# Solved: All devices except laptop connect to wifi?



## idiotic-mess (Jun 20, 2014)

About a week ago, my laptop just stopped connecting to my wifi. I have an HP Pavilion dv6 running Windows 7 (64-bit). I've had this laptop for about four years, if I'm not mistaken, and I have never had problems such as this before. It can detect neighboring connections, but it just doesn't detect my personal wifi. The router/modem is not the problem because I can connect to them with my other devices just fine (Samsung Galaxy S3/S4). I am able to connect via Ethernet cable, but of course this is a terrible inconvenience. Cuddling my router is not something I feel I'd want to do just to get some work done.

I have tried:
- restarting my router (Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Band Router model WNDR3400) 
- restarting my laptop
- system restore
- uninstalling and reinstalling wireless drivers (originally was Intel WiFi Link 1000 BGN, when reinstalled it changed to Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000)
- changed router settings (router channel, password/security options)
- manually connecting through Control Panel (SSID is not set to be hidden, but still couldn't be found)
- troubleshooting (nothing was found)
- updating basically everything (router firmware, drivers, software, etc.,)

Long story short, none of this worked. I feel as though I have tried everything I could find within multiple forums and endless internet surfing, but I am simply out of ideas at this point.
The connection on my other devices is slow, but they connect nonetheless.
Any help is strongly welcomed, perhaps it may be time for a new computer/router..
*Note: I am not as tech savvy as I make myself appear to be in this post, but I know my way around the computer for the most part.* 

*Additional Laptop Specs*
Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.2
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, Service Pack 1, 64 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 350 @ 2.27GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 37 Stepping 2
Processor Count: 4
RAM: 3893 Mb
Graphics Card: Intel(R) HD Graphics, 1722 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 454859 MB, Free - 362052 MB; D: Total - 21775 MB, Free - 3171 MB; E: Total - 99 MB, Free - 83 MB;
Motherboard: Hewlett-Packard, 144C
Antivirus: Norton 360 Premier Edition, Updated and Enabled


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

> 1) It can detect neighboring connections, but it just doesn't detect my personal wifi.
> 2) - changed router settings (router channel, password/security options)
> 3) - uninstalling and reinstalling wireless drivers (originally was Intel WiFi Link 1000 BGN, when reinstalled it changed to Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000)


sounds like the wireless is working from the first statement 1) above 
I would suggest perhaps its a channel issue , as in the US you use channel 1-11 but in Europe 1-13 is used ,and frequently if a router goes to channel 12 or 13 , us devices cannot see the wireless 
BUT point 2) seems to have covered that

can you post an xirrus screen shot please

*------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector  
Download and install*
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to copy the program across to the faulty PC
Save the file to a USB flash drive or other removable media. Plug it into the working computer with internet access and copy the file and install the program. 
You will now need to take a screen shot and copy that back to the working PC and attach the screen shot in a reply on the forum here.

If you do not have another PC - do you have a phone connected to the internet - can you photograph the result and post the image in a reply

http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx 
( the site now appears to require a business email, and does not allow webbased emails like gmail,hotmail or yahoo etc )

Use the links below

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,77196-order,4/download.html
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Xirrus-Wi-Fi-Monitor-Download-99109.html

Then run and install the program - on a wireless enabled PC/Laptop
if you get an error - You will need to have NET Framework installed for the WiFi Inspector to function.
On windows 8 - (i do not have windows 8) but, it would appear that, When you first try to run, you may get a message that .net framework is needed, and included in that message is a link to download/install.

Run the program

A user guide is available here 
http://www.xirrus.com/cdn/pdf/xirruswifiinspectorguide1-2-0

post a screen shot of the program running.
if there are a lot of networks showing can you click on *"networks"* top lefthand area - so we can see all the network information.

*post which SSID name is yours, its located in the list, under network "Adapter Name" (1st column) 
*

Note:
For a reliable (or robust as the Xirrus user guide says) wireless connection you need a signal of about -70 dBm or better. "A desirable signal level for a robust Wi-Fi connection will be green".
note: the signal level is a negative number, so for example -88 is worst and -40 is better

To post a screen shot of the active window.

*Windows XP*
Hold the Alt key and press the PrtScn key. Open the Windows PAINT application (Start> All Programs> Accessories> Paint) and Paste the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file.

*Vista or Windows 7*
you can use the "snipping tool" which is found in Start> All programs> Accessories> Snipping Tool
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-use-the-windows-snipping-tool/

*Windows 8*
you can use the snipping tool > Open Snipping Tool (From the Windows 8 Start Screen, type "snip" and press enter.
>Press the Esc. key.
>go back to your Windows 8 start screen - Swipe from left or press Window Button
>Press Ctrl+PrntScr button to use Snipping Tool
see here
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/opinion/windows/3415854/how-take-screenshot-in-windows-8/
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/3405830/how-take-screenshot-in-windows-8/

To upload the screen shot to the forum, open the full reply window ("Go Advanced" button) and use the Manage Attachments button to upload it here.
Full details are available here http://library.techguy.org/wiki/TSG_Posting_a_Screenshot


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## idiotic-mess (Jun 20, 2014)

This is what came up, strangely enough I was unable to find my SSID name under the networks column. This is strange because my other devices connect just fine.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

can we see an xirrus from a working PC please and your network


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## idiotic-mess (Jun 20, 2014)

This is my only working PC, I have no other desktop or laptop


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

what other devices do you have ?

this is for andriod
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netgear.WiFiAnalytics&hl=en

I would be interested what channel your signal is on

OR you can log into the router and make sure its on channel 1,6,11 
Also i would be interested what the name of the network is - just in case its on the same channel and name as another network


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## idiotic-mess (Jun 20, 2014)

My network is Bubblez98. I have a dual band router so I have two connections. My 2.4 GHz is on Channel 1 and my 5 GHz is on 36. They're both under the same name. Apparently my device connects to the 5 GHz connection. I'm not sure which one my laptop connected to but I know it supports g/n. I have also included the basic settings I have on both connections.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

change the 5ghz name - just in case something strange is going on - should not be
but i'm at a loss as to why you can see networks - but not yours at the moment - so clutching at straws


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## idiotic-mess (Jun 20, 2014)

Something strange happened. I changed the names and suddenly my wifi connection is recognizable with a stronger signal strength than before (probably from all the tweaking I did). My phone recognizes both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz connections under both names, but my computer only recognizes the 2.4 one. Why is that? I don't need the 5 GHz, I comfortably work on the 2.4 GHz connection, but I would just like to know why one is recognized over the other?


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

because the adapter in the PC does not work on 5Ghz - quite a few PCs still do not work on 5Ghz 

glad we have now got it working, knew it was something strange like that ....


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## idiotic-mess (Jun 20, 2014)

Hm, interesting. Well, thanks for the help. I strongly appreciate it. If it weren't for you I probably would've made a few purchases! Have a great night, Wayne!


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

your welcome


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