Failed Netgear WPN311 Wireless card install - XP
Recently decided to go wireless and purchased all Netgear kit - WPN824 RangeMax router which I am very happy with, 2 x WPN311 wireless PCI cards.
1 PCI card works fine in my Win2K PC but I simply cannot get the XP PC to accept the card.
It's an ageing HP Pavilion PC but exceeds the Netgear system requirements.
AMD Duron 1GHz CPU, 40Gb HD with 38Gb free, 512 RAM (maximum possible).
Basically any PCI slot that the card is installed into causes the PC to freeze during the 'Found New Hardware' wizard or on subsequent reboots after installation of the hardware. The software installation always works fine.
All the PCI slots work with a variety of cards - Soundblaster, Ethernet, Graphics and the slots pass an intensive hardware test using VCOM test software.
The PC has had a clean XP SP2 installation. The WPN311 card works in another machine and another known working WPN311 card exhibits the same symptoms. The BIOS has been updated to the latest level, No other PCI cards are present when the installation is attempted.
The driver software for the WPN311 that was shipped (v1.1) has been tried, and the latest supported version (v1.2) has been tried - same results.
HP state that the card should work. Netgear state that 'there MAY be a compatibility issue between the WPN311 and the Motherboard - an ASUS A7V-VM.
Problem is - the retailer won't accept the card back as it is not faulty. It is pointless me buying a different manufacturer's PCI card as I will not have the benefit of the Netgear proprietary RangeMax feature.
I have raised 3 separate Tech Support cases with Netgear but no progess has been made despite me insisting that the matter is escalated beyond the usual Level 1 support.
Any suggestions before I dig out my crimpers, reel of Cat5 cable and set of drain rods ?
Last edited by Lost_luggage34; 6th September 2006 at 22:54.