Vista - "identifying network connection"

I experience the "identifying 'network'" only when I sign on automatically, yet I do have an internet connection and networking works flawlessly; when I sign on manually there's only a very brief instance of it and after that all is normal. After literally spending days on this and trying all sorts of configurations for the router I still can't avoid this issue when I set networking properties to connect automatically.

Got a late model Dell PC/Vista Home Premium 32 which connects with no problems to my AT&T dry loop DSL Siemens 4100 modem which is connected to a new Linksys WRT54GS router which is picked up by an HP laptop/Vista Ultimate 32 with BROADCOM 802.11 b/g network adapter and NVIDIA nforce networking controller. As far as router configuration goes, I have tried the following applicable settings; Automatic Configuration-DHCP, Mixed Wireless Network Mode, Wireless Channel 6, SSID Broadcast as enabled and as disabled, Security Mode as WPA Personal and as WPA2 Personal, WPA Algorithms as AES, TKIP or AES+TKIP respectively. Also I have tried various connection scenarios in Wireless Network properties.

Again the bottom line is that while I do have a network and internet connection, I can't sign on automatically without the constant "identifying 'network'" issue and when I sign on manually all is well. Never worked with a router before, Linksys customer support is an absolute trip with no destination and I'm hoping someone here might give me a few clues.

Well, maybe I fixed that *#+%X! thing; after a few more hours of trying, anyway. Got the PC Local Area Connection still set to 'Private' but set the Wireless Network Connection to 'Public' and in Wireless Network Properties I once more checked 'Connect automatically' and 'Connect even if not broadcasting'. Seems to work fine now. When it connects automatically it spends about 30 seconds identifying 'Public Network' but then settles down to my named network.

I tried that too, it didn't work for me though.

Sure am glad we keep old posts. For some unknown reason I encountered the same problem again today and after wasting the whole day on it I remembered my post; again, it solved the problem. Just don't understand why the problem is there in the first place!