Video Screencast Help
Search Video Help Close Back
to help
New in the Rewards Catalog: Vouchers for "Symantec Technical Specialist" and "Symantec Certified Specialist" exams.

Wireless Zero Configuration turns off (NOT what you think!)

Updated: 21 May 2010 | 6 comments
SolidAltar's picture
0 0 Votes
Login to vote
Hello,
 
Let me preface that I have searched Google and the boards for this problem but I have not found anything like it.  Feel free to just hand me a link if you already know the solution.  I am not talking about the error that we would get about not being able to turn off the Wireless Zero Configuration service when installing Endpoint.
 
We run Windows XP2 SP2 on Thinkpad T42's and T61's.  This problem has occurred on BOTH of them.  We have tried a fresh XP install with different driver versions for various hardware and we always get the same result:
 
When "Symantec Network Access Control" service is turned ON the "Wireless Zero Configuration" service is sent a STOP command.  Reversed, when "Symantec Network Access Control" service is turned OFF the Wireless Zero Configuration is sent a START command. Is that weird or what?
 
The below is the System event log with my username replaced with Domain\User
 
(POST IS CONTINUED AFTER THIS LOG)
----------------------
5/25/2008 2:13:08 PM Tcpip Information None 4201 N/A TESTT42F2 The system detected that network adapter \DEVICE\TCPIP_{6C4BFA4C-4BFD-4CB9-BB64-0643726B34BE} was connected to the network, and has initiated normal operation over the network adapter.
5/25/2008 2:13:06 PM Dhcp Warning None 1003 N/A TESTT42F2 Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 000CF164C116.  The following error occurred:
The operation was canceled by the user. . Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.
5/25/2008 2:13:05 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A TESTT42F2 The Symantec Network Access Control service entered the stopped state.
5/25/2008 2:13:03 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A TESTT42F2 The Wireless Zero Configuration service entered the running state.
5/25/2008 2:13:03 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM TESTT42F2 The Wireless Zero Configuration service was successfully sent a start control.
5/25/2008 2:13:03 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 Domain\User TESTT42F2 The Symantec Network Access Control service was successfully sent a stop control.
5/25/2008 2:12:58 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A TESTT42F2 The Wireless Zero Configuration service entered the stopped state.
5/25/2008 2:12:57 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM TESTT42F2 The Wireless Zero Configuration service was successfully sent a stop control.
5/25/2008 2:12:54 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A TESTT42F2 The Wireless Zero Configuration service entered the running state.
5/25/2008 2:12:54 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM TESTT42F2 The Wireless Zero Configuration service was successfully sent a start control.
5/25/2008 2:12:54 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A TESTT42F2 The Symantec Network Access Control service entered the running state.
5/25/2008 2:12:54 PM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 Domain\User TESTT42F2 The Symantec Network Access Control service was successfully sent a start control.
-----------
 
The Wireless Zero Configuration service is used for Windows "View Availiable Wireless Networks" screen.  With it off that screen will not show a list of wireless networks.
 
I think this only happened after I installed this update, which allows Windows to use WPA2 encryption.  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=662bb74d-e7c1-48d6-95ee-1459234f4483&displaylang=en
 
Any ideas?  I have literally spent 10 hours of banging my head against a desk to get this far.

Comments

SolidAltar's picture
25
May
2008
0 Votes 0
Login to vote

Addition 1:  We are using SEP 11.0 Maintenance Release 2 11.0.2000.1567.  Problem also occurs on older versions of client.
 
Addition 2:  I have not uninstalled the hotfix because before we sysprep an image we remove the hotfix installers to reduce the size.  I have tried to install then uninstall but it detects that it is already installed and doesn't do anything.  =(
 
Thank you for any help - I'm looking for any suggestion no matter how wierd!  Thanks!



Message Edited by SolidAltar on 05-25-2008 08:23 PM

FSGDAG's picture
25
May
2008
0 Votes 0
Login to vote

Does it have anything to do with your Firewall Policies in SEP? We had a similar issue. It wasn't that the Wireless Zero Client was being turned off. We use certificates to do computer authentication on our wireless laptops and we were unable to have RADIUS authenticate any of the certificates with the firewall policy turned on.
 
Not sure how much it will help
figo's picture
26
May
2008
0 Votes 0
Login to vote

what is your general setting in SEPM policy (group policy->general Setting->security setting)

if what your select is "transparent mode".

try to use "allow user to select...", and update the client's policy.

then it may make sense.

thanks

SolidAltar's picture
26
May
2008
0 Votes 0
Login to vote

Addition 3:  I can turn the WZC service on and it works for a few moments until it is sent a stop command again.  I see the stop command in the event log so as far as I can tell it is not crashing.  The WZC service is responsible for browsing, selecting, and authenticating to a wireless network without using third-party software.
 
FSGDAG, thank you for your reply!  What were the symptoms you got - did it give you the error "Unable to configure this wireless network" or something similar in the Windows wireless menu?
FSGDAG's picture
26
May
2008
0 Votes 0
Login to vote

Well... Our laptops are setup to authenticate prior to getting to the Windows Logon screen. So when users weren't able to login, we noticed the problem.
 
Something else struck me about your latest reply. Could the problem be located in your policy for Application and Device Control???
 
I'm far from an expert, but I am a thinker :)  Hope this gives you a starting point :)
SolidAltar's picture
26
May
2008
0 Votes 0
Login to vote

FSGDAG, yes that helps!  I've had a feeling that this is a problem with the settings since I seem to be the only one with this most confusing of problems.  I feel like an idiot that I spent hours and hours trying different Intel wireless drivers and configuration files of the driver thinking that was the problem.

For various versions I won't have access to the console until Tuesday (tomorrow) so right now I'm trying to gather all the ideas and information that I can.