Computer cannot find wireless networks...

Hello everyone. So my other laptop cannot find or connect to any wireless networks when searching for them and trying to connect. This mean I cannot get on to the internet at all. I have tried searching for networks at my school, at home and in Europe, however it can never find any networks. Other computers all seem to work fine and have no problem connecting or finding wireless networks in these areas. My computer does work fine and can acess the internet when connected with an ethernet cable, however I cannot use the cable where I am now, as I am at home with no ethernet port. My computer that is having the problem is a gateway with Windows XP that I got in 2006. I am not that tech saavy at all and want to know if I could fix the problem myself before taking it somewhere to be fixed. So if you can help, please explain things very basically haha. Also, please let me know if I should provide any other information that you need. Thank you very much!

Hi and welcome to the WTT forums, Sorry to hear of the problems with your laptop and the lack of wireless networking. 1 First check that your laptop is wireless equipped and if it is that you have wireless switched on…. you may have a switch that may have been knocked into the off position…your handbook will tell you where it is (it may also be able to be switched on by the keyboard….something like holding down the function key and tapping (once only) the F2 key (Fn + F2) 2 Next check in Device Manager that your Network Adapter is present (there will, or should be, an entry that mentions "Wireless" and that it has no yellow or Red warnings marks against it, and when Right clicked in Properties says that its working correctly. To see Device Manager do this 3 Click Start 4 Right click My Computer 5 Click on Properties 6 Click on Hardware 7 Click on Device Manager 8 Scroll down to Network Adapter 9 Click on the + sign just to the left of Network Adapter and you should see 2 entries one for your cabled connection and one for wireless. When you have done this report back please with what you have found and the exact make and model number of your computer and copy down and send to us the line in Network adapters that includes the word "Wireless" so that we can advise you the next steps Regards paws