Wireless Adapter issue with Vista...

[antic81]

Hi there,

I would really appreciate some help on this one.
We recently purchased a new PC for the office, its a packard bell running Vista home premium. (one of those PC World deals)

We also have a wireless router that we use for our laptops with no problems.
I thought what I would do is buy a Belkin N Mimo Wireless USB adapter.

This seems to be a rather big mistake, firstly the PC cannot see any networks, I tried Turning on Network Discovery (didnt know if it would help but noticed it was on on the laptop) and for some reason even that is an issue, I see that its off, so I click on it, it gives me the option to turn it on, I click it and I click apply, it goes through the usual drama of asking me to confirm this, I say yes, and then it just goes back to being off!

Could this be part of the problem?

Any suggestions would really help as I am running out of ideas and patience with the whole thing!

Many thanks,

Ant

[antic81]

As an update, just tried installing the latest drivers from Belkin, still no joy.

Ant

[Keef]

Aaaah! Vista!


Maybe you have to be some kind of super-admin to make that change and have it stick. I've never got that far with Vista - I've always been the "fixer of last resort" called in to remove Vista and install XP or Linux.

Some day, I must buy me a cheapo machine with Vista, just to see what it's really like.

[Loose rivets]

Ooooooooooh, I wouldn't do that Keef. After a while it starts to hypnotize you into thinking some of it is something you can't live without. Like wandering round LA, when you've been raised in a small town.

[antic81]

Unfortunately I am stuck wit Vista as all new machines seem to have this rediculous software included.

We have had the PC for one day, without internet you cannot even get office to work, everything needs to be activated via internet.

I was sent around the houses today, I must have phoned just about everyone from PC world to Belkin to Packard Bell...everyone pointing the finger at the other, its rediculous, its very simple, one of the numbers was £1.50 per minute, and if you are foolish enough to call Microsoft, from what I can understand that one call will cost you £38!!!!:ugh:

I really think it comes down to that Network Discovery option that just refuses to turn on!

Any ideas...anyone??(other than kill yourself)

Ant:{

[Loose rivets]

How about trying a good old yellow lead direct having removed the wireless adapter?

[green granite]

Does your router broadcast the ssid? if not you will need to manually configure your connection .

1. Open Connect to a Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Connect to.

2. Click Set up a connection or network.

3. Click Manually connect to a wireless network, and then type the network information.

The network will be added to your list of networks and will be available to connect to in the future when your computer is in range of the network.

[Mornington Crescent]

My laptop has Vista and I had a similar problem with the wireless adapter not being detected. I disabled the Ethernet adapter in Device Manager and that solved the problem. I got that tip from another thread by the way.

MC

[antic81]

Thanks for all the input chaps, I have finally gone the old fashioned route and stuck a cable in the back of the PC, wireless just didnt want to work, I tried everything!

Also the reason that the Discover Networks was not enabling seems to have been related to some Norton Programme that was loaded by default on the machine, only after I had clicked all the agreements on it and installed the hatefull software which will eventually cause me a major headache...did it all seem to work!

Managed to get Office up and running now YAY! (god my life is pathetic.)

Thanks again!

Ant

[ZFT]

I've just replaced a Billion 7100G with an ZyXEL 660HW for very similar reasons.

The Bullion would connect to XP devices no problem but no matter what I did, I could never get it to connect to (any) Vista devise(s). The 660 connects to everything with ease.

I miss the Billion set up though - much clearer I thought.

[Avtrician]

What brand is the router,
We had a laptop with a similar belkin usb thingy, it wouldnt connetd to a Dlink router.

Maybe a hardware incompatability

[PingDit]

I had problems with Belkin. Changed to a different router - excellent, no problems.

[Keef]

Agree. After too many unfortunate experiences, I have a "No Belkin" rule.

My laptop has a "patent" IBM comms control panel, which prevents the standard Windows WiFi app from working. The software provided with the WiFi dongle on the old PC also had its own proprietary software. In both cases, trying to connect to a wireless network via Windows produced exactly the symptoms Antic describes.