# [SOLVED] Wireless network adapter not recognized



## S3ZHUR (May 13, 2007)

I have just bought a PC (about 6 hours ago), and becuase of it's location in the house I also needed to buy a wireless network card to connect to our modem upstairs. I took the PC home, and before even turning it on I installed the network adapter (as i was told to by the register jockey at the store). It turns out that this may have been the wrong thing to do (i brief read over the instruction manual tells me that i should have installed the software for it first). Nonetheless, i dutifully installed the software after installing the card expecting to perhaps come across some driver issue, but alas things appear to be worse yet, as my PC fails to register that the card is there at all! Under the device manager it tells me that i have but one network card installed (the one that came along with the PC), and the toolbar icon that appeared after i installed the new cards software comes up with the words "not exist" if i hold my cursor over it. More than this, there are wee' LED's on the back of the card that are supposed to light up to indicate if the card is active and if it's transmitting information - these LED's have yet to show even the remotest spark of life as yet. Granted, i'm no technical wizard, so i'd be unsurprised if i've missed something, but by all accounts thus far the PC seems incapable of seeing the card. I have also removed the card, turned the pc on and off, and then returned the card without success. 
Perhaps you might be able to shed some light on my troubles.

My PC (copied from www.Quay.co.nz)

Intel Power Pack
• Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 

Hardware 
• Viewsonic VX2235WM 22"LCD Monitor 
• Nvidia Geforce 8800GT 320MB PCI Express Video Card 
• 2048 MB DDR2 RAM 
• Seagate 320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive 
• Samsung 18 X DVD +/- RW Writer 
• 3.5" Floppy Drive 
• Integrated 10/100 Network Card 
• Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker sysem 
• Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard 
• Microsoft Optical Wheel Mouse 

Bundled Software 
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium OEM supplied on genuine Microsoft original CD's 

The network card i purcahsed is a "CWP-854 54Mbps Wireless-G PCI Adapter", the driver for the network card already in the PC is, "Realtek RTL 8168/8111"

If you require any further information please feel free to ask.

Ps. Is it possible that the card may conflict with the motherboard, as that was one item i swapped out for a something the assitant called a "P5B". This item was however part of there standard shopping list of add ons, so i assume it unlikely to be the source of the troubles.

Also, as my PC is not connected to the net (i'm on a different PC right now), it will be difficult to get ahold of any diagnostic software, so i may be forced to ask for directions if you want any more information on my PC's specifications.

Thanks


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

*Re: Wireless network adapter not recognized*

Open Device Manager, View, Show Hidden Devices.

Uninstall Any references to the wireless adapter found under Network Controllers or Other Devices.

Shut down the system and remove the card.

Boot up the system, install the drivers.

Shutdown the system and install the card.

Boot up and see if it's recognized properly.


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## S3ZHUR (May 13, 2007)

*Re: Wireless network adapter not recognized (and now connection issues!)*

Thanks for the response johnwill, and my apologies for replying so late - i tried what you said, but the card was simply not there, so before responding i decided to go and speak to the chaps who sold me the PC. Turns out the card had been poorly made (or at least wasn't made with my PC in mind), and as such didn't fit into the port properly. The friendly folk at the PC store were kind enough to unscrew the bracket on the card, readjust it, and tighten it back up so that it would fit into the slot properly. Voila, the card sprang to life, and the first problem was solved...which now takes me to the second problem.

Now that the card has been installed (and the Vista drivers downloaded), i tried to connect to the network, only to be told that the connection failed due to an "unknown reason" that vista was incapabale of diagnosing. The Pc that i'm trying to connect to is running the old ME os, and the router is a "D-Link AirPlusG DI-524UP". Furthermore, the vista PC can see the network, it knows that it's a dlink, it even states that the connection is strong, but somehow it can't connect to it. On the other hand, the ME pc cannot see the vista pc at all!

Does anyone have any idea as to what's going on?
Thanks


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

*Re: Wireless network adapter not recognized*

Have you disabled encryption on the router to see if this is a mis-matched key issue?


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## S3ZHUR (May 13, 2007)

*SOLVED Re:Wireless network adapter not recognized*

Thanks again for replying John. I tried that encryption key thing but to no avail, however, as i write now i'm typing from my PC which is finally part of the network YAY!! Turns out that when we took the pc into the computer store, they went through the trouble of updating all of the drivers, including the driver for the network card. However, instead of going to the CNET web site and getting the driver from there they instead used the "update driver" function in device manager, which for some reason downloads a version of the driver that has been discontinued by CNET (on their website there is no link to this version, presumably becuase it doesn't work). And it was this driver that was causing the second load of issues - basically the computer store fixed and then rebroke the PC for us...how kind of them :grin:

Thanks for your help anyway


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Thanks for the feedback.


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