Acer TravelMate 290 series: Can't turn the wireless ON

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to help a friend to set-up a wireless network. The Intel Pro 2200 is installed and detected correctly by both Windows and Intel's wireless utility. It's not at fault as I tried it in my own laptop (gateway ML3108).

My problem is I can't turn the wireless ON. Pushing the switch situated on the left side of Acer TravelMate 290 doesn't activate the wireless. The LED that indicates the status of the wireless stays always OFF.

I contacted Acer and their reply was give us £53 for our engineer to look at laptop so we can send you an estimate/invoice for the repair.

So is there a way (e.g. a software, a registry hack or something) to turn the wireless ON without using the switch?

Any suggestions are welcome

 

any suggestions?

Thanks

 

http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/ftp/ftp.html

grab the new lanch manger for 290



did this card come with laptop did you add it??

did you reform laptop or this stock install xp ??

 

Thanks for getting back to me Andyasselin

I'm not sure but I think the original wifi was a Inprocomm IPN 2220. Anyways both the IPN 2220 and the Intel work in my Gateway but not in the Acer.

Windows was re-installed after a hard disk failure.

I've just downloaded and installed the Lanch Manager. With the Lanch manager installed:
1- A green message shows on the screen when I push the wireless switch to indicate if the wireless is ON or OFF.

2- The wireless LED is always OFF regardeless of the position of the wireless switch.

3- The wireless field in the Lanch Manager is greyed.

4- When I force the "Intel PROset/Wireless" into the 'Wireless On' position, a message is displayed telling me to turn the wireless ON by using the switch.


I tried to update the Bios from v1.2 to v1.3, v1.3a and v1.6 and failled. I tried both the DOS and the Windows ways and could't do it. The Acer windows flash utility insydeFlash gives the following error: 'This rom file size isn't correct'.

Bios v1.6 offers support to intel wireless... Am I doing something wrong?

 

UPDATE:
I got the wireless to work by putting some tape in the pin 11 and 13 of the Intel Pro 2200 wireless card.

My friend is saying that he added the wireless module since his laptop had the antenna only.

I think the problem with the switch is BIOS related as in the descrition of the v1.6 Acer added support to intel's wireless b and g.

I tried to update the bios from v1.2 to v1.3, 1.3a, 1.6, 1.7 and 2.0 but couldn't. I was only abe to re-flash to v1.2.
how can I force the bios to update?

 

THANKS! This solved.

Problem: WiFi switch on the side of the Travelmate 290 was not working.

1. I had a fresh WinXP install.
2. Fresh 802.11b/g drivers.
3. All I needed was the launchManager ( Download Link) to start using the Travelmate 290 WiFi switch on the side!
4. I rebooted and it started functioning.

 

Orezavi

Thank you, thank you !!!

I was truly desperate and have been trying for days to fix the wireless switch on my Acer Travelmate 290. This link worked like a dream and I'm up and running again.

Very grateful my dear! xx