Wireless Network Switch on a Laptop

I think my daughter's wireless network issue is because the wireless
adaptor is physically turned off - but she swears she can't find a switch

pmj...

What does Device Manager have to say about it?

Jeff Gaines...

She went through the wireless connection dialogs - on one of them the
wireless adaptor is shown as 'off' - when she tries to turn it on it gives
a warning that it needs to be physically turned on - hence the search for
a switch :-)

RightClick My Computer>Manage>Device Manager
or RightClick My Computer>Properties>Hardware>[Device Manager]

Or you (she) can get to it from the Control Panel, or from the Start>Run
box...

Start>Run devmgmt.msc [OK]

& also have a look in MSInfo32 (micro$oft System Information Utility)
She can get to that either from the Entry in the Start Menu (in the
Accessories>System Tools Section) or by using...

Start>Run msinfo32 [OK]

& you could try Running the Network Diagnostics Utility thingy.
That's actually quite good - WinXP has it & it tells you all about
the various Network Adaptors in the Machine.

for it.

It's a Hi Grade Notino C5515 - has anybody any idea if it has a physical
switch for the wireless adaptor - and where it is!!!

pmj...

Sorry I dunno.
I do know that some Laptops (such as Sony, Toshiba etc,) do have
a Physical Switch for the WiFi Adaptor, but they are normally fairly
obvious to find on the case.

The Hi Grade site is useless, "goodness knows" where the manual is, and

pmj...

Yep.
:-(

I just had a look on the Higrade.com Site & can't find any Manuals
or anything much in the way of helpful, useful Information!
:-(

Has your Daughter still got any of the CDs that came with the Laptop?
There is prolly some .PDF Manuals & stuff on them?

Jeff Gaines...

Apparently goodness knows where they are as well, if we could find
goodness we would be in business!

Or what about looking on the Laptop itself?

Jeff Gaines...

She says not.

Most OEMs such as Higrade usually bung a whole load of "Help" Files
& PDF Manuals somewhere on the Hard Disk & often have various Links
(either in the Start Menu or on the Desktop) to them.

& what about looking in the WinXp Help thingy?
Some OEMs put their own specific Information in there as well.

I'd like to avoid a 3 hour trip to Wales if possible :-))

MCC...

Dunno if it's similar to the switch on my Acer laptop, Jeff. That is on the
front edge and lights up when activated. In fact it looks just like a
little light, maybe an inch or so long and 1/8th of an inch deep.

Jeff Gaines...

That's the sort of thing I was hoping she would find :-)

On my Toshiba it's a slide switch and a light - she's going to 'phone
their support desk tomorrow.

She spent half the day on the 'phone to ''Trev' (BT support) in India (she
told him she would have to call him Trev because she couldn't pronounce
his name) but the BT side is working, it's just the laptop that seems to
be the issue.

Baldrick...

Madge and I both have an Acer laptop, different models, but the software is
exactly the same and the boards are similar enough to be called the same -
However, on mine at start-up, I immediately get Wi-Fi connection, but on
Madge's you have to go into 'Acer Management' and click the 'on' button, (a
software control). As far as I know, if the laptop is Wi-Fi enabled then
any/all controls are purely software ........ We just haven't been able
to find the correct sequence of 'clicks' to get Madge's to do the same as
mine. What I'm trying to say, is that there 'shouldn't' be a physical
switch for Wi-Fi.

I'm sure this doesn't help any, but at least you know you are not alone !

Jeff Gaines...

That's a comfort :-)

My Toshiba has a physical switch, I think the IBM is through software.
I'll see how she gets on with the help desk, otherwise I'll have to pay
for another bit of the Severn Bridge!

Baldrick...

That will be a shame ....... It's been paid for several times over already
!

Good luck in getting it sorted - hope you report any solution back here, as
it will be an interesting read.

BoyPete...

Is this a PCMCIA card?

pmj...

I *think* from what little Information I have been able to find
about that HiGrade Laptop) that it's a built-in (Onboard) WiFi
thingy.

Cos it (the bumph on the HiGrade Site & the various reviews of that
Model) says it's an Intel Centrino Laptop & (as far as I'm aware)
Intel Centrino stuff uses specific Intel Chipsets & the WiFi stuff
is OnBoard.

I suggested that looking in Device Manager (or using the micro$oft
System Information Utility, MSInfo32) would prolly be the best way
of finding out exactly what sort it is & whether it's Physically
Switched on & has the correct Drivers Loaded & is Enabled.

Michaelangelo...

I thought wireless cards in laptops were always switched on and the
excternal switch, if fitted, was usually just for the aerial. If that's

pmj...

That may *sometimes* be the case, but usually, (if there's a Physical
Switch), it's to Switch the Power to the whole WiFi Card (or in the
case of an OnBoard WiFi Adaptor, such as an Intel Centrino one like
in that HiGrade Laptop), cos the WiFi does actually drain a fair bit
of Battery Power, so it makes sense to have it Switched off, if it's
not actually being used.

tha case wouldn't device manager show the card as working properly even
if the aerial is switched off? Just a thought 'cos I don't know much

pmj...

Yes, quite possibly, which is why it's helpful to know whether it
*is* actually Physically Enabled/Switched on (& that the correct
Drivers for it are Loaded etc,) which is what Device Manager can
Help ascertain.

Some things will recognise 2 (or more) different "States" - not only
does it have to be *Physically* Switched on, but it also has to be
"Enabled" in the Network Connections Window thingy.

pmj...

Well, the problem is that each different PC & each different WiFi
Card does things slightly differently.

& some use the windoze built-in Wireless configuration Utility
& some use their own thingy.
& yet others can use either & you have to find out which one is
being used & how to Switch between them.

about them.

There are also various other Utilities that can be used to find out
about it, but Device Manager & MSInfo32 are a good place to start.

Jeff Gaines...

No BP, it's built in. I suspect the switch is either hard to recognise as
a switch or is a combination of the 'Fn' key and something else.

pmj...

You know you really want to drive over there!
:-)

Can't you get on NetMeeting (or windoze Live) with her or even use
something like VNC, so you can have a look at it from your place?
Assuming she *has* managed to get it Connected to the Internet somehow -
possibly by using an USB Modem or an ADSL Modem Router
with an ordinary Ethernet Connection.

Jeff Gaines...

I connected to her main PC via remote assistance and set up her router. I
could get her to connect a web cam and slowly run it over the laptop :-)