# Wireless Connection Unavailable



## venn (May 6, 2005)

I have a Intel(R) PRO / Wireless LAN 2100 3A Mini PC Adapter.

Computer System 
Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 1

I am using ADSL 2/2+ Ready Wireless LAN 802.11g 4 Port Ethernet & USB Combo Router.

I can only use ethernet connection but i can't use my wireless connection. There will always be a red cross X at the window start taskbar and when mouse rollover it will popup msg saying wireless connection unavailable. When i right-click it and click view available wireless network with my wireless router on, no connection is available.

Why is that so?
How to configure my settings?


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Have you configured the router's wireless to be active? Can any other wireless devices connect?


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

ya john, i am sure the router wireless service is active. I hav tried using my dad's laptop and is working absolutely fine. i try to copy paste the info from my dad's laptop to mine, but it seems that my dad has a newer version of windows, because the wireless connection properties has different menus and options. it that because my windows has an older version so i can't use my wireless connection? i don't think so.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I suggest SP2 for your installation. SP2 made a lot of improvements in the wireless client, and will probably help significantly with this issue.


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

okay john, i have a question, is there anyway to detect whether my wireless card is malfunction ?? it is impossible right? because i can still connect adsl using my ethernet port. wireless and ethernet same card right?


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## XZanE (Nov 20, 2004)

so you can connect with the ethernet but not with ur card now that would make me think that it is the card!


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Intels software for their wireless adapters is junk, they need many attempts to get it correct. 

Regardless of the Service Pack you are running (I would strongly advise to install SP2), Windows Wireless Zero will not do it for you.

You need to disable Windows managing your wireless device and download and install the latest Intel Software for the PRO 2100 wireless.

PRO 2100 Software 

Note the date on this is 9/16/2005!! 

I have had many a laptop with the Intel 2100 or 2200 that just do not work reliably. Once I get the latest (released in the last few months) Intel software installed, things have stabilized.

You might try looking at the OEM site for the manufacturer of the machine as well, but Intel probably has the latest stuff.

Next time you do a Windows update, select Custom and see how many hardware update are available for your machine and if any are for the wireless card.

JamesO


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

i have updated my driver to the latest, my window to sp 2.
when i try to use the wireless network..
it says, " wireless network connection is not connected "
what is that? how to solve it? when i use another laptop, it's okay, it works fine. so it is not the router problem but my laptop.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

How are your configuring your wireless adapter, Windows Wireless Zero or the Intel Wireless Utility?

What happens when you do a site survey, can you see any wireless networks? Does your wireless network have WEP encryption enabled, is it broadcasting a SSID?

Intel PRO 2100 link 

JamesO


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

Connection Information 

DSL Up 
Downstream/Upstream(Kbps) 1024/384 
Internet Connected 
User ID [email protected] 
IP Address 60.50.222.130 
Default Gateway 219.93.218.177 
DNS Auto 


Router Information 

Model ADSL 4 Port Wireless Router 
Serial Number none 
Firmware Version 43.53.1 
Ethernet MAC address 00:30:0A:3D:7F:F3 
DSL MAC address 00:30:0A:3D:7F:F5 
USB MAC address 00:30:0A:3D:7F:F4 
NAT Enabled 
Firewall Enabled 

Local Network 

LAN IP Address 192.168.1.1 
DHCP Enabled 
DHCP Range 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.254 
Ethernet Connected 
USB Disconnected 

Wireless Network 

Network Name / SSID ap00300A3D7FF3 
Security Type Disabled 
WEP Encryption Key Disabled


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

i have checked the device manager.. 

these are my driver's properties
Intel® PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3A Mini PCI Adapter

Driver Provider: Intel
Driver Date: 2/28/2005
Driver Version: 1.2.4.35
Digital Signer: Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatible Publisher

Device type: Network adapters
Manufacturer: Intel® Corporation
Location: PCI bus 2, device 3, function 0

Device status:
this device is working properly.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

I am still missing some info here.

Are you located somewhere in the Asia region?

What is the make and model of your laptop?

Is your laptop a US, European or Asian model?

What wireless channel is your router set to operate on? Try changing the channel to 12 or lower, as I recall Asia and Europe have extend wireless channels that the US does not. 

You may want to change the SSID on your router to something other than the routers MAC address, it may be harder for your wireless utility to pick up. Not sure how well Windows will pick up the MAC for a SSID?

Are you using the Intel wireless utility to configure your wireless card? 

Make sure you do not have Windows and the Intel wireless utility trying to manage the card at the same time, it is possible to do this! 

Go to the wireless device and right click on the icon, select Properties, select Wireless Networks, make sure the top box "Use Windows to configure my wireless network setup" is not checked.

You will see the Intel wireless utility on your Task Bar in the lower right hand corner. This Intel utility is a bit difficult to load, so make sure you actually have it loaded. The previous link I post has this info.

JamesO


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## stevepayne (Nov 17, 2004)

It may be a stupid thing to point out - but most laptops with in-built wireless have either a physical switch on the outside of the laptop case (often a light to go with it) or a function key on the keyboard. Failing that is it enabled correctly in the bios?

I spent a year working at an international college and had hundreds of student's laptops to configure in all shapes, sizes and languages. The most common problem? You've guessed it...


some other pointers:


turn any suecurity on the router off (i.e. wep etc) - I think looking back over this you have done already
check there's no mac filtering or something clever going on like it on the router
Have you tried manually typing in the SSID? 
triple check only 1 client is trying to control the card - you can turn of Windows zero configuration in services (right click My Computer, click Manage and then follow through to services)

hope this is of help


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Good point on the last post. I assumed the card was on, silly me!! 

I know many Toshiba's have a very hard to locate physical switch and many others require a Fn + function key to enable or "turn on" the wireless card.

JamesO


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

ya, i am a malaysian.
i am using a DELL Latitude ( D600 ) intel centrino mobile technology laptop.
i turn off windows zero configuration and unchecked "Use Windows to configure my wireless network setup". 
i saw a intel(R)proset on my taskbar. but when i double click it. there is an empty folder ( network component ). when try to choose actions or tools, there is no item for me to select.
i can't find any phsical switch on my laptop. but on my F2 key, there is a F2 in white color and a tower in blue tower. the tower looks like wireless to me. so i click fn + f2 but nothing happens too.
and is that a possible way to turn on my bluetooth too? i remember i has it, now disappear. is that possible to link with my wireless connection problem?
i did not enable my MAC filtering.

wireless setup
i have a channel 6 and country standard malaysia. My AP is enabled. i dont know what is that. SSID ap00300A3D7FF3 and domain ETSI.

i have key in the SSID name manually in my preferred network.
i don't know what software i am using to configure my wireless. when i turn off i turn off windows zero configuration and unchecked "Use Windows to configure my wireless network setup" windows ask me to use another software to configure my wireless. i think it is the intel (R) proset but i double click it, it's empty inside.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

I have access to a Dell D600m with the Intel 2100. This is the pain in the backside machine that I had to deal with to learn all about how bad the Intel 2100/2200 wireless cards are. 

It sounds like you may not have the Intel wireless utility fully loaded. As I recall, it was not the easiest program to actually get installed, it took a few attempts.I will need to see if it is the ProSet or some other Intel utility. As I recall there was a blue set of bars in the task bar when the wireless network was detected.

I will also check on the Fn key with the blue radio tower, I recall something like this when I was working on the machine. I do not think this machine had a physical switch.

Is this a US version laptop?

May be a few days before I get my hands on the Dell machine again so I may not respond back for a bit.

JamesO


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## stevepayne (Nov 17, 2004)

I've dealt with many Dell Latitude laptops, and Fn F2 is just for the wireless, nothing to do with bluetooth. See here for a picture. Most of the time when i had problems with them it needed updated drivers as well as the latest version of the utility - I seem to remember that they were bundled together. Quickest way to get them would be to go to Dells support site and whack in your service tag number. This will give you all the drivers and software specifically for your notebook. 

Like JamesO I've had difficulty trying to get Intels PRO Wireless software working properly, but when it does apply itself its actually one of the easiest utilities to use - and enables you to switch between 2 wireless networks that are both in range, unlike the Windows client that just refuses...


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

my laptop is made in China. made in malaysia. i turn over the laptop and saw few tags... ya stevepayne, i am downloading the latest driver for my laptop now from dell site. but there is intel and dell drivers.. which one to use? i think i choose the latest release date.


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

i have figured out how to install the Intel Proset. 

1) must update the driver in device manager first
2) only install the software

or else can't read the software.
but now i still can't detect wireless

SSID : 101
Status : Not assiociated
Signal strength : 0


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## venn (May 6, 2005)

i have solved the problem.. ya. it is the fn+f2 problem. Haha.. i did not turn on my wireless on my DELL laptop. now it's all right.  sorry to trouble you guys.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

You will still be happier with the updated PRO2100 driver and if you could load the Intel Client Utility you will also be happier.

You will miss all the fun of reduce connection speeds and sporadic disconnects with the Windows Wireless Zero and the old Intel driver!!

JamesO


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## stevepayne (Nov 17, 2004)

a simple fix is always a nice result!


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