[Malconnectivity]

Hey guys,

I've been having some problems with my laptop. I'm not very techy myself, so my very basic efforts to fix it haven't yielded any results.

Basically, it's stopped connecting to the internet overnight. I can't connect, no matter what I do. It doesn't find any wireless networks, even though I know they are there (I'm writing this from a second laptop that can find plenty of networks, just a few feet away from the problem laptop). Not even connecting a LAN cable solves the problem, since it gives me an error message, blaming my ISP.

Some facts I thought might be helpful (I could be wrong, like I said, not very techy):

• 
  Packard Bell Easynote Laptop
  Windows Vista SP1

Items under the 'Network Adapters'-header:

• 
  Atheros AR5007EG Wireless Network Adapter
  Microsoft 6to4 adapter (not working, but I've never even seen it listed before)
  Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

Any help would be highly appreciated!

 

[2xg]

Hello and welcome to TSF!

You may try Power cycling your modem and router, it might help.

1. Save all your current work, close all open applications, then shut down your computer. Wait for a minute.
2. First, turn your Router off and wait for a couple of minutes.
3. Turn off your modem.
4. Disconnect all the ethernet cables that are connected to the router and modem and the PC.
5. Reconnect them and ensure that there are no loose connections in between them.
6. Now, switch on your PC and let it boot.
7. Switch on the modem first and after it gets initialized, switch on the router.

If power cycling didn't help at all then try this:

Click on Start, right click My Computer => Properties => Hardware tab => Device Manager => find your Network Adapters and expand it. right click on the Wireless Adapter and choose Update Driver. If you have an ethernet driver CD for your Wireless adapter have it ready. Choose Uninstall then re-install. Normally your Windows will do a Plug N play auto install for you, but just in case you might have your CD driver handy.

 

[Malconnectivity]

Heya Grump,

Tried the power cycle, didn't see any changes. I'm now looking for drivers online, since I don't have a CD with ethernet drivers. I'm assuming they'll load off a flash drive just as well. Finding them has proven to be a bit difficult, though. I never know if I've got the right file, since I can't recognise any of the file names in the .RARs they invariably come in. The last one I downloaded came with, among other things, an AsusUpdate.exe in it, even though the wireless adapter isn't an Asus product, to my knowledge.

 

[Malconnectivity]

Update:
I've also tried reïnstalling the drivers to both network adapters (the Atheros one and the Realtek one). I got the drivers from Packard Bell's support site. They were tied to my laptop's SN, so I know they're the right ones.
Anyhoo... still nothing. The Wifi-button on my keyboard won't light up, no matter how many times I press it, and I can't connect to the internet either wirelessly or by using a LAN cable. My laptop's basically become a very intricate paper weight.

 

[2xg]

Update:
I've also tried reïnstalling the drivers to both network adapters (the Atheros one and the Realtek one). I got the drivers from Packard Bell's support site. They were tied to my laptop's SN, so I know they're the right ones.
Anyhoo... still nothing. The Wifi-button on my keyboard won't light up, no matter how many times I press it, and I can't connect to the internet either wirelessly or by using a LAN cable. My laptop's basically become a very intricate paper weight.

Hi,

Are there any other computers that you can try connected to your router? We need to isolate the issue. Both of your computer's ethernet adapters are not working, it can be the router that's not functioning or your cable modem. Have you tried to wired connected your computer to the modem?

Pls. give me an update.

 

[Malconnectivity]

Actually, two other computers are connected to the router and working fine.
One is a laptop, and connected wirelessly, and the other is a desktop PC, connected with a Lan cable. I've used both of them to write some of my previous posts so far.

 

[2xg]

Alright.... Is it still under warranty so that they can replace the whole Motherboard?

I would just get a new one for about $20, pls. check this out=> http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-ME1001...8?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1259217085&sr=8-8

 

[Malconnectivity]

I am not sure. So it's likely to be an irreversible mechanical fault?

 

[2xg]

Yes, most likely since we've done some troubleshooting on your ethernet adapters and other computers are connected fine. I would def. give it a try to get a new USB wireless adapter, you may return it if it doesn't work.