[RESOLVED] Laptop wireless card not detecting wireless networks

[shazbot]

My brother's Gateway laptop is unable to detect any nearby networks, networks that I can connect to with other laptops, etc. The Device Manager isn't showing any problems with the wireless device itself.

I've tried updating the drivers, and I've tried uninstalling the device, but nothing seems to be doing the trick. Has the card just died in some odd way where it doesn't work, but Windows XP doesn't realize it's dead?

[SuperSparks]

Go to the Command Prompt (All Programs>Accessories), and type "ipconfig /all" without the quotes. Please post back what it says. If you want to output the results to a text file, use the syntax "ipconfig /all >ipconfig.txt" (change the filepath accordingly if you want the file placed elsewhere than the root folder of C: ).

[Train]

Not all wireless devices are created equal. And it takes very little to kill the signal.

Location.
Sitting on my desk my laptop sees 3 routers, but if I lift it up where it sees through the glass instead of the wall, it sees 6.

Antenna, bigger is better and they sure cut corners in this department now a days.

Why I will get something like this.
http://www.shopbot.ca/ps-hiro-h50193...-12392435.html

[shazbot]

Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : NEOZEED

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Belkin



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 3:



Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-C0-A8-B2-92-B1



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Belkin

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8036 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-03-25-35-07-E8

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.2

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, September 23, 2011 12:19:00 PM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 8:14:07 PM

[ua549]

Your post shows that the Ethernet adapter is connected to your router.
You cannot have 2 connections to a given subnet. It violates the protocol.

Since you are already connected, what are you trying to accomplish?

[shazbot]

I didn't realize I needed to be completely disconnected when I created that txt file. Here it is sans connection:



Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : NEOZEED

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 3:



Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-C0-A8-B2-92-B1



Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8036 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-03-25-35-07-E8

[ua549]

OK, is there a physical button that controls wireless operation?
There is such a button on most notebooks.
Otherwise, delete the device and let the system rediscover it and load drivers for it.
If that fails again (you said you tried it), IMO the wireless nic is bad.

[SpywareDr]

For example:

Gateway.com > Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does the notebook not detect any wireless routers?
https://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile...078Rfaq7.shtml

[shazbot]

I finally solved this problem, and it is with great shame that I explain how:

I was about to call it broke when I couldn't find a switch/button to turn on the wireless connection. Then, I made one last attempt to look around for a tech manual on Gateway's site. I found one, and it explained that pressing fn+F2 will enable/disable the wireless radio. So I did that, and now it works.

The moral of the story: if all else fails, read the manual.

[SuperSparks]

There's no need to be embarrassed, we've all done things like that

I'm very glad you got it sorted out in the end