Laptop lost wireless internet

[willie59]

I need a computer geek, which I'm not even close. Compac Presario V6000, Windows XP, has lost the wireless device. It worked fine last night when I shut the computer down. Started it up this evening, wireless never came on, just an orange light indicating wireless not on, light is blue when it's working.

Checked the internet connections at control panel, it shows the LAN, but doesn't even show wireless.

Opened device manager, shows the NVIDIA network controller, but shows not ethernet device. Back to using a cable for now, which sucks! :Banghead

Anybody got a clue what has happened???

 

[smittysrepair]

Just like most of us technicians are accused of doing I am going to blame it on the operator. It must be operator error or abuse!! lol
Are you sure your wireless router is working?

 

[willie59]

LoL, wouldn't hurt me to admit I did something...if I just knew what. :tong

Problem isn't with router, wife is on wireless at present. This computer has an led on the front of it to indicate the status of wireless device. Blue led indicates wireless is operating, orange led indicates it's off. Got orange led.

 

[smittysrepair]

Does your laptop have a button on it to turn off the wireless internet next to the power button or on the case somewheres? I am not familiar with a compact brand laptop so I have to ask to know what to do next.

 

[mitch504]

On my Gateway, theere is a switch right beside the wireless indicator LED

 

[willie59]

Yes, it has a sliding switch right next to the LED indicator, switch is in the on position now. Keep in mind, when viewing device manager, it doesn't show wireless device is Off or Disabled...it doesn't show a wireless device (ethernet) at all, there's nothing there.

 

[Lee-online]

My HP laptop has a slide switch to turn the wireless on or off. I always seem to move it without knowing.

 

[smittysrepair]

Mine is like Lee's also. I am kind of at a loss right now seeing I run windows 7 on my laptop. And you don't want to know what I think of it. lol But anyways I think you can go to control panel then network/internet and I think from there you can set up a wireless internet. I may be wrong though seeing I haven't used windows xp in a while.

 

[Willis Bushogin]

I called Compac, for you and they said you needed to change your user name back to ATCOEQUIP LOL
I had the problem a few months ago and I had hit the switch, I didnt even know I had a switch
Sorry I couldnt help, but I just had to say this (about the user name LOL)

 

[willie59]

I called Compac, for you and they said you needed to change your user name back to ATCOEQUIP LOL
I had the problem a few months ago and I had hit the switch, I didnt even know I had a switch
Sorry I couldnt help, but I just had to say this (about the user name LOL)

LoL, well, name change will remain, much like this dastardly cable will remain for now. :Banghead

 

[RonG]

The wireless card in a laptop is often in the same compartment as the memory chips or it may also have its own compartment on the bottom of the laptop.If you find it you can remove and reseat it to see if that helps but beyond that it may need to be replaced.It will have two wires going to it,usually a black and a white one.
I don't think that it is a network problem because of the orange light so that eliminates any encryption issues etc.
Those cards are cheap on ebay.If you have an old PCMCIA wireless card you might use that until you sort it out.Ron G

 

[dirty4fun]

My HP has a blue light when it is working, if you touch the blue light it shuts it off and turns orange. That is the switch on mine. Every once and a while I have to reboot my antenna, it is plugged into the power strip with the wireless. Much beyond that and I am lost. I bumped my light one time and that was how I found out it was also the switch for wireless. Good luck getting up and and running.

 

[kanewolf]

Does the wireless NIC (network interface card) show up in the windows device manager (MyComputer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager -> Network Adapters) ?? Does it have a yellow question mark? My guess is probably NO question mark since it was working.

Here is a link to the mant. manual http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01035886.pdf According to the manual, there should be a blue light if wireless is working.

 

[willie59]

Thanks for the replies fellas. :notworthy

RonG, I'll try removing the wireless card and re-seating it. It's mounted inside a cover on bottom of laptop, not in a card slot, will see it that helps, thanks for the advice.

kanewolf, big thanks for the maintenance manual, saved it to my documents. Here's a screenshot of device manager open. it's been some time since I last viewed device manager, can't remember for certain what "was" there, but I do recall some form of eternet used to be listed, just plain gone now.

 

[hvy 1ton]

Thanks for the replies fellas. :notworthy

RonG, I'll try removing the wireless card and re-seating it. It's mounted inside a cover on bottom of laptop, not in a card slot, will see it that helps, thanks for the advice.

kanewolf, big thanks for the maintenance manual, saved it to my documents. Here's a screenshot of device manager open. it's been some time since I last viewed device manager, can't remember for certain what "was" there, but I do recall some form of eternet used to be listed, just plain gone now.

There should be an ethernet and wireless device listed. Either stuff has gotten dislodged or more likely the motherboard is going bad. Laptop motherboards are not nearly as reliable as they should be.

 

[willie59]

Yep, you're spot on heavylift, I recall my device manager used to list an ethernet device, don't no more, it's gone, not there

 

[kanewolf]

I also notice that there is an option to enable/disable the wireless in the BIOS. Don't know why it would have changed but see Table 2-3 in the above maint. manual. Is wireless enabled in the BIOS? Use the F10 key to enter the BIOS prior to windows loading.

 

[willie59]

I also notice that there is an option to enable/disable the wireless in the BIOS. Don't know why it would have changed but see Table 2-3 in the above maint. manual. Is wireless enabled in the BIOS? Use the F10 key to enter the BIOS prior to windows loading.

Ok, restarted puter using F10 prompt, entered bios menus. Selected "System Configuration", no wireless device listed there to enable or disable.

I was on chatroom last night and it was suggested to update (reload) drivers for wireless device. My question was "how do you update/reload drivers for something that isn't there? Update driver "for what"?

Me thinks wireless device has plain old crapped out. Would just like to know how to confirm this before I purchase a new one.

 

[RonG]

About the easiest and most reliable way would be either replace it with a known good one or install yours in another computer that has been proven to work with a wireless card like yours.Ron G

 

[kanewolf]

Sounds Tango-Uniform to me. The cheapest way to be back in business is probably a USB wireless adapter.