Consider the following scenario:

• You connect a Windows Vista-based computer to a wireless network.
• You put the computer into hibernation (S4).
• The computer resumes from hibernation and then tries to connect to a new wireless network from its preferred network list.

In this scenario, the computer waits 30 seconds before it starts connecting to the new wireless network.

You may experience random connectivity issues when you connect a Windows Vista-based mobile PC to certain Wi-Fi hotspots, access points, or routers.

These connectivity issues include the following:

• The wireless network connection is dropped.
• You experience poor performance.

You experience this issue if the Windows Vista-based computer is connecting to a wireless access point or router that is not fully vista compatible.

This article describes the Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless. This software update includes the following components or features that improve wireless support in Windows Vista:

• Bluetooth version 2.1 support
• Unified Pairing user interface
• Windows Connect Now updates

Some of these features may work with existing hardware. However, you must have new hardware to take advantage of the new functionality.

This update is compatible with all versions of Windows Vista. It can be installed only on a computer that is running Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Consider the following scenario:

• You are running a Windows Vista-based computer.
• You use an independent hardware vendor (IHV) profile that implements a third-party Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) method to establish a wireless connection.

In this scenario, you may be unable to connect to a wireless network.

Note: This problem does not occur on a Windows XP-based computer.

Consider the following scenario:

• Your computer is in a wireless network environment that uses Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS).
• You use SmartCard-only authentication for the wireless connection authentication.

In this scenario, when you log on to a Windows Vista-based client computer, you may receive the following error message in the toolbar:

Cannot connect to SSID: Please contact network administrator.

Note: In this message, the SSID placeholder represents the wireless network connection.

Therefore, you cannot connect to the wireless network. In this case, you must manually reconnect to the wireless network.

This problem does not occur when you log on to the computer for the first time. When you log on for the first time, you receive the following message:

Wireless Network Connection:

Please click here to select the certificate for the following network connection or other qualification information.

After you provide the correct information, you can successfully connect to the wireless network.

Note: This problem does not occur in Windows XP. In Windows XP, you are prompted to provide the related smart card information. Then, you can successfully connect to the wireless network.

Consider the following scenario:

• You are running a Windows Vista-based computer that includes Windows Media Center.
• You connect the computer to a secure wireless network.
• You install a non-English-language Input Method Editor (IME), and then you set this as the default IME.

When you start Windows Media Center and then try to join the secure wireless network, you are prompted to enter your Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) key. However, when you use either the keyboard or the remote control to enter any numeric character in the WEP box, the default IME setting is triggered. Therefore, you cannot continue entering the WEP, and you cannot connect to the secure wireless network.

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This article describes the Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless which contains a number of components and features that improve wireless support in Windows Vista. Keep reading →