 Disable Wireless Adapter On Laptop At Startup, Group Policy? |
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 Apr 11 2008, 08:41 AM
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#1
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 Member  Group: Members Posts: 57 Joined: 2-June 06 Member No.: 70,462  |
Is there a way to disable the wireless adpater on a laptop at startup, either through logon, startup script, or group policy? We have serveral laptops in our company and we would like the wireless to be disabled if they plug in with via RJ-45. Thank you. -------------------- Procrastinate Now!!!
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Apr 11 2008, 09:57 AM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 511 Joined: 9-November 07 From: England Member No.: 168,496 |
I think this is what you mean: Turning off Wireless Zero Configuration.
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Apr 11 2008, 10:06 AM
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#3
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 Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 161 Joined: 21-February 08 From: Stockton, UK Member No.: 191,594 |
This would disable the wireless function on start-up and then when/Ifs its need you just need to knock your wireless switch to turn back on
-------------------- [ -- Steve -- ] Always having my tuppence worth! :: Computer Aid :: The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back |
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Apr 11 2008, 11:00 AM
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 57 Joined: 2-June 06 Member No.: 70,462 |
Thank you for the link. The wireless is still enabled when I start the computer and when I had it set to manual. Any other thoughts?
-------------------- Procrastinate Now!!!
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Apr 11 2008, 12:13 PM
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#5
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 161 Joined: 21-February 08 From: Stockton, UK Member No.: 191,594 |
Do you know if the wireless is contorlled by any program at all?
Go back through the process on the link and see if the setting has changed back or if its still the same as you set it -------------------- [ -- Steve -- ] Always having my tuppence worth! :: Computer Aid :: The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back |
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Apr 11 2008, 12:49 PM
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#6
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 511 Joined: 9-November 07 From: England Member No.: 168,496 |
It is likely that another program other than Windows Wireless Zero Configuration is controlling your wireless configuration. For example, in my Acer laptop I have Acer eNet Management but I have it disabled. I let Windows Wireless Zero Configuration do the job...
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Apr 11 2008, 01:12 PM
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#7
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Member Group: Members Posts: 57 Joined: 2-June 06 Member No.: 70,462 |
The process is not running after I restarted the computer and had the setting for "Manual" and "Stopped."
-------------------- Procrastinate Now!!!
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Apr 11 2008, 01:27 PM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 57 Joined: 2-June 06 Member No.: 70,462 |
Would this be something I talk to the Vendor about? We are using Dell Latitudes.
-------------------- Procrastinate Now!!!
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Apr 11 2008, 01:42 PM
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#9
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 161 Joined: 21-February 08 From: Stockton, UK Member No.: 191,594 |
What is the model number for these laptops?
I have so far found D620 as being quite popular and there is a wireless switch on the left hand side, maybe yours is similar if not the D620 -------------------- [ -- Steve -- ] Always having my tuppence worth! :: Computer Aid :: The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back |
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Apr 11 2008, 02:36 PM
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#10
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 Visiting Alien Group: Members Posts: 4,278 Joined: 20-May 07 From: millenium falcon and rockytop Member No.: 131,963 |
I always just use device manager, it's instant
-------------------- Chewy
life is like a box of chocolates and stupid is as stupid does but you can always run |
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Apr 11 2008, 03:21 PM
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#11
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Forum Regular Group: Members Posts: 235 Joined: 2-June 07 Member No.: 134,300 |
Hello Treikayan,
The following is from the "Dell™ Latitude™ D620 User's Guide" -- you didn't specify exactly which model(s) you have. There is a physical switch on the left side of the case that enables/disables the wireless radio in the computer (see #6 ("wireless switch") in the diagram -- the description follows later on that same page): http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/syst...t.htm#wp1101922 I'm assuming that other models of the Latitude are similar. I know this isn't a startup/logon option, but if you just want to totally disable the wireless radio (manually), it should work. Otherwise, you might want to contact Dell to see if such an "automatic" disabling feature is available. I did find this article -- a little bit old, but it addresses both Windows XP with SP1 and Windows XP with XP2: "Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Behavior When Connected to Both Wired and Wireless Networks": http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb878031.aspx A quote from the above article: "At this time, computers running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 do not have the capability to automatically disable the wireless network adapter when the Ethernet adapter is plugged into a network and to automatically enable the wireless network adapter when the Ethernet adapter is unplugged."and a bit later in that article: "You can also use a new feature in Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 to connect to your wireless network manually, rather than automatically."Finally, I also found this: http://www.gpanswers.com/community/viewtopic.php?p=7107 |
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May 1 2008, 01:25 AM
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#12
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 1 Joined: 1-May 08 Member No.: 206,406 |
QUOTE(DaChew @ Apr 11 2008, 02:36 PM)  I always just use device manager, it's instant well for me its not instant and certainly not permanent. When I restart my laptop, everything re-installs itself, and the wireless switch starts flashing again. |
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May 1 2008, 04:40 AM
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#13
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Visiting Alien Group: Members Posts: 4,278 Joined: 20-May 07 From: millenium falcon and rockytop Member No.: 131,963 |
when I disable a non essential device, it stays disabled?
uninstall it and windows will reinstall after reboot -------------------- Chewy
life is like a box of chocolates and stupid is as stupid does but you can always run |
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