Solved Laptop wireless doesn't work after device reinstall

[Enrai]

Hi all,

I had consistent problems with Limited Access and losing connection in general on my one-year-old Samsung laptop. After trying various fixes, with none of them working as needed, I eventually decided to try to uninstall the wireless device, as suggested here. And following the described procedure I expected the device to reinstall after reboot and to have wireless access once again, whether that solved the mentioned problem or not. Procedure was: Device Manager > Select device (Qualcomm Atheros AR9485WB-EG Wireless Network Adapter) > Right click "uninstall" and the device was removed.

However, after Windows installed available drivers after startup (v10.0.250 or something of sort), I couldn't connect to home wireless network. Check the Image-1 to see the dialog box in lower right. I updated the drivers to the latest ones I could find, even before uninstalling, but it didn't help. I pulled out a cable, connected and right now I'm ~7 hours total searching for a fix and I finally decided to come to you all as there's nothing I could find to fix it myself. Below are some info that might be relevant.

1. System: Windows 7 Professional, 32 bit
Laptop model: Samsung NP270E5V - X01HS
Network Adapter: Qualcomm Atheros AR9485WB-EG Wireless Network Adapter (current driver v9.2.0.470)
Network Adapter Hardware ID:

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&SUBSYS_4105144D&REV_01
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&SUBSYS_4105144D
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&CC_028000
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&CC_0280

2. One of the fixes for the Limited Access problem suggested to disable Microsoft Virtual Wifi Miniport Adapter or something of sort. Don't really remember as I didn't pay much attention to it. My Network and Sharing Center showed four connections previously and one was disabled after turning off that device. Now, after reinstall of Atheros device, neither Miniport Adapter nor related network show anywhere (Device Manager or Network and Sharing Center).

3. I tried to uninstall the device again and "Scan for hardware changes" before reboot as suggested somewhere else. After that the device received "#2" after its name in Device Manager window (see here). And now I can't update drivers as I get the following message.

4. As far as I can tell, the device is enabled (see Image-1 above). I tried disabling and enabling but didn't help. However, ipconfig/all shows various disabled/ media disconnected statuses:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Enrai
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : lan

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : /cut
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : lan
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : /cut
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::89cb:cc22:fe99:554f%10(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.37(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 20. studenog 2014. 14:12:19
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 21. studenog 2014. 14:12:18
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 286812080
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-19-7B-0A-20-18-67-B0-32-AC-C1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{84F19212-1BB9-48AA-96B4-C1100D57160A}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : /cut
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.lan:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : lan
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : /cut
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fd:2c88:2416:3f57:feda(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2c88:2416:3f57:feda%13(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Some of laptop's Fn + Fx combinations aren't working - particularly one for turning on/off the wireless (from what I can tell) - as I didn't previously install the necessary software to configure them. Now that I tried, it's Samsung's "Easy Settings" utility (v 2.0.0.45) which won't start at all. I'll try compatibility mode and to install older version in hope it will give more clues as to what's wrong.

5. I tried installing drivers Samsung's "SW Update" utility suggests but installation always fails. It failed even before the Windows' ones did. Also, it suggested to try manual installation so I downloaded driver in question but it's a package with two older version drivers - v9.2.0.500 and v10.0.0.67 - which can't be installed as nothing happens after waiting for a minute.

6. Lastly, Atheros Client performed some tests and gave following results:

Driver installation test
This test is to check the radio driver installation.
The radio's registry keys are OK.
The radio driver has been installed.

Card insertion test
This test is to check the radio insertion.
The radio has been inserted.

Card enable test
This test is to check if the radio/driver is enabled.
The card is not enabled
Enable the card.

Association test
This test is to check your client adapter's association to an access point.
Link Status . . . . . . . : Not Associated

Your client adapter is not associated to an access point.
Configure the radio card and set SSID and other properties.

Authentication test
This test is to check authentication.
Authentication test bypassed, because authentication is not in use.

Network test
This test is to check your network settings.
You have not configured your computer to use the client adapter.

This is all I can tell you for now. If you have any questions I'll try to offer the best answer I can.
I really hope you'll be able to help me as my first next solution is Acronis Restore to a 8 month old backup, and final solution is Windows reinstall, neither of which I'm too fond at the moment.

 

[matts6887]

I would try and go to samsung's support site and see if you can find updated drivers for the device. If that does not do anything for ya; I would contact samsung directly and see what they may be able to do to help.

 

[DMHolt57]

Your test states the card is not enabled...go to Change adapter settings, right click on the adapter and enable... then we can see if it picks up the gateway...

 

[Enrai]

Thanks for replies.

I would try and go to samsung's support site and see if you can find updated drivers for the device. If that does not do anything for ya; I would contact samsung directly and see what they may be able to do to help.

I checked the site for the drivers and only relevant thing (from what I can tell) is this:

Qualcomm Atheros WLAN Driver
Windows 7(32bit,64bit), 74.78 MB, ZIP, MULTI LANGUAGE
Version : 1.0.0.2
​

Note: I downloaded it again and inside are two versions: 9.2.0.500 and 10.0.0.67, neither of which I can install as this dialog box gets me nowhere - nothing happens after it disappears. Also, these seem to be older versions of the drivers, but I'll try once more nonetheless.

Edit 1: Actually, although dialog box disappears without reporting any changes, I checked if drivers are updated and sure they are. And now that these are applied, I managed to get Windows to update with versions from Atheros website. Will restart now to see if anything changes.

Edit 2: Drivers remained up-to-date but wireless still not working.

I did try their Live Chat Help and only info I got from them is that this model isn't manufactured in India so they can't help me.

Edit 3: I noticed Samsung's SW Update has Wireless LAN Driver (v9.0.0.500) labeled as required to install but it won't install through the program (failure -100). I downloaded it and installed manually. Same thing happened as with previous driver installations - "please wait" dialog box until it disappears without notice. I don't know if "Wireless LAN Driver" is different from Atheros adapter and where to check if not. But I was wondering if this might be important - to set up Atheros Driver to v9.0.0.500 and then run this to install before applying newer updates?

Your test states the card is not enabled...go to Change adapter settings, right click on the adapter and enable... then we can see if it picks up the gateway...

OK, but when I go Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings I can see it enabled, unless I'm looking at something else. I tried to disable and enable it but it didn't help.

I managed to install older version of Easy Settings and it shows Wi-Fi is on. I tried turning it on and off and it didn't help. Windows says there is some problem with drivers but I have no idea what I could try to do to fix it.

 

[monster]

OK tell me your device version the network driver. this happens even if updating windows but dont worry i will help just let me know the information i asked

 

[Enrai]

monster, thanks for your reply.

OK tell me your device version the network driver. this happens even if updating windows but dont worry i will help just let me know the information i asked

Current version of the driver is 10.0.0.285, and I'm just about to update to 10.0.0.297.

it may be different model but same drivers

Thanks but that's the same link I provided in the second post. I did download suggested drivers but that didn't help much.

However, I did run Windows troubleshooter and it gave following results (image 1, image 2):
"Windows couldn't automatically bind the IP protocol stack to the network adapter.
Set up the network adapter to communicate with this network. This ensures that both Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) can be used on the network adapter."

Then I proceeded to check status of the Wireless connection and noticed that IPv4 and IPv6 say "not connected". I'm not sure if status should say "connected" or "Internet" but I figured it might give you some clue as to what might be the problem.

 

[Enrai]

Ugh...

Contacted local Samsung representatives and no help was received. They just spun me around and pointed to take the laptop to their authorized repair shop. And after downloading bunch of other drivers from Samsung website and through its SW Update, reinstalling the device, and failing each time to get drivers working properly, I'm at wit's end. I often see solutions on these boards for various problems but it seems this one has even you all confused.

I'll fill in some info for the above.
1. I uninstall the device and/or remove all installed drivers. What happens is:
a) Windows installs drivers v9.2.0.470 (or the like) and wireless doesn't work; problem persists.
b) Windows fails to recognize the device and install drivers. Needs some messing with driver installation files (see 3 below). After I manage to install some, wireless still doesn't work.

2. After first drivers are installed I try to update to most recent ones:
a) Updates without problem and wireless still doesn't work.
b) Won't update as there's some problem with the device drivers. More of #3.

3. Basic drivers (from what I can tell) come in QCA_WLAN_Driver_1.0.0.2 package (as mentioned above) with two versions. Both have several "Inst" or "Inst_sw" executables which go into loading screen with nothing apparently happening. I always check through Device Manager if the driver is applied. Sometimes, if I get lucky, driver is applied which can take several tries, running different "Inst" executables present in the mentioned package.
Reason why I have to go through exe files is that Windows report some error if I take the usual update route in Device Manager.

4. I'm going insane over this.

***
Eh, can anybody confirm if Acronis True Image 2013 disk restore would/ should restore all the drivers that were previously working properly and ignore whatever mess I've made so far. I think I'll give it a shot tomorrow.

 

[Enrai]

In the end, Acronis helped to avoid the problem. System is reverted to older version but WiFi works and that's what I'm interested in. I usually don't have many/serious problems with Windows so I don't keep regular track of backup but now I'll have to start doing that.

Still haven't got a clue what happened, except that it was driver-related as I couldn't get Windows to figure what to do with the adapter/ how to communicate with it/ whatever. Current driver version is 9.2.0.500 - the one I did install at some point but it didn't help. Maybe I was missing some other piece; hope I'll never have to figure it out again.

Thanks to all who replied.