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"Radio Disabled"


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#1
Manners

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Until recently, we have been using our laptop as our main pc, cable connected. We have a Netgear router which has been giving my son's laptop wireless connectivity. We have only used ours as a wireless once, while traveling 2 years ago. We had a difficult time, but it finally worked.

We just purchased a desktop and would now like to have our laptop connected through the router. The wireless radio is showing as off, although the physical switch is on. When I go into Intel, it has a place to turn radio on or off, which is in gray and not black, so is unaccessible. The device is Intel ® Pro/Wireless 2200BGNetwork connection. No light shows on the laptop to indicate it is on.

Is the wireless switch broken inside the laptop? Should I be able to access it with a command from the machine, as the physical switch is on???? Any advice? My laptop is running XPsp2 and is an NSpire custom built.

Haven't gotten to the router stuff yet. Just trying to get the wireless mode to turn on.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Edited by Manners, 06 July 2007 - 06:31 PM.

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#2
pip22

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Have a look in Device Manager on the laptop (Control Panel->System->Hardware->Device Manager). If you see a yellow question-mark or red exclamation-mark against "unknown device" or "wireless device", then it's quite likely a driver issue and you need to re-install the device driver for the laptop's wireless device. Without the driver, Windows doesn't know what the device is so can't interact with it, and that's why the on/off option is greyed out.

Obviously to do this you need to source the correct driver. If you have any of the original discs that were supplied with the laptop, it's possible all the device drivers for it's various components are on that disc. If not, you should be able to get the driver from the website of the laptop manufacturer if it's a well-known brand. You'll need the model number of your laptop in order to do this.

Edited by pip22, 08 July 2007 - 04:21 AM.

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#3
Manners

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Everything looks fine in Device Manager. I updated the Intel 2200 BG though. In the meantime, I have found a couple of links that confuse the heck out of me because I don't know how to do what they are saying.

I did learn about the physical switch and the driver switch and the difference though. Score 1 for me! LOL!!

Here is one: http://damien.bergam...pw-freebsd.html

two: http://www.intel.com...b/cs-025791.htm

three: http://www.dslreport...=radio disabled

I am trying to help myself but am lost. If you happen to have a couple of extra minutes, would you take a look please and tell me what I need to do??

I am sure that it is a software problem as it looks like it might be common with Intel 2200BG.

My laptop was custom built in Dec 2004. I just put a new hard drive in. The case says NSpire.

Thank you for your help and your reply.

Manners
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