Can't find wifi network.

  • Thread starter Dennisch
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Dennisch

Dennisch

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Dennisch
The situation:

My mom's laptop can not find her own network anymore. The desktop still works on the wifi, and and even my phone finds it. It just doesn't show up in the available network list. I tried everthing I knew possible, but nothing worked, the network would not show up. As the laptop was still running on Xp I got sick of it, took it to my own house, popped in a win7 cd and took the easy way out. Installation complete, and voila, it works.

I take the laptop back to mommy, 17 networks, but no mommy network. WTF?!?!?

So, I know that there are people here who a a lot more geeky and techy than me.

Help.

Oh, this is what I did to try to fix it:
Reboot the modem and router.
Reboot the laptop.
Reset the router, and create a new network.
Checked the setting of the wifi card (radio etc etc).
Pulled out the card, put it back in.
Fresh install of win7.
 
Are you in the Uk?

Try changing the wireles channel to something 9 or lower.
 
If it still works but doesn't show up, did the SSID just stop broadcasting?
 
DQuaN
Are you in the Uk?

Try changing the wireles channel to something 9 or lower.
Click to expand...

Did not work.

TB
If it still works but doesn't show up, did the SSID just stop broadcasting?
Click to expand...

Nope, it's still broadcasting, I can see it on the desktop, and on my phone.

I've got a feeling that the card is slowly dying on me, and I don't have a spare lying around, I have a lot of spare parts, but not that silly little thing. 👎
 
Have you tried installing the wireless card from the manufacturer? I mean going to the website, download the driver, and then installing it. I always run an installer from the website instead of letting windows do it for me(they may not have the latest or correct driver). Matter of fact have you checked the Device Manager to make sure you have the driver installed?
 
nick09
Have you tried installing the wireless card from the manufacturer? I mean going to the website, download the driver, and then installing it. I always run an installer from the website instead of letting windows do it for me(they may not have the latest or correct driver). Matter of fact have you checked the Device Manager to make sure you have the driver installed?
Click to expand...

Did that too. No go.

I googled my ass of trying to find a solution, but everything ends up the same. Drivers, reboot, reinstall, etc etc, nothing.

What I said before, the only thing I can think of is that the card is on his way to it's creator.
 
Can you connect to it manually? Manually input the SSID, the WEP or WPA key (if any) and see if that works.

It's really weird if you say it picks up all 17 other networks but not your mother's.

Based on my experience, here's the things I'd look into:

1- Accidental change in router's configuration and the SSID doesn't broadcast anymore. Your laptop and desktop pick it up OK, because they have connected to it before and have the connection saved. The laptop has a fresh Windows install and has never connected to it before.
2- The Wi-Fi setting may have been changed from a/b/g to n (or some other combination) and your laptop's older wireless card can't pick it up anymore.

Also, you should try checking to see if any of the other 17 other networks is unsecured and see if you can get an Internet connection off of them. That would narrow out your problem and verify if your wireless card is indeed fried.
 
Coxis
Can you connect to it manually? Manually input the SSID, the WEP or WPA key (if any) and see if that works.

It's really weird if you say it picks up all 17 other networks but not your mother's.

Based on my experience, here's the things I'd look into:

1- Accidental change in router's configuration and the SSID doesn't broadcast anymore. Your laptop and desktop pick it up OK, because they have connected to it before and have the connection saved. The laptop has a fresh Windows install and has never connected to it before.
2- The Wi-Fi setting may have been changed from a/b/g to n (or some other combination) and your laptop's older wireless card can't pick it up anymore.

Also, you should try checking to see if any of the other 17 other networks is unsecured and see if you can get an Internet connection off of them. That would narrow out your problem and verify if your wireless card is indeed fried.
Click to expand...

Tried it manually, no go.

Still broadcasting, b/g, desktop and phone do pick it up. laptop doesn't
Changed settings on laptop from b to g to b/g. Mom's network will not show up.

I'm now going back to my house to see if still works on my network, as there are no unsecure networks here.... I'll be back in 15 minutes.
 
Unbelievable, I'm now online, wireless, at my house.

So something must have changed in my mom's router, but what?
I gave it a full reset, re-entered all the details. It's running on b/g, broadcasting the ssid.

I'm lost.

Curse you, laptop!
 
Weird. By full reset, you mean factory settings?

Try resetting the router to its factory settings and connecting without changing anything/adding security at first. If succesful, start changing settings one by one, if one of the settings is screwing things out work around it or eliminate it if at all possible.
 
Yeah, I'm gonna try that tomorrow, as it's almost midnight here, and I don't want to wake up mom and dad for testing a wireless problem. :lol:

If that fails, I'll re-install Xp, and after that I'll buy a new wifi card.

And if that doesn't work, there will be a funny vid in this thread.
 
Sounds like the card is going..My laptops internal card is the same way. My network will pop up occasionally then disappear. If I have to login using a passkey it never connects and my network will disappear. If I tether it through my android phone(unsecured) it will get out fine. That signal seems to stay steady. Anyother ones pop in and out. I rectified my situation by buying a usb card and calling it a day. Now I can connect to anything :)
 
LostRacer
Sounds like the card is going..My laptops internal card is the same way. My network will pop up occasionally then disappear. If I have to login using a passkey it never connects and my network will disappear. If I tether it through my android phone(unsecured) it will get out fine. That signal seems to stay steady. Anyother ones pop in and out. I rectified my situation by buying a usb card and calling it a day. Now I can connect to anything :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, there is just one small problem, I'm on said laptop right now, at my home, online for a hour straight, without hickups.

Why can't it just be something obvious?
 
It was something in the router, I used the reset in the software itself, in stead of the button on the back, and the default wifi network showed up.

So, now it's back to the original settings, wpa2 etc etc, and it works fine again.
Silly electronics.
 
Must of been a setting that the router set when you pressed the button so that the laptop could not see the network. At least you won't have to be replacing the NIC card anytime soon. 👍
 
nick09
Must of been a setting that the router set when you pressed the button so that the laptop could not see the network. At least you won't have to be replacing the NIC card anytime soon. 👍
Click to expand...

Actually, I hoped that it would not work anymore, my mom already decided that she wanted a new laptop, so I could make a funny vid with this one. :lol:

But hey, it works, money saved.
 

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