Wireless radio will not turn on after upgrade

I have a Satellite A135-4487 and I'm trying to upgrade to a newer wireless card that includes wireless n. I've procurred an Intel 5350 wifi/wimax card that has a Toshiba part number on it thinking that it will be an easy swap. The card is completely recognized by Vista 64 but the radio will not turn on. My question is there any hardware hack or software manipulation, bios or otherwise, that will make the radio in this card turn on. I do know about the whitelist factor for many laptops, but that is with the card not allowing the computer to boot. I boot just fine, just no radio. Any help will be appreciated.

 

Why not try scanning for hardware change in device management if you haven't already tried, under network adapter.

 

Are you using the toshiba driver or intel? Some of the drivers for wlans have special registry entries to pick up the wireless switch input to make them work.

 

If it's recognized, it means it's not switched off.
Only thing i can think of is that you don't have the correct drivers for it, or something in registry that isn't correct.

 

Every notebook I've ever had the card can be recognized while the radio itself is switched off, I think that's what his issue is that he can't get the radio to start because of however the tosh controls it is different.

 

Oh i see My experience is the other way, if it's not even seen in the device manager it's not turned on and vice versa. Like my current notebook (and one i had before this), if it's turned off, it's not even listed in the device manager, it's like the whole card gets shut off and doesn't exist hehe

But yeah, you're probably right!

 

Thank you for your replies. I understand why you might think it may be a software issue, but the problem is that Toshiba uses Intel generic drivers for its Intel wireless cards. In the driver inf their is no reference to a Toshiba 5000 series wireless cards much less the 4965 as well. To give you more info when the computer start up, just past the post the wireless light for the hardware switch comes on with the original 3945 card, but with the 5350 it does not. The card is recognized within windows in device manager both wifi link 5350 as well as wimax 5350. Two seperate entries under the network section. If anyone knows a way to get the radio to turn on with maybe a hardware hack, I'm all ears.

 

I'd search for other laptops that use the Intel 5350 and try their software.

 

SPQR, I understand why you may think it is a driver issue, but let me tell you what I've tried to contradict the driver issue. I've been doing some research on this matter and the few options other poster's have not worked, covering up pin 20 and trying other drivers from different companies. The only thing that has worked is to do a hotswap with the original card, by suspending the computer and putting the new card in. The new card will work perfectly until you shutdown the computer completely. This leads me to believe it is bios related although the card is fully recognized within windows. I know there is a whitelist on many laptops, that is why I'm asking if anybody knows of a hardware hack to get the radio to turn on, or maybe a way to change the pci-id of the card to match my old card.

 

Hi Defiantwing,
I am in the same boat I have a toshiba a200 and bought an intel 5350 card. Device manager detects both wifi and wimax. However, wifi has a yellow exclamation and says it cannot start code 10. Wimax looks fine but when you got the the software it says wimax is not ready. I have tried to block pin 20 with no luck. If you or anyone else figures out the problem please pm me and email at [email protected].
Thanks

 

Hi,
I sent back that first card. Now I have a real toshiba card and i am having the exact same problem as Defiantwing. I cannot get the radio to turn on. If anyone everyfigures something out please email me or post a message on this thread.
Thanks

 

Pin 20 is active low W_DISABLE pin (radio kill switch) as described by PCI-SIG

Ensure you have correctly identified Pin 20 by the mPCIe pinout. It will be on the side that doesn't have the antennas on it. You want to cellophane pin20 to leave the radio on permanently.

 

Ok now with this new intel 5350 that actually has the toshiba part number, works!!! I covered pin 20 with a tiny piece of electrical tape and it works. However, the radio light switch still does not light up but in the software it say switch is on (Thank God). Both wifi and wimax work (wimax did not acutally connect but it searched and apeared everything was working). I am so happy!!!!!!!!!
Thanks everyone for your help.