My Specific SSIDs Are Not Showing Up In Available Wi-Fi Networks

[Bilbo Baggins]

[FONT=&quot]I apologize in advance for the length of this request but there's a lot of information and I've already done a lot of diagnostics/troubleshooting.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Lenovo T520 Laptop[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dual Boot to Windows 7 Ultimate (not OEM).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Partition 0 is Windows 7 Ultimate x64 (main usage for the laptop)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Partition 1 is Windows 7 Ultimate x86 (hardly ever used - almost never)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Partition 2 is Storage[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]When we moved into this location (5 years ago), [/FONT][FONT=&quot]I told my son (who is the primary user of this laptop) to connect to the internet with a network cable I gave him.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]However, about 1.5 years ago my son told me he couldn't connect to the internet anymore.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]When I investigated it turned out he never was using the ethernet cable because the ethernet cable I gave him was defective.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]He never told me it wasn't working but instead he was actually connecting via Wi-Fi.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]So the points here are 2:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1. For a long time, the W-Fi was working fine at this new location, and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2. About 1.5 years ago it quit.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]To manage the issue as simply as possible, I just got him a proper ethernet cable and he was back online - problem solved.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I did not spend much time investigating the issue with the Wi-Fi because it seemed resistant to solutions (for reasons which I'll share now).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Since that time my son has bought his own new computer so I get to reclaim my old T520 and repurpose it downstairs in the kitchen.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]However, that means I now need to address the Wi-Fi issue I initially encountered 1.5 years ago but which is still present.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The issue is this: The SSIDs from our AT&T router are not visible on the list of available Wi-Fi networks. Neither the main SSID or the 'Guest" SSID show up on the list.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]All my neighbors SSIDs are present.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]While I have not gone door to door taking a poll of my neighbors SSIDs (that would surely be weird), based on the sheer volume of SSIDs showing up, I feel safe in assuming they're all showing up as available on my T520.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]When I turn the hotspot from my phone on, that SSID appears [/FONT]and[FONT=&quot] I'm able to connect to it. [/FONT]

Additionally[FONT=&quot], my other laptop (Lenovo W540), my cell phone (Samsung Note 10+) and my son's cell phone (generic Samsung), and my girlfriend's IPhone are [/FONT]ALL[FONT=&quot] able to see our SSID's (both of them) and are able to connect to them without issue.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]So, whatever this is, it's apparently only impacting this one laptop (the T520).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Furthermore, assuming it might be a Windows issue I would've been perfectly fine with flattening all 3 of these partitions (one is just for storage) and doing a clean Windows install. However, in consideration of that idea I booted into the seldom used x86 partition believing I should see the SSIDs there and my path to solution would be clearly identified. However, I was very distressed to see that in-fact, NO, the SSIDs (both of them) [/FONT]are also not present[FONT=&quot] on the clean x86 partition either![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Diagnostics:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1. Turned off the Wi-Fi LAN option in BIOS. Booted to Windows to confirm and shut back down. Turned Wi-Fi LAN back on in BIOS and booted back to Windows - No Joy[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2. Check for updated drivers - none were found and so no change[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3. Booted into a clean x86 partition on the same computer and still not seeing the SSIDs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4. Removed the prior Wi-Fi network from "Wi-Fi Networks" in Windows and tried to manually add it back. No Joy[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5. Spent the whole morning on the phone with AT&T support. We:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6. Factory reset the router (3 times) - no joy[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]7. Looked for any configuration information that might be blocking this laptop's IP address or MAC address. - No Joy[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8. Changed the SSIDs (both). We confirmed the new names were functioning on other devices but no joy on the T520.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]9. Connected the T520 to the router by ethernet cable and the AT&T engineer confirmed he's able to see it - He was able but still no joy on the Wi-Fi side.
[/FONT]10. Purchased and installed a replacement OEM internal Wi-Fi card - No Joy

[FONT=&quot]So I feel like I'm out of gas here and need some extreme deep help here.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
To me, this feels like malware but the computer scans clean and in order to have impacted the x86 partition suggests it would need to have a boot-sector component too.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Is there anything in the registry that could be blocking discovery of these SSIDs but if so, how would that've impacted [/FONT]BOTH [FONT=&quot]partitions?[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
There are some references in the registry to the main SSID (not the guest SSID though) on the x64 partition but not on the x86 partition.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Is there some way, any way, flattening these partitions and doing a fresh Windows install could fix this?
[/FONT]I no longer have need of the 3 partitions so flattening them all and blowing out the partitions is not a major concern but would prefer to avoid the waste of time and have some prospect of likely solution.

[FONT=&quot]Please help and Thanks in Advance![/FONT]

 

[torchwood]

Hi

can you confirm something, is it both 10/7 you are having a problem with

is there OEM bloatware on them, ie Lenovo wifi assistant, or IntelPro set,

wouldn't mind seeing the output from the tool from this thread, please ignore the title provides a wealth of info
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions

as your running Ultimate are thier any rules set-up to block the specific SSID
(from a run command..... rsop.msc)

Roy

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

can you confirm something, is it both 10/7 you are having a problem with

I have Win10 on my W540 but the laptop in question (T520) is dual boot (Win 7 x64 & Win 7 x86).

is there OEM bloatware on them, ie Lenovo wifi assistant, or IntelPro set,

no bloatware.
Both partitions are clean (full retail) Windows Ultimate installations.

wouldn't mind seeing the output from the tool from this thread, please ignore the title provides a wealth of info
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions
Will run shortly...


as your running Ultimate are thier any rules set-up to block the specific SSID
(from a run command..... rsop.msc)
RSoP runs but I don't see any rules.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's the zip file

- - - Updated - - -

Here's the zip file from the 32-bit partition

 

[file3456]

Log into your AT&T modem or router (where you get Wi-Fi from) and make sure it's broadcasting on an 802.11g channel (your laptop is only 802.11g capable. (Though, you did install a new Wi-Fi NIC. Is it the same)?

Further, chose channels 1,6 or 11 as those are so-called non overlapping channels and you only want to use those channels for better signal reliability. Though, if your modem or router has the option, find a site survey option or whatever they may call it in your router or modem (again where you get Wi-Fi) and find what channels 1,6 or 11 are less used or at least the neighbors show up with a less of a signal strength. That would then be the channel to use. So, if your neighbors are using channels 1,6 and 11, chose the channel where your neighbor shows up least on the signal indicator from the site survey option in the router or modem if available. So, if channel 1 has four bars from your neighbor, channel 6 shows up as three bars from your neighbor and channel 11 shows up as only one bar from your neighbor, chose channel eleven (11). Again, only use channels 1,6 or 11. The others you don't want to use and won't help in a congested Wi-Fi area.

This is not a Windows problem, this is not a partition problem, this is not a malware problem. It's a configuration problem with the modem or router. It's very possible your source for Wi-Fi (either the modem or router) had a firmware update and now the modem or router is no longer broadcasting Wi-Fi. It could be as simple as turning Wi-Fi back on in the modem or router.

Also, if you do have a modem connected to a router the modem needs to be placed into bridging modem otherwise the eventual double NAT condition will rear its ugly head. You need to log into the modem to change this.

Additionally, my other laptop (Lenovo W540), my cell phone (Samsung Note 10+) and my son's cell phone (generic Samsung), and my girlfriend's IPhone are ALL able to see our SSID's (both of them) and are able to connect to them without issue.
So, whatever this is, it's apparently only impacting this one laptop (the T520).

Does this mean you can see you router or modem's Wi-Fi or are you talking about your devices in hotspot mode? If the later then this would indeed be a laptop issue and everything I just wrote above is null and void. It would then be a hardware issue on the motherboard me thinks.

Then again, make sure the router or modem in broadcasting on 802.11g. Actually, 802.11n would work too as apparently your Lenovo can use 802.11n as well as 802.11g. Just not 802.111ac. If the router or modem is currently using 802.11ac then that would explain why your old Lenovo can't see the SSIDs.

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

Log into your AT&T modem or router (where you get Wi-Fi from) and make sure it's broadcasting on an 802.11g channel (your laptop is only 802.11g capable. (Though, you did install a new Wi-Fi NIC. Is it the same)?

Then again, make sure the router or modem in broadcasting on 802.11g. Actually, 802.11n would work too as apparently your Lenovo can use 802.11n as well as 802.11g. Just not 802.111ac. If the router or modem is currently using 802.11ac then that would explain why your old Lenovo can't see the SSIDs.

I have searched and looked and cannot find one single reference to 802.11 anywhere in my router's config software.

Further, chose channels 1,6 or 11 as those are so-called non overlapping channels and you only want to use those channels for better signal reliability.

The router has numeric channel options for:
2.4 GHz
Bandwidth options for 20MHz or 40MHz
Channels 1 through 11 + automatic (currently set to automatic) and the current channel actually being used is "1 (20MHz)"

5 GHz
Bandwidth options for 20MHz, 40MHz, or 80MHz
Channels (step increments of 4)
36 through 64
100 through 112
132, 136, 149, 153, 157, 161
+Automatic
Channel is currently set to "automatic" and the current channel actually being used is "149 (80MHz)"

Though, if your modem or router has the option, find a site survey option or whatever they may call it in your router or modem

I see no such option in the router's configuration software.

Additionally, my other laptop (Lenovo W540), my cell phone (Samsung Note 10+) and my son's cell phone (generic Samsung), and my girlfriend's IPhone are ALL able to see our SSID's (both of them) and are able to connect to them without issue.
So, whatever this is, it's apparently only impacting this one laptop (the T520).



Does this mean you can see you router or modem's Wi-Fi or are you talking about your devices in hotspot mode? If the later then this would indeed be a laptop issue and everything I just wrote above is null and void. It would then be a hardware issue on the motherboard me thinks.

Yes, all other devices in our household are able to see and connect to the SSIDs (both the regular and the Guest).
Some devices, such as an Amazon plug and my girlfriend's phone, connect to the 2.4GHz
My phone, my son's phone, the Alexa Dot, my W540 (if I connect to Wi-Fi) and my girlfriend's laptop all connect to the 5GHz

 

[samuria]

Just confirm what your wireless card is as it seems that old it cant see modern routers you can very cheap usb wireless if you get a modern one it will work. Does the network have a yellow triangle in device managment its possible there is no drivers for it

 

[torchwood]

at first glance,

you have Intel Proset installed... i would remove it as your running a Raeltec wifi card rtl8192ce b/g/n card
you could also turn OFF the IPV6 settings
and dissable the Zero Config service
still ploughing thru other info

please check your Lenovo tools options for Internet


there also appears to be a problem with your wifi pnp entries

please run sfc /scannow


your Bios is way outta date



interestingly i cannot see any events relating to wifi unable to connect
please disconnect Ethernet and use (try to) Wfi rerun the tool

 

[Bilbo Baggins]

Just confirm what your wireless card is as it seems that old it cant see modern routers you can very cheap usb wireless if you get a modern one it will work. Does the network have a yellow triangle in device managment its possible there is no drivers for it

As I mentioned in my original post:
The wireless card did previously work for my router's SSIDs.
The wireless card STILL works for all other SSIDs.

I did replace the original internal wireless card with an OEM replacement and this did not change any results.
Also mentioned in my OP is the drivers are all current which means there are no yellow triangles in device manager.

 

[torchwood]

Hi

certainly a weird one please run this command
have a look at this tutorial relates to W8 but same as W7

describes your scenario, from it run this
Wireless Networks - Allow or Block with Filter in Windows | Windows 8 Help Forums

netsh wlan show filters