virtualbox 2.1.4 kills my wifi network connection (wireless g notebook adapter wpc54g)

[foupfeiffer]

winxp host works fine with 2.1.2 and very compatible linksys wifi card but something must go wrong with the 2.1.4 drivers because i cannot get any wifi network working after install. When I start VB no network devices even appear on any guests.

Uninstalled and 2.1.2 back on again everything is fine.

I did not test it for a wired nic.

[misha]

Replying to foupfeiffer:
Just for clarification:

winxp host works fine with 2.1.2 and very compatible linksys wifi card but something must go wrong with the 2.1.4 drivers because i cannot get any wifi network working after install.

you mean you can establish no wifi connections on the host no matter whether any guest os is running or not, right?

When I start VB no network devices even appear on any guests.

What do you mean? Do you have any network adapters enabled in virtualbox network settings? Do you see the list of host adapters in VBox network settings UI? What kind of networking do you use: is it "NAT" or "Host Interface" or whatever?

[foupfeiffer]

Post 2.1.4 install...

1. Yes, the host wifi adapter (linksys wpc54g on winxp) no longer works.

2. Yes, the guest VM's only see empty gray when I try to choose an adapter for them (NAT or HOSTIF) in the Vbox GUI

2a. Oddly, a guest that was upgraded from 2.1.2 (where the host netw was fine) had the options grayed out - as if the guest settings remembered whatever the previous hardware was but apparently the same hardware wasn't there.

I merely reverted to 2.1.2 and I guess I'll wait until 2.1.5

[foupfeiffer]

Partial Solution: googling for similar problems didn't turn up many results (great, it's my screwed up settings alone) but there were some hints about network drivers being updated or not completely uinstalling... so if you reinstall your network drivers on top of an existing Virtualbox'd Network Connection it may foobar your Virtualbox drivers for that device.

You should Fully Uninstall Virtualbox, including going to Properties on any network connection you'll find the Virtualbox drivers still connected/attached to your LAN/wifi. Highlight and then click on the uninstall button - this should remove the virtualbox driver on all network connections...

Reinstalling Virtualbox 2.1.x (and a restart) results in it appearing grayed out for all options EXCEPT host interface which DOES allow me to choose either my wired or wifi connection.

I suppose this makes sense: NAT doesn't care what you pick, it's going to get internet from whatever works "transparently" and slip the Guest traffic in... I just wonder it what it does if you can get internet through wired LAN and wifi simultaneously?

Internal Network & Not Attached certainly don't use the host network... (hence grayed out)

I hope this helps someone else. Case Closed =)

[misha]

do you mean the "VirtualBox Host Interface Networking Driver" remains in the service list of network connection properties after uninstall?
Does it happen for 2.1.2 or 2.1.4 as well for you?

[svr0001]

I've seen an almost identical problem with 2.1.4. After installation/rebooting (and before even staring VB) the wireless adapter does not appear as a network device.

This is on Windows XP /SP3 Gateway laptop with Intel Pro/Wireless 3945ABG

Uninstalling didn't work to restore wireless, but going back to the restore point just prior to installation did.

[Technologov]

How are the current v3.x versions compares?

-Technologov