authentication process to connect to the network has not been started

[GJ1310]

Hello I am using an NC6220, XP Sp3 with Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection that came with the laptop.  For the last couple of years everything worked great.  Recently, my wireless connection disconnects  frequently.  When I open the Intel Proset Wifi software, it sees the network and at the top it says "authentication process to connect to the network has not been started".  The only way to get it to re-connect is to either turn the radio button off and then on or manually disconnect and connect in the proset manager.  It's pretty frustrating as this solution sometime will only work for a minute or 2 or occasionally for hours.  There is no consistency with it.  It happens on different networks and the people around me are not having any issues which makes me think that it is specific to my computer.  

I googled this and found many people with the same issue but haven't found a solution.  Any ideas?

Thanks