Aaarrrrrgggghhhh - I hate wireless cards (help!)
Discussion
The gremlins in the wife's laptop have eaten her internal wireless PC card and they won't spit it out.
erm....what I mean is that she used to be able to connect fine to my wireless router and now she can't. Her MAC address is still in the router, so it's not that. I tried to reinstall the drivers for the wireless card, so it's not that (unless I messed that up, which is quite possible).
It seems that the internal card isn't working - e.g when I click on View Available Wireless Networks it doesn't even seem to try to search. I guess the card could have just given up the ghost and died, but why would it?!?
I'm really not very technical and would appreciate it if anyone could suggest things I could try to see what's wrong.
Thanks (currently pulling hair out)
Gixxer
erm....what I mean is that she used to be able to connect fine to my wireless router and now she can't. Her MAC address is still in the router, so it's not that. I tried to reinstall the drivers for the wireless card, so it's not that (unless I messed that up, which is quite possible).
It seems that the internal card isn't working - e.g when I click on View Available Wireless Networks it doesn't even seem to try to search. I guess the card could have just given up the ghost and died, but why would it?!?
I'm really not very technical and would appreciate it if anyone could suggest things I could try to see what's wrong.
Thanks (currently pulling hair out)
Gixxer
Ok, If the card is seen by Windows and enabled.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
thepassenger said:
Ok, If the card is seen by Windows and enabled.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
I am using WEP keys, but am not sure how to pull up the list of access points as you suggest. How do I do that?
thepassenger said:
Ok, If the card is seen by Windows and enabled.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
I am using WEP keys, but am not sure how to pull up the list of access points as you suggest. How do I do that?
Thanks,
Gixxer
Edited by gixxer1000 on Monday 30th October 21:55
gixxer1000 said:
thepassenger said:
Ok, If the card is seen by Windows and enabled.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
I am using WEP keys, but am not sure how to pull up the list of access points as you suggest. How do I do that?
Double click the icon either on the system tray (by the clock) or in Control Panel select "View Wireless Networks", click Refresh network list (over on the left).
thepassenger said:
gixxer1000 said:
thepassenger said:
Ok, If the card is seen by Windows and enabled.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
I am using WEP keys, but am not sure how to pull up the list of access points as you suggest. How do I do that?
Double click the icon either on the system tray (by the clock) or in Control Panel select "View Wireless Networks", click Refresh network list (over on the left).
When I do that I get the "connect to wireless network" box and everything on it is greyed out apart from the words "if you are having difficulty connecting to a network, click Advanced" and the "cancel" button - i.e the "advanced" button itself is also greyed out!
gixxer1000 said:
thepassenger said:
gixxer1000 said:
thepassenger said:
Ok, If the card is seen by Windows and enabled.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
I am using WEP keys, but am not sure how to pull up the list of access points as you suggest. How do I do that?
Double click the icon either on the system tray (by the clock) or in Control Panel select "View Wireless Networks", click Refresh network list (over on the left).
When I do that I get the "connect to wireless network" box and everything on it is greyed out apart from the words "if you are having difficulty connecting to a network, click Advanced" and the "cancel" button - i.e the "advanced" button itself is also greyed out!
Ok. Top of my head, it sounds like whatever utility came with the card is now in charge of things.
I'd try finding this beastie and seeing if it can be persuaded to let Windows manage the connections again.
ThePassenger said:
gixxer1000 said:
thepassenger said:
gixxer1000 said:
thepassenger said:
Ok, If the card is seen by Windows and enabled.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
What happens when you pull up a list of access points with it? Can it see the network at all? If it can try rebooting the router and/or remaking the wifi connection.
Windows can gets its knikkers in a knot sometimes especially if your using WPA/WEP keys.
I am using WEP keys, but am not sure how to pull up the list of access points as you suggest. How do I do that?
Double click the icon either on the system tray (by the clock) or in Control Panel select "View Wireless Networks", click Refresh network list (over on the left).
When I do that I get the "connect to wireless network" box and everything on it is greyed out apart from the words "if you are having difficulty connecting to a network, click Advanced" and the "cancel" button - i.e the "advanced" button itself is also greyed out!
Ok. Top of my head, it sounds like whatever utility came with the card is now in charge of things.
I'd try finding this beastie and seeing if it can be persuaded to let Windows manage the connections again.
But the card was preinstalled with the laptop when we bought it
That is weird then; as from the description given Windows is thinking the thing is being controlled else where.
Dumb question, really really dumb.
Try pressing Fn + F2 on the laptops keyobard.
If that didn't do anything useful try right clicking on the wireless network icon via Control Panel > Network. Does it give an option to Enable or Disable?
Final question, is the thing under waranty?
Dumb question, really really dumb.
Try pressing Fn + F2 on the laptops keyobard.
If that didn't do anything useful try right clicking on the wireless network icon via Control Panel > Network. Does it give an option to Enable or Disable?
Final question, is the thing under waranty?
ThePassenger said:
That is weird then; as from the description given Windows is thinking the thing is being controlled else where.
Dumb question, really really dumb.
Try pressing Fn + F2 on the laptops keyobard.
If that didn't do anything useful try right clicking on the wireless network icon via Control Panel > Network. Does it give an option to Enable or Disable?
Final question, is the thing under waranty?
Dumb question, really really dumb.
Try pressing Fn + F2 on the laptops keyobard.
If that didn't do anything useful try right clicking on the wireless network icon via Control Panel > Network. Does it give an option to Enable or Disable?
Final question, is the thing under waranty?
Fn + F2 does nothing. Right clicking on the wireless network icon allows me to disable - which I tried, and then enabled again, but it just returns to the same (non working state). Unfortunately it's out of warranty.
Is there any point in taking it somewhere to be repaired, or am I best going for a new wireless card. As there is no PC card slot with this machine, I'd have to opt for the USB type.
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