[@thorntonrich]

Hi. After using my vista PC for a couple of years without problem, it has suddenly stopped recognizing the my home internet connection through WIFI.
Here are the facts:

Other devices will connect just fine to the signal.
One morning I was using the internet fine and switched off the PC, when I came to use it later that evening it could not detect any wireless network. Nobody used it in between. The only thing that may have altered the PC was the possible installation of Windows updates on shutdown.
I can connect to the internet by tethering my mobile via USB.
When I hover over the computer symbol on the right hand side of the taskbar, the popup states 'Wireless networks are available.' However when I click it open it states 'Windows cannot find any networks.'
When I click 'diagnose and repair' it tells me 'there might be a problem with one or more network adapters'.
When I tried to open device manager, I got this message: 'MMC cannot open the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\devmgmt.msc.' and I have since fixed it here.
Windows vista 32 bit.
Atheros AR5005G Wireless NEtwork Adapter, driver version 7.7.0.498
Nvidia nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernetm driver version 73.3.5.0

If anyone can provide me with some help I'd be extremely grateful.
Thanks.
Richard

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Hello,

I would try completely uninstalling the Wireless Adapter software and drivers, and installing the latest version (download from the internet using a different computer).

Cheers

[Troy]

Hello,

I would try completely uninstalling the Wireless Adapter software and drivers, and installing the latest version (download from the internet using a different computer).

Cheers

[@thorntonrich]

Thanks Troy.

I'm afraid I have a couple of questions before I do that.

Firstly, as far as I can tell this is the Atheros website, and it has no mention of AR5005G, (Obsolete?). I have found a couple of unofficial websites with the drivers for the adapter, I'm not certain I want to be getting the reinstall from there.
If AR5005G is unavailable, what other products can I use?
Where, physically on my PC do I install the latest version to? The drivers on these unofficial websites, or at least the one I looked at anyway, do not come with an .exe file so I'm not really sure what I'd be doing at this point.

[Troy]

Hello,

Don't download anything from unofficial sites. What is the make/model of the computer please?

Cheers

[@thorntonrich]

Hi,

I don't have a make/model as such. I bought the PC some 3/4 years ago from a reputable local computer shop who I presume put it together. What I can tell you is that it is ACPI x86, runs vista home premium 32 bit with an AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual core processor 4800+ 2.44GHz, 2Gb RAM.
I'm afraid I'm not really sure what information will be useful to you so if you could tell me what you might need to know and how to find it, I'll be able to help more.

Thanks.

[Troy]

Is this a desktop then?

Can you take a look inside and see if you can find a make/model on the wireless card. When you open up the case be sure to have removed power cable from the tower and also don't touch anything, just have a look and see what you are able to find.

Or any chance you still have the original invoice which might list the make/model of the wireless card?

Cheers

[@thorntonrich]

Yes, it is a desktop.
Wireless card is Sweex, model LW052. Hope this helps.
PS: I know you said don't touch anything, and I haven't done, but there's loads of dust in here (1st time opened) Can I clean it out? Is there anything that must not be touched? Our should I just leave it?
Cheers

[Troy]

Yep always a good idea to clean out the dust. You can get cans of compressed air from the local hardware store to give it a good blast out. Just make sure you hold the fans still when you are blowing on them, otherwise they will spin too fast and can stuff up the bearings.

Sweex LW052 driver here:
http://www.sweex.com...ivers_firmware/

Cheers

[@thorntonrich]

Ok, I have downloaded the driver. I must admit, not 100% sure what to do from here. I ran 'setup', which all seemed to go well and restarted, but there's no apparent change. I know you said to uninstall the wireless adapter software and drivers but I don't know how to do this, there's nothing in device manager with any mention of Sweex or its model number so I didn't want to go messing around.
Under 'Network Adapters' there is Atheros AR5005G Wireless Network Adapter, driver version 7.1.0.90 and Nvidia nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernetm driver version 73.3.5.0

[Troy]

What you have done is just installed the downloaded driver over the top of the old driver. Nothing wrong with that.

Does it connect now?

[@thorntonrich]

No, im afraid it doesn't. The symptoms are the same as they were to begin with.

[Troy]

Hmmmmmmm. Starting to get tricky. I would look at trying another Wireless card in the computer. Do you know anyone who has a USB wireless dongle you could borrow?

[@thorntonrich]

Hi Troy, just to let you know I haven't just ditched this now, I'm trying to borrow a wireless dongle from somebody at a convenient time for them. I'll be back to you once I get hold of one, thanks.
Rich

[Troy]

No worries