Laptop is not picking up wireless

calmseas · Jul 29, 2012

My Grandaughter has dropped her laptop and can nolonger pick up wifi the message says Windows cannot find any networks. I have tried connecting the laptop via ethernet cable but it still isnt picking anything up. Wireless icon is present with a red cross through it. I can connect to wireless using my laptop so the wireless isnt an issue. Any idea what this could be? Hi-Grade laptop running on Vista
Thankyou in advance for any replies

iseeuu · Jul 30, 2012

calmseas said:
My Grandaughter has dropped her laptop and can nolonger pick up wifi the message says Windows cannot find any networks. I have tried connecting the laptop via ethernet cable but it still isnt picking anything up. Wireless icon is present with a red cross through it. I can connect to wireless using my laptop so the wireless isnt an issue. Any idea what this could be? Hi-Grade laptop running on Vista
Thankyou in advance for any replies

Hello calmseas and welcome to Vista Forums!

Dropping the laptop could mean 'broken parts' inside, things like network cards can be replaced rather easily.

But for both wireless and wired to not work makes broken parts less likely. Most laptops have a keyboard key combination to turn wifi on and off. Since we do not know what model laptop you have cannot be more specific. You might try rebooting and looking at the network settings in the BIOS, making sure the devices, wired and wifi, are both turned on and available to be used.

If the physical devices are in working condition, you might try the Windows Network Troubleshooter to help sort out any issues there?

Please let us know what you find?
Robert

calmseas · Jul 31, 2012

Hi Robert Thankyou for your help so far.
I cannot find a button on the laptop to turn the wireless on, I have searched the internet for a key combination without any results, I dont know what model the laptop is, and havnt a clue how to get into BIOS, Windows trouble shooter doesnt help. Once again Thankyou

Patonb · Jul 31, 2012

I'm a bit confused on when you plug in the ethernet cable. The wifi will not come on, as it is seperate from the wired network.

So, when you plug the laptop directlyn into the router, can you get on the internet?

Don't worry about the bios, as I've never seen networking option in there. As a fyi, the load screen usually tells you how to enter "Setup".

The model number is usually writen on the laptop. Makers love to plaster it all over.

Theres a possibity that the wifi card poped off. They are usually just plugged in onto the mobo, but without the model, I'm not able to help yha.

calmseas · Jul 31, 2012

Patonb said:
I'm a bit confused on when you plug in the ethernet cable. The wifi will not come on, as it is seperate from the wired network.

So, when you plug the laptop directlyn into the router, can you get on the internet?

Don't worry about the bios, as I've never seen networking option in there. As a fyi, the load screen usually tells you how to enter "Setup".

The model number is usually writen on the laptop. Makers love to plaster it all over.

Theres a possibity that the wifi card poped off. They are usually just plugged in onto the mobo, but without the model, I'm not able to help yha.

Hi Thankyou for your reply
Unlike my laptop which like you say is plastered all over my Grandaughters just puts Hi-Grade there is a model number underneath the laptop which is VA250D does that help? when the laptop is plugged directly with the ethernet cable I still get the same message that windows is unable to find any networks in the area? and no there is no connection to the internet. Havnt a clue what the mobo is?

Patonb · Jul 31, 2012

It sure does help knowing "VA250D" as it is a Hi-Grade laptop

Hi-grade is the brand, and VA250D is the model number.

By plugging the laptop in, the wireless is no loger used, and so who cares if it can't find any networks. Its sorta like saying you can go to the store cause your cars broke, yet you are driving you truck.

Okay, I just read the manual for the computer, aznd it does use an add in wireless card, which could have popped off the antena in the fall.

I hate linking like this, but here is your user manual:
ftp://ftp.higrade.com/2010/drivers/Notebook/VA250D%20(W5700)/XP_VA250D_Manual_Ver2.0.pdf

Check, using the manual, if the wireless lights blinks.

Also, go into the control panel -> System -> Device manager and see if there is any red X's or yellow ! by the network adapters.

If youre adventurous, the wifi card has it's own back panel, you could open it up and look to see if the antenna has disconnected.

calmseas · Jul 31, 2012

Patonb said:
It sure does help knowing "VA250D" as it is a Hi-Grade laptop

Hi-grade is the brand, and VA250D is the model number.

By plugging the laptop in, the wireless is no loger used, and so who cares if it can't find any networks. Its sorta like saying you can go to the store cause your cars broke, yet you are driving you truck.

Okay, I just read the manual for the computer, aznd it does use an add in wireless card, which could have popped off the antena in the fall.

I hate linking like this, but here is your user manual:
ftp://ftp.higrade.com/2010/drivers/Notebook/VA250D (W5700)/XP_VA250D_Manual_Ver2.0.pdf

Check, using the manual, if the wireless lights blinks.

Also, go into the control panel -> System -> Device manager and see if there is any red X's or yellow ! by the network adapters.

If youre adventurous, the wifi card has it's own back panel, you could open it up and look to see if the antenna has disconnected.

Once again Thankyou
using the link to the manual help with know what lights were what 1. power indicater on 3. drive acess flashing that is the only 2 lights so no wireless light flashing.
Control panel ....network adapters loads of yellow exclamation marks has follows
Microsoft 6to4 adapter # 2
" " " " 4
" " 6
" " " 7
" " 8
" " 9
" " 10
" 11
" 12
" 14
Atheros AR5005G and VIA RHINE 11 Fast Ethernet have no yellow exclamation mark
No I am not adventurous but if and wouldnt know what to open or do once opened :shock:

Patonb · Jul 31, 2012

I think it might be useful if you took A screenshot of the control panel, showing the !.

you'd have to transfer it using a usb stick to your good computer, but as they say, A picture is worth a thousand words.

calmseas · Aug 1, 2012

Patonb said:
I think it might be useful if you took A screenshot of the control panel, showing the !.

you'd have to transfer it using a usb stick to your good computer, but as they say, A picture is worth a thousand words.

Sorry I dont have a usb stick

Patonb · Aug 1, 2012

Well, there's good news, the 2 actual adapters are not !.

I noticed you never said the wifi light was on. Though I do not see a button marked wifi, in the manual, the fall may have some how deactivated it.

I'll do abitof digging and get back to you.

Edit

Can't find a button yet, but to checkn if the wifi card if intact, yolu just need to unscrew the screws on the large panel marked 4 and 5 on pg 24.
The wifi card is pretty straight forward, and the antenna is just 2 wires.

calmseas · Aug 1, 2012

If it were my laptop I would have no quarms about taking the back off but being the grandaughters she is only 9 and I would hate to break it completly I will ask hubby to have a look and hopfully there wont be to many wires? Once again thankyou for help given

calmseas · Aug 1, 2012

Patonb said:
Well, there's good news, the 2 actual adapters are not !.

I noticed you never said the wifi light was on. Though I do not see a button marked wifi, in the manual, the fall may have some how deactivated it.

I'll do abitof digging and get back to you.

Edit

Can't find a button yet, but to checkn if the wifi card if intact, yolu just need to unscrew the screws on the large panel marked 4 and 5 on pg 24.
The wifi card is pretty straight forward, and the antenna is just 2 wires.

Took the back of only wires I could see were attached to the fan there was a button looked like a watch battery hidden under some black tape that had come out so I pushed that back in (hope I was supposed to) result is still no internet

cant seem to find anything on the net that tells me there is a shortcut on the keypad to press to turn wifi on

and there is def no switch ot button on the laptop itself to turn it on

Patonb · Aug 1, 2012

Hmm, sucky, but welcome to the world of exploration.

Firstly, we should try and get the wireless card on.
Trythis:

- Click Start
- Click Control Panel
- Click Network and Internet
- Click Network Center
- In the left pane, click Manage network connections

If it is listed, it may be disabled. Right-click it, and if there is an
option to Enable it, click that option

As a fyi...
In this image: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=180942539612
You can see the wifi card.. in the middle of the board on thr right.

And in this picture http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=280857903909
Is your antenna. You can see the little brass plugs on 1 end of the wire.

calmseas · Aug 1, 2012

Patonb said:
Hmm, sucky, but welcome to the world of exploration.

Firstly, we should try and get the wireless card on.
Trythis:

- Click Start
- Click Control Panel
- Click Network and Internet
- Click Network Center
- In the left pane, click Manage network connections

If it is listed, it may be disabled. Right-click it, and if there is an
option to Enable it, click that option
Done just says not connected and a red cross.
As a fyi...
In this image: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=180942539612
You can see the wifi card.. in the middle of the board on thr right.

And in this picture http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=280857903909
Is your antenna. You can see the little brass plugs on 1 end of the wire.

Done just says not connected and a red cross.

calmseas · Aug 1, 2012

Forgot to say neither links work

Patonb · Aug 1, 2012

Sorry about the images., guess ebay doesn't like cross posting.

You can search ebay for hi-grade VA250D motherboard for the first image. There's some good pictures: hi-grade VA250D motherboard | eBay

Switch antenna for motherboard for the second one. But either way, it was just extra info.
hi-grade VA250D antenna | eBay

I'm starting to be at a loss for ideas unfortunately, and with the issue happening because of a drop, it's not easy to diagnose over the internet.

It maybe time for a person to look at it, and see if theres something broken, unfortunately the laptops old and not worth putting more nthan a few quid into fixing it.

calmseas · Aug 7, 2012

Patonb said:
Sorry about the images., guess ebay doesn't like cross posting.

You can search ebay for hi-grade VA250D motherboard for the first image. There's some good pictures: hi-grade VA250D motherboard | eBay

Switch antenna for motherboard for the second one. But either way, it was just extra info.
hi-grade VA250D antenna | eBay

I'm starting to be at a loss for ideas unfortunately, and with the issue happening because of a drop, it's not easy to diagnose over the internet.

It maybe time for a person to look at it, and see if theres something broken, unfortunately the laptops old and not worth putting more nthan a few quid into fixing it.

Thankyou for all your help sorry I diddnt reply before now been away for a few days and wow that is what I must have needed come back messed around with laptop and found the button that turns the wireless back on haha cant beleive it was that easy grrrr all laptops should have the same image on the wifi button once again a massave thankyou for all the work you put in

Patonb · Aug 7, 2012

Wonderful. Not even I saw anything about the button. The manual sorta was bad.

Enjoy the wireless.

Laptop is not picking up wireless

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