Wireless won't connect

[jmhcs]

I am working on what should be a simple problem (aren't they all). The computer is a Dell Latitude C640 notebook with WXP Pro and a Dell Wireless 1450 Dual Band WLAN Mini-PC card.

I have deleted and reloaded drivers and the view wireless connections shows the secured network (or any unsecured network). I cannot connect to anything. IPCONFIG says the wireless is disconnected. I cannot find a physical switch on this computer. I simply cannot connect.

Wired networking/Internet works fine. Any clues would help. Thanks much

[Sterling_Aug]

Press the Fn key then one of the F1 to F12 keys with the wireless tower icons on it. I think it is F7.

Del User Guide:

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

There is no wireless switch on this model.

[Train]

Turn the wireless on.
Either a switch on the side/front or it is in FN + one of the function keys.
Fn + F2 is the normal combination.

[jmhcs]

After looking intently, there are no external switches (as Sterling suggests) nor are there any function keys that show the wireless symbol. I have tried F1, F2, F7, and F12 to no avail. I can see the SSID when refreshing networks but it keeps fading in and out. I can see networks very strong on another wireless device. Could it be the wireless mini-pc card is going bad???

[Train]

Get close to the router and see what happens. Signal should get stronger.
If I do not have 4 of 5 bars on signal strength I can not connect either.
Could well be it is on its last leg.

[Midknyte]

did you disable security on your router? What type of security are you running on the router? WEP, WPA, WPA2, MAC filtering?

You can try reseating/cleaning the wifi card contacts. You said you can see other networks, so it seems like the card is working. Are you allowed to connect to those networks (IE, your friend or neighbor is the owner)?

Are you using wifi client software or just the Windows Zero Config utility?

[Sterling_Aug]

Where did you get the card and the driver? I do not see the 1450 available as a download for the C640 model laptop.

http://support.dell.com/support/down...&catid=&impid=


I know we used to have lots of issues with wireless cards at a contract site a few years ago on the C640. They went away after we upgraded to D600 laptops and a different wireless card.

Try to find an older version of the wireless driver and/or software.

[jmhcs]

Train - A laptop right next to this one gets 4-5 bars, excellent signal. I am only 15' from the router.

Midknyte - The other sifnal is my neighbors and it is secure. I am using WEP currently for my security. The signal fades in and out. Router is only 15' away.

Sterling_Aug - If I had been more observant, I would have noticed this computer was originally loaded with W2K, not WXP. This is probably where the problem lies. I also recognized that Dell did not list the 1450 for this computer I looked at the card and it was BCM94309MP Rev. 10 which when searching is a 1450. I tried a driver I found for this and that is the one with the weak signal. Evidently, someome may have switched/replaced this card. FYI - Service tag is CGJHR11

[Sterling_Aug]

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...=us&l=en&s=gen

This system was ordered without a wireless card installed. It was added after the fact.

Do you have another wireless card to try? Maybe a different model?

Pop the cover off the bottom of the laptop and make sure both the white and the black wires for the antenna in the lid are attached to the very small connectors on the wireless card. If they are off, then that would give to no signal as well.