How to start windows wireless service automatically?

Hi,

I am on a wired network but some times when I try to connect to a wireless network, I cant see any networks.. Then I have to diagnose and there is a pop up window which says "start windows wireless service" as the first option.. and then when I do that, I can see the networks and connect.

Now, I have WLAN config in the services set to 'manual' (this the default for Vista Ultimate). Should I set it to 'automatic'? And if I set it to automatic, then will there be any error when i start the system, because as I mentioned i used wireless not always.. I use the wireless switch on the right (Dell XPS M1530) to turn on/off as is needed. So if its off, and services WLAN config is set to automatic, will I get any error?

Finally, I saw this on the web -

1. regedit
2. [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE]\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\ndisuio
3. Change Start to "0x000000002 (2)"
4. Restart

* my value currently is 3, and this the default value I guess.

Would this work or it is more safe / simple to just change the services settings to automatic from manual? Can someone please enlighten me? Thanks a lot.

Btw, drivers and devices and everything are working fine for the adapter.

Cheers and thanks again.

 

Set it to automatic. It is normally set to manual in notebooks having a hardware switch to switch on/off the internal WLAN card.
There should be no errors as it will manage WLAN connections only when it is connected via WLAN.

 

This person had the same issue. See my recommendation in post #12. You got it! Change it to 2

Edit: And it should be set to Automatic. No harm in doing that!

 

Thanks a ton people..

A small doubt.. if I set the WLAN autoconfig to automatic (or I can even set it to automatic (delayed start) no?), should I still change the registry entries to value 2?? Because I have no idea what this reg thing does.. (sorry if it is a silly Q, but i dont know these things)

Thanks people.

 

I am not sure. I normally don't make any registry changes unless I actually need to. And sometimes the changes made by me manually are reverted back to default by the various registry cleaning programs or windows itself.
Found this for WLAN AutoConfig. Try googling that service.

 

Thanks again mate.. for now I think I will just check the services part and I am also bit scared to touch the registry things...

and lol... I actually follow this blackviper thingy too Its really nice no??? But anyways, thanks and I will follow it up from here Cheers mate.

 

For the record, setting the START value to 2 IS setting it to automatic. You can confirm this by setting the value to AUTOMATIC in the Services.msc control console and then going back in the registry

All services use the following start values

2=automatic
3=manual
4=disabled

 

Ah... now its more clear Thanks a lot. I didn't know this.

 

Most settings you make through the user interface are really just user-friendly ways of modifying the registry.


It seems to me that 0 and 1 also do something....I think one hides the service and the other is for debugging...cannot recall. I swear, the old memory is not what it used to be....

 

Automatically settings is recommendable.

 

Hey wireless man *nice uname*

Yeah I am setting it to 'automatic' in services.. and then when I need the wireless, I just turn on the hardware switch

Thanks.

 

That's correct. Airlines will start offering Internet now but other don't, so it's very handy to have the switch to turn Internet off w/o going through the whole network shut-off process.

 

it is also the default for this service as well--in the first post you said it was set to manual.

Some third party wireless connection apps will set it to manual for you as they don't always get along with windows built in wireless configuration .

 

Yes the default in Vista Ult., is 'manual'..

So u mean some third party wireless connection apps will set it to manual even if select automatic???

 

yes...I've seen netgear's app do it, and thinkpad software do it recently--expect quite a few do

 

lol... ok, thanks for that..

So what do u suggest??? leave it at manual as is the default... and use may be just connect using the diagnostics tool when it pops up and start the windows wireless??

or may be before i know I am gonna use the wireless I will set it automatic... and hope that I dont have any third party app' thats going to keep putting it back.. lol.. thanks anyways..

 

Uhm, I missed this in your last post, but pretty sure the default for Ultimate is Automatic...I don't have any fresh installs around....did until five minutes ago when I blew up a fresh install to test something.

But, anyway, I leave mine on automatic and turning the wireless adapter on and off with the switch works just fine.

 

Nope, I think and I am pretty sure too, that the default for Ultimate with SP1 is manual.. may be for vista ultimate w/o SP1 it was automatic.. I am not sure.. *may be MS changed it back to manual with SP1 since they figured out some third part apps are messing with it?!?!?*

Quick Reference:

http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm

And also someone posted before..

Anyway, for now I am having it at the default value but its started since I was using the wireless.. of course for this I had to turn on the hardware switch, then connect to network, diagnose and all that bs popup, first choice to 'start windows wireless service'...

Once started, there is an option on the left pane in network n sharing center, which takes you directly to the wireless network windows..

Anyways...

 

well, there you go...I stand corrected.

That doesn't make sense to me since wireless is such a basic part of computers these days, but if you and BV say it's so, it must be so.

Wish I would checked that fresh install just the same....I'm not curious enough to go back and install it again, tho....maybe later....putting a linux distro through its paces at the moment.