Wireless device does not connect properly

[MalusCalibur]

Ah I see.

My laptop has a physical switch, but even when placed in the 'on' position, the LED (that usually indicates 'on' status) does not come on and the device does not function at all.

I am unaware of any other way that I might enable the device (eg a function key sequence): I'm not sure the machine has anything besides the physical switch.

[johnwill]

If it has a switch, there is probably not a function key sequence. The wireless card may be defective, or there may be a driver issue. Download and install the latest drivers from the laptop manufacturer's website.

[MalusCalibur]

I have the latest drivers for the device installed.

The device is working again now (i.e. it switches on) but the rapid disconnection problem is once again present.

[johnwill]

That seems to indicate you have more than one wireless client running. Try stopping WZC in Windows Services and see if it stops the disconnections. If so, you can use the properties of the WZC service to disable it.

[MalusCalibur]

Apologies, but could you give me more detailed steps on how to do that?

[johnwill]

Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services. Scroll down to Wireless Zero Configuration, right click and select Properties.

You can either just stop it for a test, or disable it there.

[MalusCalibur]

Thanks,

Unfortunately, stopping the WZC caused the following error message to appear on my Wireless Network Connection window:

'Windows cannot configure this wireless connection.

If you have enabled another program to manage this wireless connection, use that software.

If you want Windows to configure this wireless connection, start the Wirless Zero Configuration (WZC) service. For information about starting the WZC service, see article 871122 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base on the microsoft.com Web site'

[johnwill]

OK, so you apparently don't have another client running, that's what we were trying to find out. :)

Try booting in Safe Mode with Networking and see if that helps.

[MalusCalibur]

I attempted to do so but was unable to. I would get a screenful of file paths (the usual 'loading safe made' process) but it would freeze and then make no further progress. Shortly before this happened it would present with me a message saying 'Press Esc to stop loading (something, I can't remember what it said)', which I didn't do and it quickly disappeared again.

I tried this twice and both times the same result occurred.

[johnwill]

It's not a good indication that you can't boot in safe mode.

The fact that the symptoms come and go seems to suggest hardware issues. Have you opened up the bottom of the machine and reseated the wireless card and it's antenna connections?