Comments on: usb wireless adaprer won't work

Question: usb wireless adaprer won't work

5_13_23_42_69_666 — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:21:53 -0800

We've been through 2 different usb wireless adaptors, and windows7 won't detect/enable them - help!

My boyfriend got a new computer - it's OS is windows 7 64bit, he has a dual-band wireless-n usb adapter that his computer is not detecting/enabling once he's installed it. It's the third adapter that he's tried - the first adaptor was an asus wireless-N; he returned that, and got a lynksys AE2500 - that didn't work either, so it was exchanged for a new one that still didn't work. At this point it seems that the problem isn't with the adaptor, but with windows 7 - has anyone else had this problem? any suggestions?

He's called tech support for both adaptors, and had to wait, and talk, and wait...and re-insatll and re-insatll... and still it doesn't work.

By: mhz

mhz — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:05:48 -0800

I know you've ruled out the adapters being the culprit, but it can still be Windows. Especially 64-bit Windows 7. I just installed a USB wifi adapter (Belkin) for somebody's W7-64. The standard drivers installed, but it would drop the connection whenever Flash was activated in a browser. I had to find the chipset manufacturer, and find their updated USB drivers.

By: samsara

samsara — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:08:43 -0800

Start with getting the latest chipset drivers installed. Watch the device manager to make sure these adapters are being fully installed. Use Device Remover and set its display mode to HIDDEN/DETACHED devices, remove all.

If the adapter does seem to be installing ok but you're not getting network, that's a different issue. Check your system logs (right click computer/manage) and check on any red or yellow blips that could relate to these adapters. Post here anything you see that might be relevant.

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:34:40 -0800

I've seen installer discs for wireless stuff install 32-bit Windows XP drivers into a 64-bit Windows 7 by mistake, silently and apparently successfully. Bit odd that it happens with two different manufacturers of adapter, though.

Something else you can check is that the driver you're using is the one you think you're using. I've seen Windows wireless misbehaviour caused by "ghost" copies of devices.

To do that: click the Start (Windows logo) button, type cmd into the Search programs and files box, hold down Shift and Ctrl and leave them down after hitting Enter. When asked whether you want to allow the Windows Command Processor to make changes to this computer, let go Shift and Ctrl and click Yes. A console window will open.

Into that window, type exactly

set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

and hit Enter, then

devmgmt.msc

and hit Enter. A Device Manager window will open. In its View menu, turn on "Show hidden devices", then click the little triangle next to "Network adapters" to expose all your installed network adapter devices.

If you see any adapters with "wireless" in their names whose icons are greyed out, right-click each of those and select Uninstall.

Reboot Windows as an offering unto the small gods of Redmond, then see if your wireless issues have now cleared up.

By: theora55

theora55 — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:34:08 -0800

If he got a new computer, did it have a wireless adapter already installed? Definitely get every possible update for the hardware and software. Check Device Manager to see if there are any question marks on devices & resolve those. In some cases, disabling IPV6 helps; I don't like that resolution, but have occasionally used it.

By: 5_13_23_42_69_666

5_13_23_42_69_666 — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:18:59 -0800

Thanks for all the good ideas - we are definitely going to try stuff out and let you know if anything works

and if anyone has any more suggestions, being em' on
thanks!

By: Susurration

Susurration — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:12:29 -0800

I have a Medialink wireless N adapter that I am using on a Windows 7 64-bit HP desktop. It works brilliantly. I chose this one because it seemed to have far fewer problems than other makes, whereas all the others seemed to have known issues. I installed the drivers from the disk with the adapter, plugged it in and initialized it using Windows Wireless Connection setup (as per instructions in the manual). It worked first time -- no rebooting and no messing around.

Before you get a new wireless adapter, see the advice in this review. It may be worth trying.

By: 5_13_23_42_69_666

5_13_23_42_69_666 — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 12:21:06 -0800

Thank you so much for the great suggestions. We updated the chipset drivers as per samsara and theora55's suggestion, got rid of the "ghost" copies using flabdablet's method, and installed the win7 drivers in safe mode as outlined in the review linked by Susurration.
The little blighter is finally working!!!

You guys are amazing! thanks thanks thanks