Wireless connection dropping

September 24, 2006 12:56 PM

Compaq Presario 900 laptop loses its connection to the network when the screen is moved?

I don't think the network card is the issue (PCMCIA D-Link wireless card), 'cause it also happens if I use a Zonet USB network adapter. I'm just puzzled as to why the network connection drops when I adjust the angle of the screen. Any theories? If it was a built-in wireless adapter, I'd think it was because the antenna was built into the side of the screen, but that can't be the case here.

posted by mr_crash_davis to Computers & Internet (2 answers total)

Total long shot, but on some laptops (like my roommate's Toshiba), there is a hardware button to activate/disable the wireless card. Do you have one of those buttons, and is there maybe a loose connection that is being jostled by the screen?

And to note - I did see your mention of the USB adapter, but I seem to remember something similar in my roomate's laptop, that it will override all wireless connections if the switch is not on.

Then again, what do I know.
posted by rossination at 1:49 PM on September 24, 2006

Response by poster: I don't see such a button, but I will check the manual (assuming I can find it online).

However, typing this response I just noticed that the left shift key, the n key, and some others are starting to go away, so there may be some major issues with the motherboard that I was not aware of.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:04 PM on September 24, 2006