Windows 7: Problem finding wireless network connections

[Hoink]

Hi all,

Hopefully this is a simple one for someone to answer and something obvious that I am missing

I have recently purchased a new USB adapter to connect to my wireless router but it is not finding any of the networks in the local area - it is quite annoying as I know that there are connections available. To summarise what I have done:

(Running on Windows 7, 64 bit)

Installed, and confirmed the version, of the driver for the TP-LINK TL-WN722NC. All is well and it looks fine on the Device Manager. On trying to connect to a network, however, there are no networks available. I have tried to set a new network connection up but it doesn't find anything at all to connect to.

So....

I plug in my old old USB adapter (TP-LINK TL-WN821N) and it immediately finds loads of networks and connects to the network fine.

I have noticed in the drivers inside the Device Manager that there is one difference between the one that works and the one that doesn't. The one that works has the additional entry for "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter"...is this something to do with why the other one isnt working or is it a red herring?

I have also checked my firewall and this also looks okay....

Does anyone have any suggestions or pointers?

Thanks in advance for any help and guidance.

[TheHeretic]

It's not something daft like not being 'N' compatible?

[poing]

Try the new usb adapter in a different PC because it sounds like it's not working.

[Hoink]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies.

I think that it is compatible (it is a Sky router).

I have tested the connection and I think the device is working as the green light is flashing on the adapter when plugged in.

It is very annoying as I can't help but think that it is something very obvious...

[TheHeretic]

I was about an hour and half trying to get my old ipod touch onto my network until I realised that the early ones were not N compatible, and that was all my network was running at the time. It's the silly things that annoy more than the major headaches. Is it a security issue? (2nd port of call for network/wifi woes). Make sure the dongle can support the security you are using, (WEP, WPA, etc).

[Hoink]

TheHeretic said:

I was about an hour and half trying to get my old ipod touch onto my network until I realised that the early ones were not N compatible, and that was all my network was running at the time. It's the silly things that annoy more than the major headaches. Is it a security issue? (2nd port of call for network/wifi woes). Make sure the dongle can support the security you are using, (WEP, WPA, etc).

Thanks, I have just checked that and it should be okay:

"TL-WN722NC provides WPA/WPA2 encryptions that are created by the WI-FI Alliance industry group, promoting interpretabilities and security for WLAN."

[TheHeretic]

Hoink said:

Thanks, I have just checked that and it should be okay:

"TL-WN722NC provides WPA/WPA2 encryptions that are created by the WI-FI Alliance industry group, promoting interpretabilities and security for WLAN."

And your network is running wpa/wpa2, and not WEP?

[Hoink]

TheHeretic said:

And your network is running wpa/wpa2, and not WEP?

Yep

[poing]

Hoink said:

I have tested the connection and I think the device is working as the green light is flashing on the adapter when plugged in.

Well that proves the light is working, not the wifi. Depending on where you got it from I'd just get it replaced as faulty, if they want to test it then let them because it will prove it one way or another.

[Hoink]

Problem solved, and I am kicking myself as it was my cutting corners that caused me to miss the cause of my problem.

It appears that Zone Alarm was the issue. I unistalled the firewall (rather than disabling) and after this the USB adapter worked a treat.

[TheHeretic]

Glad you got it sorted.