# The network may no longer be in range



## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

Windows XP Pro with service pack 3 on HP Laptop NX5000. The wireless router is working correctly as other computers are connecting just fine.

I right-click the little wireless network icon on the taskbar and click "View available wireless networks". My network comes up in the list, I highlight it and click "connect". Then I get the following message.

*Windows is unable to connect to the selected network. The network may no longer be in range. Please refresh the list of available networks, and try to connect again.*

At this point, the "available wireless networks" list goes blank. If I click "view available wireless networks" again, I get the same list of available wireless networks and the process repeats itself.

The wired network connection works fine.
I have swapped the internal wireless card for another new card.
I have inserted a known-good add-in PCMCIA wireless card and the result is the same.
The router is three feet away from the NX5000 and other computers 50 feet away are connecting just fine.

Suggestions please?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, move at least 6 feet from the router, sometimes being too close will actually cause a failure to connect.

I'm not saying this is the issue, but I have personally experienced this here.


I'd disable ALL firewalls and see if that changes the symptoms.


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## LaptopNomad (Dec 31, 2008)

Try the same at a different location. Check antenna wiring.

A water test is to try and connect with UBUNTU. This free LINUX variant can run from CD without install on a HD. Burn the ISO file from the website on CD. If UBUNTU can connect, the problem is within in Windows XP Pro. 

If that's the case, remove all drivers for your wireless and reboot without the wireless card inserted. Install most recent drivers and then install the card. Try again with a fresh driver install.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

About distance:

I have tried it at various distances. Just before moving it to my office (three feet) I tried it in the shop (about 20 feet from the router and the far side of two walls and a floor). When I was in the shop (20 feet), I had the NX5000 side-by-side with another laptop. The other laptop connected with a four-bar signal; the NX5000 didn't, also showing four bars.

I think I'll format it and try a fresh load of Windows XP Pro


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

Formatted and installed Windows XP again and same result. Formatted and installed Windows 2000 and same result again.

I'm stumped.

Additional Info: I bought this machine used and it would not stay on more than a second. I took it completely apart thinking I would part it out. I found the problem, fixed it (loose connection at the back of the screen) and put it back together.

I'm wondering if I could have done something that might cause this problem? I mean, it just doesn't seem to make sense that the internal and external cards give this same result. There is a common denominator somewhere that I just can't figure out.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

That is certainly odd, I'll give you that. The fact that reloading Windows didn't do anything for it certainly points at some sort of hardware issue. Maybe something stupid like bad memory? Did you run a memory test for at least several hours?


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

I may have some extra compatible memory here that will short-cut having to run the test; but, if I don't, I'll run the test and see what happens.

The thing performs so darned well otherwise that I doubt I'll find the problem is in the memory, though.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I tend to doubt it too, but I feel we should cover all the bases so we don't feel stupid when we overlook something.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

Yup, I worked on a problem with another laptop off and on for weeks and *that* fix didn't make sense for sure. It had a bad video controller. But get this: It drove a desktop monitor just perfectly for hours on end; but, it would not even make a flicker in the built-on LCD.

Go figure.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

What ethernet card does it have? And, can you connect successfully by ethernet?


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

I have swapped the _(stock)_ internal wireless card for another new card.
I have inserted a known-good add-in PCMCIA wireless card _(Netgear MA521)_ and the result is the same.
The router is three feet away from the NX5000 and other computers 50 feet away are connecting just fine.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

I'm not going to mark this solved because it isn't solved; but, I did get the wireless working on a USB ethernet adapter. The other two cards (or three, counting _two_ internals), still give the same result as before.

I'm tired of fighting it so I'll accept it this way as the best I can do.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, that's very odd. I'd have suspected a firewall issue, but since that card probably gets the same IP address...


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

Additional Info:

The Netgear wireless ethernet card utility had a tab that showed byets sent and received in its attempt to connect. It would count through all eleven channels, display the number of packets or bytes sent which would vary between about 500 to about 2500; but, the received side never changed from zero.

Adn it would obtain an IP from the router.


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## RobOman (Apr 27, 2002)

I have had that same problem three times doing computer repairs and all of them were hp's . The fix I found was 1. turn off laptop 2. connect to network with cable (rj45, cat 5, ethernet, all the same) 3. start computer and see if it can go online if yes switch back to wireless and it should work. try this first


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

Already did; didn't work.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

This problem has reoccurred identically with another laptop. This one is an HP NC6000. It looks identical to the NX5000 that I originally posted about. I thought maybe it was the wireless router so I changed from my Netgear Wireless router to a Belkin--same result.

The only common denominator here is that I am installing the same Windows XP Pro OEM with SP3 slipstreamed from the same disk. With my limited knowledge, I can't see why it would make a difference; but, I am beginning to wonder if it would be different if I used the factory system recovery disks (which I would have to order).

I read an article yesterday on slashdot that HP systems are the second most crapware-laden systems (Acer was first) and I really hate the idea of having to use their crapware-laden system recovery.

I'm really bumfuzzled here!


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

After you use the system recovery, the next step is to run PC Decrapifier, it's a one-step removal of all the junk that is installed from the factory on most brand name machines.

I do this, then do all the Windows updates, install some basic "foundation" utilities, and make a True Image backup of the machine. That's my "system restore" image if it's ever required.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> ... installing the same Windows XP Pro OEM with SP3 slipstreamed from the same disk.


From my brief experience slipstreaming with nLite it is not difficult to get too "clever" and leave out something important. My mistake was glaringly obvious and I did better my second try. I suppose there could be something subtle missing. But, didn't you also get the same results with Win 2k Pro?

If you go the Recovery route you may want to then spend a few minutes with the PC Decrapifier.


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## Alex Ethridge (Apr 10, 2000)

> didn't you also get the same results with Win 2k Pro?


Now that you mention it, I did. And while we're on the subject, manufacturers like Acer, HP/Compaq and others do funky things to the OS. In many cases, if you load Windows onto their systems from a store-bought disk, their downloaded drivers will simply not work and neither will drivers for the same hardware downloaded from the hardware manufacturer's web sites.

JohnWill,

Thanks, I do pretty much the same thing except I uninstall piecemeal, one at a time, then go in and delete folders and in some cases edit the registry. I then make the same Acronis image you do and save that in my files for when I get another computer of the same model or that same one comes back at some point.

I don't have much faith in those automated programs. If I ran one, I probably wouldn't be satisfied until I thoroughly checked behind them so it would be double work. That's just me; I don't believe anything in software until I see it many times over.

I have some (near) 400 such Drive Image, Ghost and Acronis images that go back several years filed in my shop.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You might also look at Revo Uninstaller if you like the manual route. It'll take the extra work out of removing folders and registry entries, it automates those tasks. I normally use it anytime I'm removing an application, does a very nice and contained cleanup job. 

Note that PC Decrapifier is just a script that invokes the uninstall functions, so it's really not that risky.


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