From our "Wow, you mean it isn't just me?" department ("Microsoft-product-related woes" division) - Windows XP and Wi-Fi - not a happy combination.

Gotta love the typical MS doublespeak in here:

To some, the most infuriating part is that the wireless network connection 

icon in the XP taskbar doesn't display any indication at all that something's 

wrong. When there is a genuine hardware failure, the icon displays a small 

red X to indicate that the connection was lost. But with these mysterious 

disconnections, the icon continues to show a connection.



Microsoft said users shouldn't be misled by the icon.



"It indicates that you've associated with an access point. It is possible 

for you to be associated without having (Internet) connectivity," said 

Shai Guday, a Microsoft wireless group program manager.

Ah, right, so that whole thing about "XP" meaning "experience"? What it means is you have to have experience as a fecking necromancer to discern the talmudic, hair-splitting difference in meaning between what the icon appears to mean and what it really means.

Here's another great quote that nicely illustrates how, once again, MS completely misses the point:

"We don't have data that suggests Windows XP drops wireless connections 

more than any other system," said Greg Sullivan, the lead product manager 

in Microsoft's Windows division. "Wi-Fi configuration in Windows XP is 

much different and easier than in previous versions."

Different! Easier! Happy happy! Joy joy!

What about the fact that no matter how different and easy it is - it DOESN'T WORK?! And furthermore, when it doesn't work, Windows will happily insist it is still working (see rantlet, above, about stupid icon-state semiotics), and certainly won't tell you how to fix it.

Happily (?), there is a little rain-dance you can do that seems to restore connectivity:

• Go to Control Panel.

• Choose Administrative Tools.

• Select Services. A two-pane window comes up.

• In the right-hand pane, scroll down and click Wireless Zero Configuration.

• Click Stop the Service. A progress bar may come up briefly.

• Click Start the Service. Again, a progress bar may come up.

• Close the Services window. At this point, Fleishman said, the 

  connection should come back.

Remember - Different! Easy! User experience!