# Solved: Wireless adaptor not detecting networks



## fullfat (Aug 26, 2009)

Hi all. I can't connect to any wireless networks - because I can't detect them anymore. The wireless button is on but no networks appear in the Connect to a Network box. I have disabled/re-enabled the device driver and rebooted a few times but it still won't work.

I can connect with ethernet ok.
Does anyone have any suggestions please?!
Thanks
Tom


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Download and run this Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector, click the *Networks* link on the upper left and paste a screen shot of that screen here. Note that this application requires NET Framework to run. If you get an error about a missing function, download and install NET Framework. For machines with no Internet connection, download this NET Framework 3.5 Full Package on another machine and transfer it with removable media to the problem machine.

To post a screen shot of the active window, hold the _*Alt*_ key and press the *PrtScn* key. Open the Windows PAINT application and _*Paste*_ the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file. To upload it to the forum, open the full reply window and use the _*Manage Attachments*_ button to upload it here.


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## fullfat (Aug 26, 2009)

Hi John - thanks for your reply. Ok, here's the Xirrus screenshot. Nothing appears at all.
Thanks
Tom


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You said that the wireless button is on. Is there an indicator--a LED that's on or a different color when the wireless is on?

Does the wireless adapter appear in Device Manager under Network Adapters?


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Hi:Let's see this:
Start, Run, CMD, OK to open a command prompt:
(For Vista or 7 type CMD in the Search box after Start)



In the command prompt window that opens, type the following command:

Note that there is a space before the /ALL, but there is NOT a space after the / in the following command.

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter to copy the contents to the clipboard.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here. 

And this:
Let&#8217;s take a look at the status of the network adapters

Device manager:

Hold the Windows key and press R, then type devmgmt.msc

Please respond to all the following steps.
1.	Under Network adapters, please tell me all the devices listed.
2.	Are there any devices under Network adapters that have a red x displayed?
3.	Also, are there any devices anywhere in the Device Manager display with yellow ? or ! displayed?
4.	should be enabled and working properly.
5.	If error code,what is it ?

It would be best if you could post a screen shot of Device Manager with the Network adapters and Other devices sections expanded.

To post a screen shot of the active window, hold the Alt key and press the PrtScn key. Open the Windows PAINT application and Paste the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file. To upload it to the forum, open the full reply window and use the Manage Attachments button to upload it here.


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## fullfat (Aug 26, 2009)

@TerryNet
Hi - yes, there's a button and when it'sin the active position the light still comes on even now.

@Pedroguy
Hi - here's the IPCONFIG /ALL results:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\dido>IPCONFIG /ALL

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : TomToshiba
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 . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR5007EG Wireless Network Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-9E-35-57-EC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet
NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-92-FA-4A-1D
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::20bc:b1bf:b024:1877%8(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.6(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 09 August 2010 06:55:52
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 10 August 2010 06:55:52
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 218110610
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-0E-63-B3-40-00-1A-92-FA-4A-1D

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 3:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{58452CF4-79AC-42B6-B231-48BCDF0AF
89B}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fd:ce2:15fb:3f57:fff9(Prefe
rred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::ce2:15fb:3f57:fff9%23(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 6TO4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 16:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 17:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{38AFF551-E953-47FD-B0B2-5FB038365
DC8}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\dido>

Device Manager screen attached.
Many thanks.
T


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

It definitely looks like your wireless adapter is AWOL.
Did this ever work?
If so,what changed? Hardware/software?
Need an answerer to Terry's question about the lights in Post #4
Have you tried to delete the adapter and re-boot. ? Also:
I would also dig out your user's manual and see if you can determine where the the adapter card is.


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## fullfat (Aug 26, 2009)

Thanks Pedro.
The answer to Terry is above: @TerryNet
Hi - yes, there's a button and when it's in the active position the light still comes on even now.

I haven't changed any hardware - the only I did was use the laptop at a friend's house where the wireless worked fine, then when I came home the adaptor failed and I couldn't detect my home wifi.



> Have you tried to delete the adapter and re-boot?


 You mean in device manager? Disable it or delete it?

THx
T


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

In case the installed wireless driver is corrupted you can fix it by, in Device Manager, right click on the wireless adapter and select 'Uninstall'; then reboot and Windows will discover the adapter and reinstall the driver. That's what *pedroguy *means.

It's sounding like the adapter is defective, but I think there was at least one case where a firewall was preventing networks from being detected. Do you have Norton or another non-Windows firewall or security suite?


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## fullfat (Aug 26, 2009)

Thanks. I have Kaspersky (KIS 7) installed but this has never caused a problem previously. I'll follow your advice now and uninstall the adaptor.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

If you want to uninstall Kaspersky to test you should probably also use their Removal Tool.


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## fullfat (Aug 26, 2009)

Sorted now! I uninstalled the adaptor and rebooted and can now see (and connect) to my network. Thanks @TerryNet, @pedroguy and @JohnWill
Beers all round. ;-)
Best
Tom


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

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