Inspiron 6000 - Network connection keeps dropping out - argh !!!! Pleasehelp :-( | Thread profile

I purchased this laptop for my son at Xmas and ever since then his internet connection has been dropping out intermittently every single day. The laptop has an Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 802.11b/g eur and it connects to the internet via a Linksys WRT54G 54mb router.First question is why does the laptop lose the "automatic start" of the WZC when its switched off so that I cannot see the wireless network connection tab?Second...

As for the "dropping out" problem - first, do you have any 2.4 Ghz cordless phones in the vicinity?  If so, try changing the channel on the router to one of the extreme channels (1 or 11) and see if that minimizes the interference.  You might also try updating the drivers for the wireless card from the Intel web site.  This may also fix the WPA security problem.  If not, are you using Windows to manage the wireless...