Windows 7: How to set up connection to wireless router

Hi

I would appreciate some help setting up an Internet connection via my Netgear DGND3700 wireless router please.

Background: I have just replaced my laptop's HDD and installed Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit from an OEM disk that was purchased from Amazon. The installation went fine and now I want to connect to the Internet but I'm suffering brain freeze!

I opened up the Network and Sharing Center(sic), selected 'Set up a new connection or network', then 'Set up a new network'. Next, takes me to the 'Choose the wireless router etc...' screen but the router doesn't appear in the list of devices. In fact, nothing appears there, so I'm stuck.

Could I have some basic instructions please?



Cheers,
Ian

If your wireless router is still turned on and connected then it should be visible as a wireless network.

It sound like your wireless adapter is the device thats missing from the device manager. Go to your laptop manufacturers website and download the wireless lan driver for your machine.

Make sure the wireless adapter is switched on, this is often toggled by either a switch or button on the laptop, or with an FN shortcut with an icon similar to -> ((i))

Install the driver.

If your wireless adapter is installed and working you should just search to join an existing wireless network. If you are able to search for networks but cannot find your, try connecting to the router via a network cable and changing the wireless setting on the router.

EDIT: Just realised I told you to go online for a driver when you can't connect to the net. Just check device manager for you wireless adapter, if it's not there it's probably switched off. If it's got a yellow exclamation mark then you will need to get the driver from somewhere and use CD/USB to move it over.

Wow! That was quick. I think that a missing wireless adapter device driver is the problem, so I'll get one from Samsung... Incidentally, in Device Manager, under Network Adapters, the only device listed is 'Generic Marvell Yukon... Ethernet Controller'. Also I think I need a display adapter from Samsung as well because all I have listed is 'Standard VGA Graphics Adapter'. The screen looks a bit poor quality, even though I set the resolution to max (1024x768).

I'll get back after visiting Samsung...

Thanks for now.

I have installed two drivers now, downloaded from the Samsung website: a WLAN driver and graphics driver. The graphics are beautiful again, so that seems to have worked, but I cannot find a Wireless Network Adapter, using the Intel PROSet Wireless software that !'ve now installed.

I seem to remember seeing the Intel PROSet Wireless interface running before my notebook crashed earlier this week and I assumed that the motherboard had a built-in wireless network adapter. Do you think that the adapter might have failed, as well as the HDD? Is there likely to be a separate WiFi adapter, which I could replace? This is a Samsung R530 notebook.

There are other WLAN drivers on the Samsung download page (http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mo...lDownload=true), Qualcomn, Atheros, and Broadcom are listed, as well as Intel.

I'm confused!

Have you followed this step (sorry it's a different icon to the one I described your machine).

It states you should have a light on when it's on, can you confirm this?

Yes, the WLAN LED is on - blue.

There's a yellow exclamation mark against the Network Controller in Device Manager.

Incidentally, I can connect to the Internet via an ethernet cable to the Wireless router.

Now the WLAN is on it's showing in the device manager but with an incorrect driver, try updating the driver from the device manager.

While connected via LAN

That's it - you did it! I'm connected wirelessly to the Interweb.

Now to download all those lovely Windows updates...

Thanks very much for your assistance - much appreciated,
Ian