Solved Laptop wrongly thinks there are "no connections available"

[VegasIP]

Until today, the wife's laptop had been connecting flawlessly to the wireless router and also showing multiple SSIDs of our neighbors. Then this morning, nothing. Did some fiddling and enabling/disabling the wireless adapter and then it worked for a short time. Now nothing again. It just says "no connections available" on the tray icon. At one point I was able to see our SSID, but without being able to connect to it. I'm not an expert, but this seems like a hardware issue, although I hope not.

Background: (1) the laptop connects to the internet with a wired connection (I'm using that connection right now); (2) my macbook, printer, and apple tv all connect fine to the wireless network; (3) the laptop shows "no connections available" but the macbook still shows several of the neighbors' SSIDs.

For these reasons, I conclude it must be a problem with the wireless adapter or wireless settings--hopefully not broken hardware--rather than a problem with the router.

I have searched the internet and sevenforums and tried several things for the last couple hours:

(1) restarting the router (multiple times)
(2) restarting the computer (multiple times)
(3) running the troubleshooting on windows
(4) turning off and on the wireless with the physical switch on the keyboard
(5) restarting the WLAN configuration service
(6) turing off IPv6 (I've now turned it back on)

I tried to do a system restore, but somehow that turned off. (There seems to be some problems with the settings there since when I tried to change the disc allocation for the restore, I got an error message)

Also, the laptop runs quite hot. I guess I'm wondering if that could have contributed to a hardware failure.

The adapter is an intel wifi link 5100 AGN. According to the device manager, it is working properly and does not need a new driver.

The ipconfig info is here:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : STUDIO
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) WiFi Link 5100 AGN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-26-B9-0A-9C-24
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{D1E4F85E-447C-443D-865D-2B0CC6C70C3D}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.home:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
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



I have no idea what these "tunnel" adapters are.

I'm hoping to be able to fix these problems with the help of the experts here. But I would like to know if this problem could be fixed by buying an add-on usb adapter or if it is likely that there is something in the settings that would continue to malfunction.

I would most appreciate help on this, as we cannot afford a new laptop right now!

Thanks!

 

[VegasIP]

One more thing I already tried

(7) I ran a full virus scan (Windows Security Essentials)

 

[chris1neji]

I sadly am not an expert in networking, i wish i was though. However I have a tip that may work.
I need more information about the laptop though. Model and manufacture, my idea is to download the wireless drivers and save it to the desktop. Uninstalled the wireless drivers and restart. After we restart it's time to reinstall the driver.

I search what the tunneling thing is here is what i found
windows 7 - What is the Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface? - Super User

 

[VegasIP]

Laptop is a dell studio 1555.

One thing I also tried is to update the driver for the adapter through the Intel website. When I did that, the Device Manager said the adapter was not working at all. So then I did a rollback.

I found a file on the Dell website called R246753.exe (24MB) which they say applies to Intel(R) WiFi Link 5100

I am a bit hesitant to uninstall the current driver, though.

 

[chris1neji]

I can't force you to try or attemp anything after all it is your system and your computer. However if you call up dell and tell them that your wireless isn't working and it wont detect any wireless SSID, they will very likely ask you to attemp my advice.

A very safe way to do is to save it to the desktop, then uninstall/delete the wireless driver restart and reinstall.

I have an idea though, How about you call Dell and your ISP provider. Try those options if they do not help you and you have nowhere else to go, you come back here and we can work together to try and solve this issue.

 

[VegasIP]

OK, I uninstalled and then opened the aforementioned .exe file.

After unzipping things, I get the message: "The software package cannot be installed on your system. The setup application will close."

Now I'm a bit worried.

 

[VegasIP]

Decided to go to the Intel website and get the drive from there.

Downloaded this file to desktop: Wireless_15.1.1_Ds64.exe

When I open, I get the error window:

Device driver software was not successfully installed
Please consult with your device manufacturer for assistance getting this device installed.
Intel(R) WiFi Link 5100 AGN X Failed

Still worried.

 

[VegasIP]

Now more strange things are happenning.

Decided to reboot and try installing the drivers again, but I got the same error messages. BUT: Now the wireless icon was picking up several SSIDs and prompted me for the password to our SSID. But the connection failed even though I'm pretty sure I got the password right.

I opted for the network trouble shooter, and after that the adapter was no longer detecting any SSIDs at all. Now the device manager has the yellow exclamation triangle says that "The device cannot start (Code 10)."

The Intel Driver Update Utility says that the driver is now up to date with versioon 14.3.2.1. This is odd since the one I downloaded manually was 15.1.1.

 

[ubuntublues]

Have you tried updating from within the device manager?

Start
Control Panel
Hardware and Sound
Device Manager
Network Adapters

Right click you wireless adapter

Properties
Driver
Update driver

If that doesn't work, go Dell's site and enter the laptop's Service Tag (found on the bottom of the laptop) into the drivers and download section and find the latest driver's from Dell specific to that system.

Update with that driver.

 

[VegasIP]

Thanks for jumping in . . .

Yes, I tried those things already, but tried them again at your suggestion.

1) Windows tells me my driver is up to date.
2) The driver installer package from Dell I mentioned above is one that I got by allowing Dell to detect my service tag. That is the one that gives me the error message "The software package cannot be installed on your system."

 

[ubuntublues]

VegasIP, is the driver auto-found the same as the one if you manually go to your service tag page itself? Could the detection process be wrong or did it take you to your service tag page? In other words, are the two pages identical? They probably are and it was my fault for missing that.

 

[VegasIP]

I did double check that Dell got the service tag correct and also that they correctly identified it as a Studio 1555.



I tried once again to uninstall the driver, this time checking the box about deleting the device. I restarted the computer and this time it found a driver it could successfully install (turns out it is version 12.4.1.4).

I was able to connect to the network and load several webpages!

Then, 5 minutes later, it was back to not being able to detect any networks. (I am 1 foot away from the router.)

Am I right to think it's sounding more like a hardware issue?

 

[ubuntublues]

Wow, is version 12.4.1.4 the last version listed for the wireless at the Dell site? You could also cable plug it in and try a Windows update and hope Windows can update it.

You could also try a system restore to a time prior to the problems. Sometimes that sort of reinstalls everything to how it was when it worked well. That's been known to work sometimes.

 

[VegasIP]

I'm not sure what you mean about using windows update. The Windows Update program says there no updates available.

If you uninstall and reboot, it seems like windows will install either the older (12.4.1.4 from 2009) or the newer driver. If you select "update driver" through the device manager (even offline) it will find the newer one (14.3.1.4) somewhere. If I cable plug the computer and choose to update the driver, it says the driver (12.4.1.4) is up to date. This is odd since yesterday I had the newer driver installed 14.3.1.4, and both windows and intel detected that one as up to date.

 

[VegasIP]

Also, I can't do a system restore as there are no restore points prior to the development of this problem.

 

[chris1neji]

Sorry i been away the last two days, I should of left a short msg. Anyways, is there any other problem also occuring?
Earlier in the post you mention code 10, thats basically corrupted, outdated, or incompatible drivers.

You also mention Dell drivers do not work at all, because you can not install them. The reason for this is unknown so far. Your computer has wireless enabled but it does not pick up any signals/wireless broadcast. The ethernet port does work though...
You have been getting the drivers from intel site? So far none have worked. You basically tried everything related to uninstall and reinstalling drivers with no success. At this point I would recommend you backup your data and reinstall. Just to make sure this is not a software issue. Or you can keep trying and get a lucky break and it will work. Another option is buy and external USB wireless adapter/replace internal wireless adapter.

 

[VegasIP]

Thanks for checking back in.

Replacing the card sounds preferable to a full OS reinstall. Any idea if the hardware solution is likely to work?

Also, do i need to select the card that Dell says are compatible or will any PCIe half mini card work?

Thanks.

 

[VegasIP]

I posted the above question in a the hardware forum, which is perhaps more appropriate:

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/239091-replacing-pcie-laptop-wireless-card.html

 

[VegasIP]

Problem resolved.

I went ahead and bought a new adapter. Before installing it, I checked once again to see if it would work. It did work--at least for another week or so. Then I changed out the adapter with a different model. It's been working problem-free for about 2 months.

I wish I changed this $12 piece of hardware earlier rather than spending so much time trying to reinstall drivers etc!

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[apar]

VegasIP,

Could you please tell which model/make of adapter you replaced with?

I have had exactly same problem in Dell studio 1555 for the past several days and spent lot of time reinstalling drivers/OS, troubleshooting etc with no luck. Now my wifi doesn't work at all. Thought it would be better to change the adapter once for all.

Thanks!