G73JH Wireless Issues

Hi everyone! Allow me to preface this by saying that I'm pretty PC illiterate, and that this machine is the first PC I've ever owned after eight years of Apple dominance. That said, I apologize if things need to be explained a little more to me than your usual poster.

Basically what's going on is my wireless card isn't functioning as intended, to say the least. It's not detecting any networks - although my MBPro detects about a dozen of them - and I can only connect via ethernet cord. This is the second time this issue has occurred. The first time I got on the phone with ASUS and sent my unit out for repair and I just got it back yesterday. Today, the wireless card is out AGAIN. I've already set up another RMA with ASUS but at this point I'm pretty frustrated with them, and I'd really love it if there was anything you guys could do to help me.

I suspect the problem has something to do with the ASUS Live Updates I installed, because the issue occurred as soon as they were done installing. I haven't yet done a recovery (about to do that now) but I suspect it won't make a lick of difference, because recovering the unit didn't work the first time. I have uninstalled and reinstalled drivers - both the ones on the ASUS support website and the one located at MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service , which I found on this forum. The card is an Atheros AR9285. When I press FN+F2 my WLAN radio tower thingie is all grayed out.

Please, if there is anything you guys can do to help prevent me from losing access to my computer for ANOTHER month, I'd really appreciate it. I had just finished installing Skyrim too!

 

I have G73Jh and for most of the time its wifi is fine.

The first thing you should do is to make sure that your wifi is not disabled. Did you install the "ATKACPI driver and hotkey-related utilities"? It will show your wifi status in the center of the screen when you switching it on or off.

For G73Jh, all tools in the "Utilities" category are not necessary(like "ASUS Live Updates"), and my suggestion is: do not install them. You only need ATK tool I mentioned above and basic drivers like Audio and Video. Wifi driver should be automatically installed by Windows and you do not need to install it again by yourself.

You can try restore, if wifi works then dont change anything, otherwise remove those Utilities (you can find them in the driver download page on ASUS website). Other option is to do a fresh Windows install, and then only install ATK, Audio and Video drivers.

I also suggest you download an Ubuntu live CD, burn it or load into usb drive, and then use it to boot into Ubuntu(without destroying your windows and files), see if wifi works under Ubuntu. If you have the same problem then it's likely to be a hardware problem and you cannot solve it by playing with drivers under Windows. If you have no idea what I am talking about then forget this.

 

I understood most of that! My computer just finished the recovery and it's a bit... strange. When going through the setup process, my computer did detect wireless networks and from what I can tell it successfully connected to my wireless. But when it finally finished and I logged in it had the same issue. When I checked Device Manager this time around, my network card which previously had a little ! in a yellow triangle by its name didn't have the ! anymore, but FN+F2 still gives me a grayed out WLAN tower. And I still can't get online. I tried rebooting just to be sure but the issue persists.

I didn't install the ATKACPI driver, but I'll do that now. Here's hoping it'll show me something.

 

Ah, it was already installed. I already mentioned that the radio tower that flashes when you turn the wifi on/off is grayed out - like it isn't accessible or something. Sorry for the confusion .

 

Then just try removing the utilities that you thought might have caused the problem, and then try Ubuntu. A lot of work.

 

Yeah, even after the recovery, updating the drivers to 9.2.1.432, and everything else I could think of, nothing is working. This is the third time since October I've had to send my unit in for repair, and obviously the 2nd time for this exact issue. Guess I gotta RMA again. Thanks for your help anyway tho .

 

Try this.

The wirless bars that are greyed out should be next to your Clock on the PC right?

If so right click on it, then click on Trouble shoot.

If that fails, Look up an ASUS reseller in your area and take it to them.
It might cost you $15 to $25, but I am sure they could fix it with in 5 minutes or less....

If you had any Gamer friends or IT friends, it would be a good time to ask them for 10 minutes to look at it.

Some times Gamer under stand how to install drivers. Look for people over the age of 20...

 

Oh yeah, that was one of the first things I tried. The troubleshooter just says it couldn't open/operate properly or something and that's... pretty much it. Lol. Unfortunately I live in kind of a small area and there aren't really any PC techs in town I'd trust with my laptop, otherwise I'd consider it. I dropped the unit off at FedEx and I guess all I can do now is hope for the best @_@.

I really do think it was the LiveUpdate that screwed me, btw. So I will be uninstalling that utility IMMEDIATELY once I get my comp back, lol.

 

Have you tried restarting your computer?

 

Rather than send it away for two weeks, I would replace the crummy Atheros WiFi card with an Intel 6200. It's much better and costs twenty or thirty dollars. It takes less than ten minutes to replace it. I understand that's money and it's a new computer that should work but still... it's a nice little cheap upgrade and you wind up with a proper wifi card.

I am currently still using the Atheros in mine. I bought the Intel but a year later I had to send it in for RMA. At the last minute before taping up the mailing box, I decided to pop my card out and put the original back in there. I got in a hurry and popped the antenna connector right off the card while trying to remove the antenna wire. I have yet to get around to ordering another card. That Intel card performed a lot better right up until the point where I broke it being stupid.

 

I agree. Intel card is the best choice, I put a 6300 in my T520 to replace the default Realtek card and solved all my problems.

 

Just to clarify for the OP: The Intel 6300 has three antennas and can sustain higher throughput rates due to having multiple radios. I believe the 6200 which is dual antenna can do 300 mbps but the 6300 can do 450Mbps because of the third antenna. Our laptops only have two antenna wires so you would have to install the third one.

The short answer is that an Intel 6200 is a direct replacement. The Intel 6300 needs a third antenna but isn't a big hairy deal.

I guess you wouldn't really have to properly route the third antenna. You could just sort of stuff it in through the hatch and let it go wherever it wants to go. You probably wouldn't have as good of a range as a properly spread antenna but it would likely be good enough as long as it was plugged in.

 

You are right, I got the 6300 because my T520 comes with the 3rd antenna and cable installed. Otherwise just get a 6200 or lower ones.