I have Norton Antivirus am I safe to carry on with IE withouth worrying about the patch?
posted-by Peter Cox | December 27, 2008 3:57 PM
I bought a new laptop almost a year ago---it's a Dell Vostro.
Just by googling Windows Vista, I came across articles about "Vista bugs" and complaints on forums.
That was enough to scare me away. I work online and live abroad, so any problems with my computer would be a big hassle.
I stuck with Windows XP and it's working fine.
posted-by Zach Zufall | December 28, 2008 6:58 PM
Networking is the bane of my existence. As a moderately tech savvy person it is humiliating to have to constantly bug my network admin buddy for help with connection problems. It all seems so simple... so "point and click", but after months I've still not resolved the issues that switching to Vista created. In general I find that connecting to the internet... wired or not... is one of the more frustrating computer problems a person can have. The service provider blames the router manufacturer, the router manufacturer blames the operating system or the anti virus and the software publishers blame the ISP with no hope of closure in site.
posted-by Jamie Sue | December 30, 2008 1:45 AM
Aargh! After months of resetting my wireless router and rebooting my laptop...the "Local Connection" (i.e. not local and internet) issue I'm constantly getting is a Vista bug!
Thanks for the heads up.
Hopefully a patch is on it's way soon.
Roll on Windows 7...
posted-by Custom Electric Guitar | January 1, 2009 4:41 PM
I'm still using Window XP and hardly have problem with it. Seems I'll never have Vista in my computer since Windows 7 is nearly to be launched. I hope this bug won't happened in Windows 7.
posted-by Casey Madaline | January 2, 2009 1:59 AM
I keep thinking, God when I am going to upgrade and finally get Vista. But then I read stuff like this and remember why I haven't. XP was never the best OS but it sure seems a better bet than Vista. I will not buy a MAC yet but I just hope they improve things with Vista soon.
posted-by why does my computer freeze | January 3, 2009 9:30 PM
What a load of rubbish your readers write, I've got Vista on two notebooks, both with wireless networking, never had a problem with either. You just have to have your computer working properly in the first place, I would never use the outdated XP again.
posted-by Egon Flaschberger | January 22, 2009 4:25 PM
I think you're being overly unsympathetic Egon. It's the having the computer set up properly in the first place that's often the problem. And keeping it that way. Wired networking had been working fine with my Vista Notebook and then suddenly stopped.
Vista has plenty of advantages but I'm still happy to use XP.
Tim
posted-by Tim Smith | January 22, 2009 4:33 PM