Sharing unlocks in sys preferences

[babylonlarry]

I am sharing my ethernet internet connection using airport on my MBP to connect my iPhone and iPad.
I open sharing in system preferences and configure this, lock sharing, go to network and have set up an (AP)?, lock network, exit system preferences and have a working sharing system with an up arrow in the wifi "pie" icon. This works for a varying number of shut down - start ups before reverting to airport being a client looking for an AP to connect to. I open sharing and find internet sharing still connected, but the lock open,
At this point I need to de-select internet sharing, re-select internet sharing which brings a start dialog box, then back to airport arrow.

How can I keep this configuration permanently in place?
MBP 17 2.8 i7 OSX 10.6.8

 

[Recoil Rob]

Late to the party but I am experiencing the exact same problem, anyone?

 

[Sylon]

I have this issue too. I don't want it to run all the time, I just want it to work when I turn it on. I have a pre-paid mobile internet stick that I receive my internet data from while I'm abroad, so I don't want to run the internet all the time. It plugs into my MBP, I share it via wifi to my iPhone/iPad. However, my iOS devices are able to connect to it roughly 30% of the time. If I shut it off, I'll be lucky if my iOS devices connect to it next time. They clearly see that my MBP is there and sharing its internet, but they just won't connect. I get the arrow on my menu bar, but my iOS devices won't connect most of the time. Sometimes they do, and they work fine. But its a royal pain of rebooting my devices and my MBP just to see if that'll help get it working again. Its very irritating.

 

[babylonlarry]

IHowever, my iOS devices are able to connect to it roughly 30% of the time. If I shut it off, I'll be lucky if my iOS devices connect to it next time. They clearly see that my MBP is there and sharing its internet, but they just won't connect. I get the arrow on my menu bar, but my iOS devices won't connect most of the time. Sometimes they do, and they work fine. But its a royal pain of rebooting my devices and my MBP just to see if that'll help get it working again. Its very irritating.

When I have the arrow in the menu bar, sharing connectivity is stable with the same name and password recognized by the IOS devices. I still see my airport revert to client and find that my network window in sys pref has unlocked itself when I go to correct the change.