Network n00b and wireless issues

[Pokie]

Howdy folks,

i'm in a situation where i need some help getting this setup correctly. I have a home network and everything works fine. All computers connected (via cat5) works and see's each other without issues. However i recently bought a laptop so now i got wireless thrown in there and i can't get it to work for the life of me.

I have a belkin router and a toshiba laptop running a Artheros wireless lan card. I can't see the network! i don't know what i'm doing wrong here. I have the router all setup for wireless but the laptop don't even see it.

Any help would be great. i know thats not much info to go on but thats really all i know about whats happening here. I can answer any questions so if you got one please ask!

- Pokie

[Sid]

Can you at least surf the web? Basically is it all connections or just your home network you can't see?

[Pokie]

I can't surf or anything, i'm not seeing the network or able to us the internet. I'm really not sure how to approach this.

if i put mymouse over the "connection" icon in the task bar that shows me the signal strength it says "disabled" but i don't know how to enable it. I went in and checked device manager and everything is enabled there. i looked at all the sofwtare i have in regards to Artheros but still unable to see anything.

Somebody please helps as without wirelss connection i might have waisted the cash on this laptop and thats a lot of cash to waist :(

[Sid]

What OS? You should be able to make the neccessary changes in network properties. XP has a neat little utility in there that will search for the wireless connection.

[Pokie]

XP Home, if your talking about "view wireless netowrks" then its not showing there. But please tell me that you know of another place :)

but if you can get this working i'll give you a e-Gift cert from amazon or barnes & nobles (www.bn.com).

[Sid]

I don't want anything. Here are some links that may help

here (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/netwimprovements.mspx)

and here (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q313242)

[koldchillah]

This is really silly, but your wireless router's protocols does match the laptop correct? In other words if your router is 802.11a and your laptop is 802.11g or b, there would be your problem right there. 802.11g is backward compatible with 802.11b, but 802.11a is on an altogether different frequency range.

Also your laptop might have a special function key (my Dell does), in which you hold down the right function key and then press another hotkey (usually noted by a little wireless signal above the key) and that disables and re-enables the wireless NIC's antenna.. I mention this b/c on my Dell, I could have the wireless adapter setup fine and enabled in device manager but still have the antenna disabled via the appropriate Dell function key.

good luck. :)

[Pokie]

yeah both are 802.11g and on a toshiba the keys combo to turn on the wireless modem is function F8 :)

[Pokie]

Ok from what i can tell is that the "radio" (which i'm assuming is the antena for the wireless modem) is not activated. If i right click on the Atheros icon in the start bar it has an option to enable the "radio" but its grayed out.

If i go through the networking wizard it tells me that some compenants are not connected. I'm assuming thats the "radio" .. notice all te assumptions here lol

I reinstalled the drivers (downloaded latest from the manufacturer) and still have the same problem. :(

My modem is listed on microsofts HCL listing for windows XP.

[Sid]

Are you running sp2?

[Pokie]

OMG, i can't beleive how stupid i'm about to look ... there is a on/off switch in the right side of the laptop ... i'm sorry guys.

It works but its extremely slow.

[Sid]

Hahahahaha :rtfm: Just kiding bud. We've all done stuff like that.