Dell Vostro Laptop / Ran Diagonostic and it shws as a Dell XPS Laptop?

If you can get on the internet, you can do a Windows update to try to find the driver for your wireless adapter. Scan for updates; and if you find one for your wireless adapter, install only that one driver. Then reboot.

• You can get on the internet either with an Ethernet cable plugged into your router, or you could get a USB wifi adapter (they're pretty cheap).

The Windows Update method for getting the driver for an unknown network adapter has never failed me; I have successfully used this method many times.

Siw2 has suggested to use Snappy Driver Installer download | SourceForge.net

Have tried a few of those sites and all I got was a lot of bloatare and no driver

Megahertz07 said:

Siw2 has suggested to use Snappy Driver Installer download | SourceForge.net

jjr, can you reaffirm a few things? (You may feel you've already stated this, but in light of the confusion it would help to get some definitive clarification.)

In post #6, torchwood questioned whether you actually have a 14" or 15" screen. Can you reaffirm, just for clarification, that the hardware you're looking at is indeed a Vostro 3450 per factory labels and markings on the chassis?

Also, there's usually a narrow, white sticker on the bottom that contains the Service Tag and Express Service Code. Can you reaffirm that the sticker says BF48QQ1, and you're not just relying on what utilities report?

Re: "I called the guy who sold me the laptop and he said years back dell had a tech come out and replace something on the laptop and that he did not remember what" ...

I think it's possible the tech replaced the motherboard. If so, he may have made a typo when he entered the Service Tag number into the new motherboard's BIOS, and that Service Tag he errantly entered actually belongs to an existing L502X. Or, alternately, an L502X may have received a motherboard replacement and that one suffered a typo, stepping on your Vostro's Service Tag.

At any rate, don't rely on the Service Tag number Belarc reports because that is only as accurate as what the tech entered into the BIOS. (Yes, I have personally seen cases where the Dell online database didn't match the machine in front of me, so your case wouldn't be the first time that's happened.)

Either way, Belarc and other utilities confirm it is indeed a Vostro motherboard, regardless of Service Tag. Therefore, look for your drivers under Dell's support section for the Vostro 3450. Belarc says you have a "AMD Radeon HD 7650M" and "Intel® Centrino® Wireless Bluetooth® + High Speed Virtual Adapter", the drivers for both of which you'll find under the Vostro 3450 section. I think it's likely one of the wifi drivers listed there will also be the correct one, but I don't know which one. You never answered Megahertz07's request for the Hardware ID of the unknown "Network Controller", which might help identify the manufacturer, which in turn might help narrow down your choices of which Vostro 3450 wifi drivers to try.

As for the Windows product key, did you verify that the Windows COA on the bottom is for the Pro version, and the DVD you're installing from is a Pro DVD? (You said it's a genuine Dell DVD, so I assume it's not a retail or OEM-builder DVD.)

http://www.angelfire.com/il3/twins/origconfig.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/il3/twins/currentconfig.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/il3/twins/u...controller.jpg

jjr said:

Thinking if I did a fresh OS install all would be in English in the future, WRONG! Now I can nit find the correct driver for the wireless and I guess I'm going to Call Dell this am to have them walk me though it ( hope it will not be $$$$$$)...About the hardware id of the unknow controller as I believe I replied there was none ie under General it says unknown. location PCI bus 2, Driver Unknown, Network Controller value says Network controller and nothng else

Did you try doing a Windows Update, to see if it can find the driver for your wireless adapter? If there is no VEN number or DEV number, then it probably won't be able to find it; but you might get lucky; it will be real easy to try; and you won't be any worse off if it doesn't find it.

Also, try what dg1261 suggested - go to the Dell website and look for the Vostro 3450 drivers. That will be your best bet for finding the driver.

Got off the phone with Dell and they told me to use the drivers for the XPS machine, not very helpful as they said that the unit was considered end of life and would not even offer paid support.

I may just do a fresh install again and start all over

Well did a fresh install and guess what, none of the Intel drivers worked as dell told me to usem I used the Vostro reaktech one to get connected, so now I'm letting windows do all the updates.

Question, if I just let windows keep on updating and updating when it stops will those automaticly update my drivers?
Still see no wireless yet.

Also I figured out what you were asking for about the hardware id of thr unknow files. I has to use the drop down box for hardware id.

1st unknown is:
ACPI|\SMO8800
*SMO8800

2ND:
USB\VID_138A&PID_0011

jjr said:

Got off the phone with Dell and they told me to use the drivers for the XPS machine

That sounds wrong to me. You're certain you have a 3450, so I'd ignore the Service Tag and use the 3450 drivers.

If it were me, I'd plan to wipe and start over, but before doing that I'd test-install the various drivers offered for the 3450 to see if one of them works.

I'd start with the drivers for Centrino 1030. Ignore anything that's listed as "Application" and only select "Driver". Install one by one and see if one of them resolves the "unknown device" and makes the wifi start working. If none of those work, I'd move on to the 1701 drivers.

(I'd also test-install the 3450 Chipset, touchpad, and Radeon drivers while I've got an installation I know I'm going to eventually reinstall.)

If I can confirm the right drivers that way, then I'd start over to get rid of any accumulated junk from the failed attempts, and know which drivers to install afresh.