Help with P-7805u Wifi Switch

So a few months ago, my laptop fell about a foot onto the bottom right corner and broke a piece of the wifi switch off and mashed it somewhat into the laptop (pictures can be provided if it matters). the wifi switch doesn't exactly move left to right, but it does move. luckily, it seemed like i permanently jammed it into the ON position, so i wasn't worried.

just a few days ago, and i don't remember anything actually happening, i turned my laptop on and the wifi would not work. i can't find any networks. so i did everything i could think to do to enable it, but no dice. i searched on the website for an updated driver and found a program called PROset wifi connection utility. it is telling me what i had feared, that somehow the jammed wifi switch is now on the OFF side.

so i need advice. i've tried to toy and push at it as much as i can without thinking i'm gonna mess it up more, but haven't had any luck yet. this isn't a huge worry as i have a hardwire ethernet cable already run to my desk but i would like to get it fixed. i am comfortable with opening it up, so could anyone instruct me on exactly what i would need to do to get to the wifi switch?

thanks.

 

Will require a partial teardown to get at. Check out the teardown sticky
http://forum.notebookreview.com/gat...embly-guide-covers-all-17in-fx-notebooks.html

Imageshack - 16speakersremovedq.jpg

 

have you tried Fn+F2 to enable wireless yet?

 

Although I now have a P79xx board the FN+F2 will even with the switch off connect or disconnect the WiFi.............

 

fn+f2 doesn't do it.

thanks for the links Andy, i'll try that out in my next free day if i don't get any other suggestions before then.

appreciate the help.

 

okay so i started looking through the disassembly thread and that's a lot of stuff. if i only need to get to the motherboard, the obvious things that i know i'll need to take out are the media bar, keyboard, plastic piece around keyboard and touchpad and maybe the touchpad. can someone tell me what pieces of that guide i need to follow, assuming i will be able to skip some steps?

thanks.

 

Madoff, going from memory, which isn't to good these days, all you need to do is pop the top cover. At least that is all I did when I installed a bluetooth module a long time ago, and it sits right next to the wifi switch.

Over simplistic here but,,,,,is really not that bad. Take your time. Basically steps 5 thru 11 in the guide. Removing the DVD drive may help, step 2.

Remove media bar
detach lcd, wireless antennas, lcd cables
remove keyboard
then work on popping off the top cover.

Keep all your screws seperate so you know where they go. I use a labeled piece of paper and just punch them thru. Also be careful of the flat wires, not to break the connectors or cables themselves.

I remember some people when doing bluetooth were just able to lift the front of the top cover to install and not remove the cover altogether.

 

this should be funny to a few of you.

so today i decided that i had been running on wired internet for long enough, so i was about to pull out the sledgehammer and pitchfork and pry this baby apart to see what was wrong with the wifi switch. i opened this thread back up for reference and started from the top. i read the post about fn+f2 and giggled to myself thinking "what if it works this time".

i pressed fn+f2.

the wifi light turns on.

MIRACLES! THEY HAPPEN!

anyway, so my wifi, after magically breaking itself, has magically fixed itself. i don't plan on doing anything to it for now.

 

I just did a total disassembly of my laptop yesterday... a bit of a pain but the 64 degrees max GPU temperatures is worth it

 

Andros..(off thread topic) wish you lived close to me. I would pay you big bucks to do mine.