Do you use ThinkVantage Access Connections ?

I would like to know if it's better to use the ThinkVantage Access Connections or not. At the moment, I'm using the Network and Sharing Center to connect to my wireless network. What do you think about that ??

THX

 

The capabilities that are built into Windows work flawlessly for me. There’s nothing currently in Access Connections that can convince me enough to add yet more bloat/software to my system.

 

I don't use it myself. It may offer some benefits if you're using multiple networks.

 

no.

Windows wireless works awesome, lol.

 

It's good if you use multiple networks.

Access Connections can set up different security settings (for each connection), launch VPN clients, automatically change your homepage/default printer, set Static IPs for only one connection (I use this for high speed transfer over a crossover GigE cable), radio transmit power, and a few other features.

It is very convenient if you have a wide variety of different connections. However, if you only need to connect at home/work and neither have any special considerations, you should be fine with the Windows version.

 

And did you uninstall it ??

 

I don't use it but apparently it is required for some other thinkvantage apps to fully function.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=339319

 

I use it and it works well for me on my R61, whereas my wife's Dell coonecting via Windows wireless is constantly having trouble talking to our wireless router, even though the signal strength is excellent. So Access Connections is one of the TP utilities I kept. ~john

 

Sorry for interrupting with a stupid question: how do you make wireless connection using Windows? I always press the blue ThinkVantage button, then Power On Wireless Radio, then Find Wireless Network. I didn't know there is another way. (FYI I have Windows XP Pro.)

 

There should be an icon in your system tray where you can select the wireless network you would like to connect to.

 

I can confirm that as described in the above referenced thread, Access Connections is NOT required for any other ThinkVantage apps to function.

As described, the poster mis-spoke. Active Protection IS required for the Power Manager to manage certain events, but not Access Connections.

I do not use Access Connections, because I prefer managing network connections using Vista. Access Connections is buggy, and is an unnecessary add-on which gets in the way when debugging network connection problems

 

Your wireless card must be ON. Go to your Control Panel and look at your Network Devices.. I think there is a wizard to set up a wireless network there..

 

Using the ThinkVantage Access Connections. It's very good.

If using windows'.., always drop the connections..

 

ThinkVantage Access Connections came with my T61p so out of curiosity I set the system up to use it and not Windows Wireless Network Connections. Now I use it for how easy it is to switch between work, public/friends wifi to home as well as how easily I can set up ad-hoc peer to peer situations. Easy with another Lenovo.. not so easy with Dells. I find it convenient that I can save many different network configs and just choose from a drop down. I've honestly had zero connection problems with it. That said, I occasionally get an odd desktop/icon flickering when I power on the wifi. Not sure if it's related to Access Connections. I just haven't had the time to troubleshoot it.

 

I am not setting up a network, but just want to use whatever it can find in the location where I happen to be. Using the wireless icon in the system tray, when I open it and click on "Refresh network list", I always got "no wireless networks were found in the range", but if I use ThinkVantage there are many networks available that can be seen.

 

I use it. It works well for me, I've never had an issue with it, unlike some of the other ThinkVantage apps that my T61p came with.

 

General conclusion seems to be: if you connect to A LOT of different networks (especially those with unique settings), you may benefit from the extra functionality of Access Connections (I know I do). However, if you only connect to a couple of networks with identical security requirements, then the built in Windows wireless manager should be adequate (although Access Connections will still work fine).

 

^ I dont think so

when you connect one time with Windows wireless, it remembers the settings. So if you connect to say 5 different networks over the week, they will be all remembered .. so that when you get within range of one of those, you connect automatically with no problems. Or set it to manual connect if you wish, still with no need to preconfigure the connection.

or if you don't want the connection anymore, just delete it from the list.

IMO, no need to install programs that do same thing that windows does, and does pretty good indeed

so at the end, each to his/her own prefferences

 

Has anyone used Intel Proset Wireless software in lieu of Access Connections? If yes, what has been the experience? I saw someone using it in her X200 but don't know how effectively it functions?

 

like others have said, AC is a multi-network management app. it's effective and makes life a lot easier. for the record, windows sucks at managing multiple wireless networks.

 

I have a R61e Thinkpad running XP. Originally it mostly worked, after an update it would frequently drop the connection. I uninstalled it and went back to the default Windows XP method. Has been perfect ever since.

 

Access Connections seems ok but typically it has a hard time figuring out what type of encrypted network it is trying to connect to.
In this case, it seems that it is up to the user to figure out what type of network security encryption they should use (e.g. WEP, WPA, 802.1X).
This can be a difficult task depending if the user is at a location they are not familiar with and only know their password but nothing else.

Can somebody confirm that is not just me or whether there is a way to make Access Connections figure out the encryption being used just like the default Windows Wireless Manager? thx