wireless card/internet questions

I have a Dell laptop, worst POS I’ve ever owned. That said, I can access internet at 2 or 3 places where it was previously set up on a WIFI network, but I can no longer add any more. The program isn’t working, and my router apparently died. So now, I’ll have to set up another one. Which means, I won’t be able to access it with my computer. How do I remedy this? Am I able to just take the wireless card out of my computer and install a new one? Is it really as easy as that? It would be nice to be able to take my computer with me to different places and be able to access WIFI, which is something I can’t currently do. Obviously, I’m not computer wizard but hoping I can find some help here. Thanks

In order to help we will need to know a little more about your computer. Since it still works on some wifi sites the card is probably not the problem. What version of Windows are you using (XP, Win 7)?
Do you install windows updates on a regular basis?
What was the date the computer still worked for the function you feel is broken (if you have a valid restore point we can try to get the software restored to that point)? Does the router work with anything else (phone, tablet, desktop)? Let us know.

Here ya go.
dell wic card install

Good questions. I have the OS of death….vista. Terrible. I imagine that is probably the problem, because other programs don’t work either. I’ve had this computer since fall of 08 I believe. The touch buttons haven’t worked for years, and I haven’t been able to tap into other WIFI networks for probably 3 years I’d guess.
The router is acting funky with everything. Laptops, dish, phones. It’s roasted.
I don’t know that I want to do a system restore back to a date. I’ve done that before with this thing, and it simply didn’t work well.
It would be nice if replacing the card took care of the problem, so then I could get a few more years out of this wreck.

That’s a cool video. I forgot to mention, mine is a Studio something or other. I know I did some upgrades when I bought the thing, and what a waste that was. Honestly don’t have enough bad things to say about it. But….if I can put a cheap band aid on it to keep it running for the time being, I’ll do it. It was more important to put a couple HDS units in the boat this year than upgrade this thing.

Ouch! Old technology can be tough in todays environment.
I’d suggest some master reboot techniques. Won’t hurt anything…..
Power off Laptop and remove battery for at least 1/2 hour. Power off Router and cable/dsl modem for several minutes.
Power on cable/dsl modem and router.
Reinstall battery for laptop then power on.

The best fix that I have found for vista problems is to download slimdrivers from google on either filehippo or cnet. click run and follow the instructions after the scan of your computer. I found out it works best to download each driver 1 at a time, had some connection problems with my older gateway nv52 with vista and this fixed it, and all the other things that were not working. (don’t install the extra add ons just uncheck them in the boxes before the download) hope this may help.

I have a Dell Inspiron running Windows 8.1 and I can tell you I have connection problems all the time. Sometimes it is the router, but I think most of the time it is my computer. I need to run some Ethernet.

Try doing a full swipe of the computer. Back-up all your important files and pictures to a flash drive or external hard drive first! Then do a complete restore of the computer to factory settings. You can probably do this without the back-up discs, but its been so long since I’ve had vista that I wouldn’t even remember where to look for it.

In the end it will be like a new computer, all the junk will be erased and all your factory drivers will be installed. Should take about 2 hours to do, then another 4 or 5 hours of windows updates.

Ya….that won’t work either, Uglystick, although I wish it would. Battery is completely roasted, computer is dead within a minute if it’s not plugged in. I’ve done the unplug, wait, plug in routine, and it isn’t working at all. It comes up as a different user name on our phones now, and is unsecured for some reason. No idea how this all happened, other than the router just died, apparently.

As for wiping the computer clean or anything like that, I think I’d rather cut my losses and sell it for scrap and just get a new one down the road. I’m just hoping installing a new WIFI card would be a cure just to get wireless again, but it seems that this isn’t a feasible option. Looks like most think it’s a problem with the OS and not the card itself, correct?

Hi Brian,

I have an older Dell Inspiron running Vista and have done a reset to factory settings a couple of times.

It is relatively simple. You have to backup all your data first (including bookmarks/favorites from your

browser), follow the instructions for the reset, run Windows Update and then reinstall your programs. If your

system is highly customized this last part can be painful…if you pretty much run programs “stock” it is

not too bad.

If you actually go through this process you will probably be surprised how well it runs again…

Here are the instructions for the factory reset on a Dell Studio (from this Dell site url: http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/19/KCS/KcsArticles/ArticleView?&docid=DSN_353562&isLegacy=true)

To restore your computer to the original factory installation, follow these steps:

Turn on the computer, after the Dell logo press F8 key repeatedly until the

Advanced Boot Options menu (Advanced Startup Options).

In Advanced Boot Options, highlight Repair Your Computer and press Enter.

Click Next and logon to the administrator account in the computer.

Click Dell DataSafe Restore and Emergency Backup and DataSafe Options.

Choose Restore without preserving new or changed file. Click Next to continue.

Choose Yes and click Next to continue.

Progress status will appear. Click Restart to initiate the restoration process.

Note:

When performing the restore, all customer data will be erased and replaced with whatever is in the backup.

Have you tried power cycling the router and modem?

eyekatcher, you work in IT?

Explanation, the running joke for me is the first answer from any tech support is to restart. I think it is funny.

Restore it to original factory setup and that will most likely cure all of your problems with it. This should be done every couple of years if a PC or laptop is over 2-3 years old.

It will run like a new machine, people have no idea how much spam/spyware/adware is on their machines. You might not think so but it is there, I have been in IT for over 25 years and almost every PC I work on is infected in one way or another.

The best and only sure way of eliminating it is to do a wipe and fresh install. If you think your machine is clean, download and run Malwarebytes, after that is done download Comodo Rescue Disk and Microsoft Safety Scanner. You will need to know how to burn an ISO image to CD in order to use the Comodo Rescue Disk.

https://www.malwarebytes.org

http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx

http://www.comodo.com/business-security/network-protection/rescue-disk.php

Windows Defender is also another one that you need to burn a CD from an ISO Image.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline

Quote:

---

As for wiping the computer clean or anything like that, I think I’d rather cut my losses and sell it for scrap and just get a new one down the road. I’m just hoping installing a new WIFI card would be a cure just to get wireless again, but it seems that this isn’t a feasible option. Looks like most think it’s a problem with the OS and not the card itself, correct?

---

You are still going to have to do it if you want to sell it. Unless you are planning to take it apart and salvage the hard drive. I bought a junk laptop at a garage sale once for the battery, when plugged in I had access to their email, online banking, ebay, paypal, facebook, and everything else. Of course I just salvaged the battery and tossed the computer, but still… you need to make sure its clean before you hand it to someone else.

Are you sure you don’t have a virus in your network and on your laptop?

For testing, does it work when you connect a network cable in directly to your router/modem? What model laptop? (unless you mentioned it and I missed it)

a 6 year old laptop running Vista.. We recycle laptops newer than that. In fact. we are going to have a garage sale coming up here in a few days. If I pick up a couple I can let you know. Usually less than $50 (we nuke them and install a OEM version of 7)

I can’t recommend anyone reinstall Vista. It is basically the OS MS wants to forget they ever made. I do agree that a reinstall is a great way to fix OS related errors, viruses, malware, in fact, we used to spend time cleaning them here, now it’s a re-image.

Yes, I worked a help desk for IBM.

but in my defense

he said the key words

I’m not computer wizard

and later named four resources with issues using the router.

Not much you can do for a router other than power cycle it.

I always tell my mom to restart…and then I have to walk her through even that!

Quote:

---

Explanation, the running joke for me is the first answer from any tech support is to restart. I think it is funny.

---

Fact of the matter is that all PC and phone OSes are not very robust when it comes to 24/7 or longer operation. They all eventually become confused and need to clear their stack. I reboot both my PCs and phones quite regularly.

A good garbage collector will take care of that. Kind of a pun intended.

Yes, I have internet just fine when I plug the ethernet cord in.
I have no idea what power cycling is.
Truth me told, this is way more than I wanted to mess with. I was just hoping to get the WIFI back up and running. But if it’s going to take half of what’s listed here, I’m not even going to attempt it. I’d rather use my GF’s laptop and say the hell with mine.

to power cycle
pull the AC plug or switch off the power strip for
both the router and modem.
wait 5 minutes and restore power to the modem and then the router.
I think this may eliminate issues with the router
Check if the router issues with the Pc as well as the other resources you mentioned above are resolved.
Post which resources still have issues.
If this resolves any or all router issues,
we can then formulate an action plan for those still experiencing problems
but at least the router will be fixed or identified as the culprit..

I like to recycle the modem and router once a month even if I am not having issues.

Ah, ok…..then I’ve been doing that for years with the modem and router. It used to always work, but now the router has mysteriously popped up as a different name and is now unsecured. Something I had nothing to do with. Plus, it fades in and out, just being weird. We’ve already got another router to try to figure out how to install without the cd, so we’ll see if that work. Internet is running fine without it, but sure is nice being wireless.

What you are describing sounds similar to
picking up a nearby unsecured wireless router,
possibly a neighbors within range.
When I search for routers in my range I can see as many as 10 at any one time.
If I find one that is unsecured, and I can determine whch of my neighbors own it,
I suggest that they should secure it.

You may be able to determine this by searching for routers from your PC or device to see the list.

I live in the country, nearest neighbor is a half mile away. I find it hard to believe my security of my router was compromised, and I’m sure there are no others in range.