silicon pop culture!

Ok guys, I am stumped. I spent a lot of time and testing trying to figure my problem out. I did a lot of reading and can hold my own in way of understanding and tech repair skills. So here is my issue.

When I switch on the wireless connection, I get the standard wireless screen to pick a connection. I pick my secured one and of course, the box appears for the key. Once I enter it in twice and press submit, it tells me it is searching for available networks - as if nothing happened. It continues to repeat this process every time. In Device Manager, I have uninstalled my wireless card several times, rebooted and it was re-installed automatically. I still get the same results.

Then I tried connecting to a random free connection with the same results.

Then I tried connecting with a USB plugin Linksys wireless unit and once again, got the same results.

I need to get this fixed before Friday because I am traveling to WI and will have some MAJOR time layovers and delays. I do NOT want to be stuck without my TR connecting to the Net.

ANY ideas as to why this is happening?

Sounds like something in windwos is messed up, was it working before… like a week or so ago? if so do you have any restore points prior to this?

can’t see it being hardware related if a USB wireless unit doesn’t work either..

Yea I was kind of leaning in that same direction too BladeRunner. If an external wireless unit was doing the same thing, then it would have to be software. So I had looked around on the Net to see if I could find a separate wireless software management system for free but to no avail.

I noticed the issue when I was in Seattle last week. As far as restore points, I am not sure. I am a little weary of restoring because I am not sure how much has changed, but then again, I may have to do this.

I will have to look to see if there is a way to uninstall / delete the wireless software and try that.

Can you connect to an open/unsecure network?
[edit]... oh you said that[/edit]

I doubt it’s software as the USB one will have it’s own drivers.. it’s more likely the wireless part of XP. I think wireless was sort of glued onto the side of XP not part of it to begin with and it can be glitchy.

You can always go back if your restore point removes critical stuff or doesn’t solve the problem. Things like my documents & e-mail should remain unchanged by using system restore, it just restores the registry and recent program changes afaik, make sure you go back far enough, well before you noticed the problem

Your post has me thinking differently BladeRunner. So because of your input, I have now fixed the problem! Here is how:

I figured out that I need to disable Wireless Zero Configuration first since XP is poor in managing this like you said. This is what I did:

1. I went to Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services
2. Double-click on Wireless Zero Configuration
3. Change the Startup type to Manual (so that the service will not be started when the computer is rebooted) and click on the Stop button to stop the service.
4. Click on OK to complete the process.

After I did this, then I downloaded (I FINALLY! found a separate “manager” for wireless) Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 Network Connection 7.1.4.0WHQL located at http://majorgeeks.com/IntelR_PROWireless_LAN_2100_Network_Connection_d4598.html
Once this was installed, WHAMO! I had wireless Internet!

WOOHOO! Thank you for stimulating other thoughts in giving your thoughts BladeRunner!

Yeah I’ve had issues with that zero config thing in the past, should have mentioned it directly… least it’s sorted now… oh and see your battery thread for a suprise

Glad you didn’t mention it directly, as odd as that sounds. It made me figure it out with your assistance. I prefer it that way - unless it is something critical!

Thanks for the surprise!