unable to find wireless drivers

[jcwuk]

Just formatted laptop and installed windows xp after taking off vista.

Problem is that the wireless is lit up but we are unable to get windows to find the hardware to connect to the internet.

Is there a link to download the drivers ?

Thanks for the info.

[Trevelyan]

Probably, but we're unlikely to be able to guess which ones you need. Presumably you've already looked in the support section of the laptop manufacturers website?

[jcwuk]

Trevelyan said:

Probably, but we're unlikely to be able to guess which ones you need. Presumably you've already looked in the support section of the laptop manufacturers website?

Yes but to be honest Im not the best for working these problems out !

The Laptop is a Packard Bell model : Easynote HGl1 but i cant seem to find the wireless driver.

Thanks for your reply Trevelyan (-:

[Trevelyan]

Are you sure the model number is correct? I can't find any mention of that laptop anywhere. Is there a longer number written on a plate on the bottom somewhere?

[The_Jackal]

Find a network cable and plug it into the router and run Windows Update. Hopefully it should find at least some generic drivers to get it up and running.

[jcwuk]

Trevelyan said:

Are you sure the model number is correct? I can't find any mention of that laptop anywhere. Is there a longer number written on a plate on the bottom somewhere?

You can see im naff at this !

Thanks for taking the time to reply (-:

The label shows the following : MS-Model : EasyNote HGL1

[jcwuk]

The_Jackal said:

Find a network cable and plug it into the router and run Windows Update. Hopefully it should find at least some generic drivers to get it up and running.

I will try that jackal
Thank you (-:

[DeputyDawg]

Is there another label on the underneath of laptop. Can you possibly read off the serial number (S/N)?? Might help us find the information for you.
In fact if you can list anything else on the label.

[Trevelyan]

Doesn't seem to be much information on that model, but I think it's possibly got a Intel Wifi Link 5100 LAN adaptor. You should be able to check this from the control panel. I haven't played in XP for a while so my memory is a bit hazy, but try start>control panel>system. Go into the Device Manager, then look in the Network Adaptors section and see what description it gives the wireless adaptor.

If this is correct then just google for the name of the adaptor and choose a driver. It doesn't need to be one specifically for your laptop, and will probably be available from the chip manufacturers website. If it is the Intel 5100, then this link should sort you out:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?...

[DeputyDawg]

Description wont be listed though in Device Manager if no driver is installed. Will just show as a missing device.
I've managed to cross reference the model and it looks like its also known as a EasyNote MH-36 but numerous listed and about 3 different makes of driver.
Hopefully he can locate the Serial Number which should narrow down the search.

Edited by DeputyDawg on Friday 22 January 21:50

[Who me ?]

Could try something like driverguide.net .

[TheEnd]

have a look in device manager, find the offending undriven article, and look at the details tab and post up any codes in there you see

[jcwuk]

Trevelyan said:

Doesn't seem to be much information on that model, but I think it's possibly got a Intel Wifi Link 5100 LAN adaptor. You should be able to check this from the control panel. I haven't played in XP for a while so my memory is a bit hazy, but try start>control panel>system. Go into the Device Manager, then look in the Network Adaptors section and see what description it gives the wireless adaptor.

If this is correct then just google for the name of the adaptor and choose a driver. It doesn't need to be one specifically for your laptop, and will probably be available from the chip manufacturers website. If it is the Intel 5100, then this link should sort you out:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?...

Thansk Trev

I have looked in laptop device manager and its stating driver not installed for hardware.
I also cant seem to find the hardware details.
All its displaying is a yellow question mark.

[jcwuk]

TheEnd said:

have a look in device manager, find the offending undriven article, and look at the details tab and post up any codes in there you see

Code is : 28

[twister]

That's the status code from the General tab, what The End is interested in knowing (and it's what I'd be looking at too if I was trying to locate drivers for a bit of unidentified hardware) is the stuff shown on the Details tab, and in particular the info returned when you select "Hardware IDs" from the drop-down list.

e.g. on my desktop PC, the wireless adapter gives me the following:

USB\Vid_0bda&Pid_8187&Rev_0100

Breaking it down, this tells me it's connected via USB (in comparison, the ethernet controller on the same PC has a hardware ID which begins PCI\...), that the manufacturer is Realtek (Vid = Vendor ID, and 0bda is one of the codes they use), and the specific device is a RTL8187 wireless adapter (Pid = Product ID, and 8187 is conveniently the ID Realtek give to the 8187 adapter - note that the product ID can be anything though, it doesn't have to tie in nicely with the product model number, and also that the same product ID can be used by different vendors).

So once you get the Vid and Pid, you can either try plugging them into your favourite search engine and seeing if any of the results look promising, or just post them here and let someone else decipher them for you.

[jcwuk]

Thanks Twister for the information.
I think I have found the code :

Its displaying in the Wlan Adapter

USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8189\00E04C000001

Many Thanks.

[Allanv]

jcwuk said:

Thanks Twister for the information.
I think I have found the code :

Its displaying in the Wlan Adapter

USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8189\00E04C000001

Many Thanks.

According to that number it is a Realtek Wlan adaptor

try this driver

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView....

[TheEnd]

jcwuk said:

Thanks Twister for the information.
I think I have found the code :

Its displaying in the Wlan Adapter

USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8189\00E04C000001

Many Thanks.

That's the one i was after

http://www.pcidatabase.com/

That database usually can sort you out. Not listed in this case though! Might come in handy for others though.

[twister]

TheEnd said:

http://www.pcidatabase.com/

That database usually can sort you out. Not listed in this case though! Might come in handy for others though.

Possibly because in this case it's a USB device, but there's a similar database for USB stuff at http://www.qbik.ch/usb/devices/search.php Here the OP's device is described as a TRENDnet TEW-424UB 54Mbps 802.11g Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter, which is a rebadged Realtek adapter based on the 8187B chipset...

[TheEnd]

I guess the USB at the start gave it away!
I'll note that place down in my memory banks.