3 replies to this topic

[DjTrex]

I'm trying to help my uncle with his Compaq nc8000 HP. The wireless is NOT connecting. YES the wireless button is in the ON position and the wireless light is lit up.

Windows XP Home SP3
I have ran windows update.
Device Manager shows the HP w500 is connected and working.
I can connect using Ethernet and i do get a connection.

When i open the Wireless Network Connection 2 (not sure what happened to the 1st connection) it shows me all of the available networks. When i select mine and try to connect i get an error

[Windows is unable to connect to the selected network. The network may no longer be in range. Please refresh the list of available networks, and try to connect again.]

after that it refreshes on its own and shows MY network at full 5 bars. Then I get a window that pops open and says (Device driver installation wizard)
Device driver installation complete
Installation results
(blank) no items listed

I have removed the broadcom wireless from add/remove programs and then installed a fresh DL of the proper driver from HP. I have gone into the start/run/services.msc and made sure that the Wireless ....... was enabled and started. I have gone into start/run/msconfig under start and made sure the old broadcom was not still there.

Where should I go from here?

Thanks, Wayne

[paws]

Hi Wayne and welcome to the WTT forums, Sorry to hear about the wireless issue.

There could be a number of reasons for this so we need to try and zoom in on the most likely areas by the elimination of some factors...but before we start, its worth saying that some problems arise when folks find that the software provided by the wireless adapter manufacturer tries to manage the wireless connection whilst Windows is trying to manage it at the same time....

The result is no wireless connection...

1 For the purposes here, try and let Windows manage the connection using Windows Zero Configuration as this may be all that is required... if still no joy, then power cycle the modem, wait 3 minutes, power cycle the router/wireless access point, wait 3 minutes, (if he is using one) then reboot the computer and see if you can connect.

2 If still no joy and to figure out if its the settings on his computer, a computer hardware failure or a modem/router wireless access point issue, try this:

A Use a known good computer that can use wireless with no problems and see if you can connect wirelessly to his router (wireless access point) does it connect to the Internet OK...?. if it does then it means that the modem/router/wireless access point are working OK.... so we need to concentrate on the computer itself.

B As an extra check try and connect his computer to someone elses Internet by wireless (obviously with their permission) if it doesn't connect ( despite using the correct encryption key (he will need to ask for it) then its pointing to his computer as the culprit.
Try and make sure when this is tested that the computer is within about 6 to 10 feet of the wireless access point/router being used for the test.

3 Back at his home try to connect again via wireless but with encryption switched off but with the SSID still being broadcast (you will need to go into the Router/wireless access point settings for this)

4 If you still have no joy then try this:

With Ethernet cable disconnected and wireless network adapter enabled

5 Click on Start

6 Click on Run

7 copy and paste into the white box the following command:

cmd /c "ipconfig /all > postme.txt & ping bbc.co.uk >> postme.txt & notepad postme.txt & del postme.txt"

Click on OK


Note the quotes..they need to be there...
Copy the output and then post it into your reply here, and one of us will advise the next steps

Regards

paws



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[DjTrex]

Thank you very much Steps taken/info... Windows Zero Configuration was set correctly I was at my home when i sent the first post so i was on the second network that was working and i still could not connect. Other computers were connected and using the wireless here at the time of the failure to connect with the problem computer. It did connect via ethernet. Did not check HIS wireless connection myself but i was told that his son was able to use it no problem. With the above list of info it looks like its the computer itself. Oddly after power cycling the modem at MY house and restarting HIS computer the error left and it actually asked me for the network key. I entered it and success!!! I am still getting the window that popps up (Device driver installation wizard) Device driver installation complete Installation results (blank) no items listed Since it is now working i won't worry about that window but it just seems odd. I'm sending the laptop back to his house with instructions to power cycle HIS modem and/or router if it doesn't connect the first try. I had just assumed that he had tried to do that BEFORE sending it to me but he is one of those people that can only play solitaire and only barely knows how to browse the net. Thanks for your help and i'll come back to this post if the problems come back. Wayne Paws+1

[paws]

Hi Wayne, That's good to hear. well done Regards paws