Looking for some computer help

**mail man** · 04-23-2010, 11:38 AM

Help, I just got gifted an older laptop from my step sister, and I got most of it figured out, but the wireless will not turn on.
It is a HP Pavilion ZE5300, and it has the wireless button right on the front of the case.

Keith

**badwhale** · 04-23-2010, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by mail man

Help, I just got gifted an older laptop from my step sister, and I got most of it figured out, but the wireless will not turn on.
It is a HP Pavilion ZE5300, and it has the wireless button right on the front of the case.

Keith

HP Pavilion ~ ZE5300 (actually a torpedo)...are those made by Oliva?

**cinda** · 04-23-2010, 01:06 PM

I do not want to sound like I think your completely not getting it but lower left conner go to

start
connect to
wireless and or show all connections

is all that working?

**mail man** · 04-23-2010, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by cinda

I do not want to sound like I think your completely not getting it but lower left conner go to

start
connect to
wireless and or show all connections

is all that working?

I do appreciate you being frank, those are the things that are most often overlooked,but all that does work. When I search for a wireless signal, it tells me that there isn't one and that maybe my wireless switch is off.
I know that there is a signal, because4 I did this right next to someone in the coffee shop who was surfing on free wireless.
I then tried to turn the wireless on, but no reaction when I push the button.

**cinda** · 04-23-2010, 11:56 PM

Ok I am far from being a tech but things I would do

Shut it down..take out the battery reboot

Turn off the fire wall (just to check)

are you sure its free? some shops make you at least buy something there and then you have to register and get a password

when the last time your sister used it? Are you up to date on your service package?

Try another location

last resort..Sit at a table by a window wrap a metal coat hanger in tin foil and tape it to table making sure the hanger is a long as you can make it pointing the hanger east. stick one hand in side your neighbors large Mcdee's coke and put your foot on the chair leg across from you all the while sucking down a milk shake. If this doesn't work I am sure that someone will ask you if you need help...you might even get a ride to a place with great wyfy service .....trust me!

**badwhale** · 04-23-2010, 11:59 PM

Wait....we're not talking about cigars are we? shit

**logan37** · 04-24-2010, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by cinda

ok i am far from being a tech but things i would do

last resort..sit at a table by a window wrap a metal coat hanger in tin foil and tape it to table making sure the hanger is a long as you can make it pointing the hanger east. Stick one hand in side your neighbors large mcdee's coke and put your foot on the chair leg across from you all the while sucking down a milk shake. If this doesn't work i am sure that someone will ask you if you need help...you might even get a ride to a place with great wyfy service .....trust me!

hahahaha!

**cinda** · 04-24-2010, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by badwhale

Wait....we're not talking about cigars are we? shit

Sure we are talking about cigars for he needs his wireless connection to be able to get on the web to be on the board to talk about cigars. You of all people should know...... all roads lead to cigars.

**CptnBlues63** · 04-24-2010, 07:41 AM

I'm not familiar with that model (my laptop cert's were IBM and Toshiba) but things I would check aside from the obvious (the wireless switch is in the On position - providing it actually has one):

1) Open Device Manager (Windows Key + Pause/Break key to open System Applet >> click on "Hardware Tab" ->>click on Device Manager) and check to ensure the wireless interface is working properly in there. If it has an exclamation mark, there's a problem and at this point you should go to Step 4 and try it.

2) If it shows the interface is working properly according to DM, I would next ensure the wired interface (or interfaces if it has more than one) are disabled. Go to: Start >> Settings >> Network Connections and right click on the wired interface (usually "Local Area Connection") and select "Disable" from the menu that comes up. If it starts working properly, you're done.

3) If that didn't fix it, check on HP's site for updated drivers for the device. You'll need the model number off the bottom for sure for this. If there are updated drivers, download and install them.

4) If updated drivers don't fix it (or there aren't any newer drivers) you may want to try uninstalling the device itself in Device Manager. To do so, open DM and find your wireless network interface again and this time right click on it and select "Uninstall" and reboot. Windows should "find" the device upon bootup and reload it.

5) If none of the above get it working properly the last thing I can think of trying is to unistall, then reinstall the TCP/IP stack on the device itself. To do this, go back to Network Connections (Start >> Settings >>Network Connections) and on the wireless connection right click and select "Properties" from the menu that comes up. In the window that opens scroll down to "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click on it to highlight it and select uninstall. Reboot, go back into the properties for the wireless interface and then reinstall the same TCP/IP Stack. Reboot again and see if it doesn't start working.

If none of the above works, the interface itself is either broken, or you'll need to take the unit in to HP to be fixed. If it's not under warranty, it's likely not worth it. It would probably be cheaper to buy a PCMCIA wireless ethernet adapter for the unit (providing it has a PCMCIA slot or two).

**mail man** · 04-24-2010, 06:16 PM

Capt, thanks for the info, I am going to check it out tomorrow, and I will let you know what, if anything, I find out.

Cinda, just to let you know, I tried the coathanger and hand in neighbors drink, and all I got from it was a free ride with a backwards sweater. the sweater was real nice, but it kind of hindered my typing.

And, I agree, I am trying to get this going so I can smoke while on a e-herf.

**Mangyrat** · 04-24-2010, 07:14 PM

If you cant get the wireless to work you can always get one of the cheap USB wifi cards.

**Shelby07** · 04-25-2010, 12:53 PM

I haven't seen anyone suggest this yet. Take a look at your function keys (top row) and look for an icon that looks like a triangular tower with a dot on top and radio signals emanating from the dot. If you have one, hold the function key down (fn) and press it. It will toggle your network connection on and off. Look for a network light somewhere on your laptop. It should be lit.

Good luck.

**cinda** · 04-25-2010, 04:05 PM

hummmmm never new that was there mine is on f8 kewl!

**ggiese** · 04-25-2010, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by cinda

Ok I am far from being a tech but things I would do

...last resort..Sit at a table by a window wrap a metal coat hanger in tin foil and tape it to table making sure the hanger is a long as you can make it pointing the hanger east. stick one hand in side your neighbors large Mcdee's coke and put your foot on the chair leg across from you all the while sucking down a milk shake. If this doesn't work I am sure that someone will ask you if you need help...you might even get a ride to a place with great wyfy service .....trust me!

That's what I'm talkin' about!!!

**mail man** · 04-26-2010, 11:08 AM

Finally got it to work, I had to uninstall, then reboot, then update the drivers....Whew.

After soliciting all the advice, and doing all that, the signal is very anemic unless you are sitting on the router. I did a little google searching, and found out the my particular wifi modem is only good out to about 50 feet from the router, and that was when it was brand new. So, I might go with an after market card after all.

Anyway, thank you to all that responded with suggestions.

Keith

**Mangyrat** · 04-26-2010, 12:48 PM

Hit newegg.com and pick up one.

If i was getting one for my self this is the one i would pick.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156267

It is small and don't get in the way like the larger usb ones and the range is not bad at all its listed in meters not feet so its 160 ft indoor and 320 outside give or take a few ft.

**mail man** · 04-26-2010, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Mangyrat

Hit newegg.com and pick up one.

If i was getting one for my self this is the one i would pick.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156267

It is small and don't get in the way like the larger usb ones and the range is not bad at all its listed in meters not feet so its 160 ft indoor and 320 outside give or take a few ft.

Sweet, thanks for the link. With that kind of distance, I could just about steal my neighbors wifi

.

**ggiese** · 04-26-2010, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by mail man

Sweet, thanks for the link. With that kind of distance, I could just about steal my neighbors wifi

.

If you're looking to steal the neighbor's signal, you might want to look into one of these...

**mail man** · 04-27-2010, 01:09 PM

I meant my neighbor next door, not the neighbor in DC

**MarineOne** · 04-28-2010, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by mail man

After soliciting all the advice, and doing all that, the signal is very anemic unless you are sitting on the router. I did a little google searching, and found out the my particular wifi modem is only good out to about 50 feet from the router, and that was when it was brand new. So, I might go with an after market card after all.

Anyway, thank you to all that responded with suggestions.

Keith

Keith,

I use a G-SKY USB wireless adapter here in the sandbox. I had to get a 9dbi antenna with a 15 foot antenna cable because of the distance to the access point and to keep the USB transceiver indoors, but it works great. Here's the one I've been using for the last year:

http://gsky-link.com/en/product_Deta...0USB%20Adapter

I figure that if I ever did some wardriving this would be the perfect wireless adapter to use with a can to nab signals with.