Wireless network card...

Hello everyone.

I have a 'stock' Compaq Presario F572US notebook computer that I bought back in July of 2007 (still under warranty obviously).

Today, for some unknown reason, the wireless card inside it no longer finds or connects to any wireless network. The computer worked beautifully until today.

Now, when I try to connect to a wireless network, the computer tells me that there are no networks to connect to, when I know for a fact that there are at least 5 wireless networks in addition to our network in the house.

I have a feeling that it is a failed part, but I have no idea how to 'test' this or possibly even replace the broadcom wireless adapter in the computer. Though, I have tried 'reseating' the wireless adapter, but that didn't help at all.

I've already contact HP-Compaq about this and I am currently waiting on their reply. I just wanted to see if there was anyone here that would know of any other trouble shooting methods (apart from any help Windows Vista or the HP-Compaq support site provided, because I went through all those steps).

I'm fairly comfortable, knowledgeable, and capable with computers so I'm confident I can do more 'tricky' things with guidance from those out in the interwebs!

Thanks for any and all the help y'all can provide me!

Also, if it's any consolation...today is also my birthday (I'm 25 woohoo!) so this kind of sucks

Thanks!

 

hhmm, did you install any updates, new programs, etc?? If so they might be to blame...........

you could always try doing a system restore and set it back to yesterday and see if the card comes back to life. What does it show under "device manager"? Is it working properly?

 

I didn't install anything yesterday or in the past few days on it.

I went to the device manager and I can't see the broadcom wireless thing on there at all. And I tried reinstalling the newest driver for it (which I did a few months ago anyways...).

I'd do a system restore, but to 'speed things up' in Vista, I disabled that sometime in August, so I guess I kind of screwed myself over in that department, lol.

 

The wireless card seems to be dead from the sounds of it

but you might wanna do a full system recovery or a clean install to make sure it is not a software related issue.

You can either get hp to replace the card or buy it & do it yourself. You can also get external wireless adapters for PCMCIA and USB ports if really neccessary

 

It could be a vista problem. I had the same problem a while back. I had an atheros card do the same thing. I just uninstalled it and reinstalled the driver, It worked.

You might also want to know that broadcomm is a garbage wireless card so it very well could be dead.

Just try completely uninstalling it, then reinstall. you never know, it may work.

Btw I think Microsoft put out a hotfix for this issue. Just search it on google. I'll look into in myself.

 

we got the d-link dwa-643 express card for our hp to match our router > made a heck of a diff

 

the only thing is...this laptop has no expansion ports to put in aftermarket 3rd party normal cards. It has to be these dinky wireless 'cards' that fit into it's specific place on the motherboard...i searched (briefly) online for similar cards and came up with 'nothing' at the moment.

If there was anyway I could just go ahead and replace the broadcom wireless card, I would...if there's a way, someone please inform me

I also do not see the card show up in the device manager...I'll look again though...it should be under 'networking devices' or something named similar correct?

Under networking adapters in the device manager, it only lists NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller.

However, I do notice that now under "Other Devices" it lists a device named 'Coprocessor' that says the driver for it is not installed....

When i hook the notebook directly to the internet through an ethernet cord, the computer just connects for 'local access only' and won't connect directly to the internet...

 

If you've tried uninstalling and then reinstalling the drivers and software for the wireless card and networking then it seems to be a hardware problem. I would walk you through taking the card out, re-seating it, and reconnecting the antenna cables, but when you call HP they will make you do the same stuff anyways. Although if you are having similar problems with your NIC as well and can't connect to the internet it seems like a software problem. This is definitely a tough situation you are in. I'm going to think about a couple other options for you to try without doing a fresh install and I'll post later on today.

I see that you can't do a system restore from the Start Menu because you disabled that feature, but have you burned the Recovery Disks? I doubt that you disabled that feature as well, and if it is still there burn them as soon as possible so you have them.

 

I have reseated the NIC card and reconnected the antenna cables...

After restarting the router and the laptop, i got it to connect to the internet through the ethernet cable..

The 'coprocessor' device seems to have been the nVidia Management Controller...I used a drivers CD that I burned to get the driver for it...

I'm testing to see if it now will connect to the wireless network (any of the 6 or so in my area...besides my own...)

This is a frustrating problem to say the least...especially because seminary starts on Monday for me...grr...

EDIT: After those driver updates...it still doesn't get on the internet...

I did a clean install of Vista after I got it, but I do have the recovery DVDs...looks like i'm gonna have to at least try to put the HD back to it's 'original' state to see if that'll kick it into gear...I don't think it will though...

 

Broadcom and AMD makes a bad combo. HP is aware of Broadcom with AMD chips suddenly not working and it affects all models. And yet they're not doing anything about it! I replaced the Broadcom wireless once and it only worked once then prematurely died too!

 

well, since there are no expansion slots, how about a usb wifi card?

yes, they stick out a little, but so do any of the adadpters- express card, etc

i know d-link has released an "n" usb adapter

so seminary start monday........ do you know what type router is avaivable?? you could increase your connection speed by getting the same make......

EDIT--> just noticed you're having all sorts of network problems- sounds like, well, I see below others have answerd

 

it's still installing all the 'wonderful' bloat ware that was originally on the laptop...which is taking a ridiculously long time, lol...

Once I get that done and confirm that it still doesn't work, I'm going to call HP/Compaq and see if they'll fix it. They should since it's still under the year warranty correct?

 

As long as the laptop is under warranty they have to fix it. The only problem you'll run into is having to deal with the tech person before they'll repair it. You'll basically have to go through everything again with them over the phone. I suggest when you talk to them over the phone you tell them what steps you took and the results so you don't have to do everything again with the same result.

 

oh definitely, I'll keep that in mind, thanks Envision and everyone else . It's been a wild ride today, but hopefully I'll get it fixed quickly. The good thing is, the computer 'works' it just doesn't connect to the internet wirelessly... So, I'll still be able to use it when schools starts back up for me on Monday, but it won't be as much 'fun'.

Plus, now that it's got all the bloat ware crap (still not done installing it too btw...grr...) it's not as 'quick' as I had it before . But, once I get it fixed, I'll take off all this norton crap and bring it back to the way it was

 

Just got off the phone with HP support. Christa was the CSR and she was very helpful.

She stated that this is a 'known' problem with the wireless adapter and the Compaq Presario F500 series...and 'they of course' will fix it free of charge. I just have to send it in . Tis a shame, but even as Christa said, at least I'm doing it now and I'll have it back by the 8th or 9th of february and I'm getting it out of the way at the moment and its not happening further into the semester...oh well... Sucks, but it's gonna get fixed...

 

Well it sucks that you won't have your laptop for awhile, but when you get it back at least it will work 100%. Also, you will most likely get it back before the 8th or 9th, because they always quote a little extra time when fixing a laptop or manufacturing a laptop for sale. They do this so that if they run out of parts or get a rush in they still have extra time and it doesn't go over the time they quoted you. So I hope you get it back before then and everything works out great!

 

Last question...should I go ahead and reinstall all my stuff onto it or will the just reformat everything again and send it to me like it never had anything on it? I don't want to have to do everything twice...

 

@ Ncxcstud. Yea I think you just buy a new one. You can get a Mini PCI WLAN card for 50 bucks. it's gonna be allot better then the one hp is going to reinstall (broadcom). anyway I hope it works out for you. If your going to buy a new card go with Intel or atheros, two very good company's. and well worth the extra bucks. I got the Intel 4965 AGN, It's the best.

 

It's hit or miss on whether HP will reinstall everything or not. I've sent in a laptop because the webcam wasn't working and they reinstalled everything, and I've sent in a laptop because the wireless wasn't working and they didn't reinstall. If I were you I wouldn't waste my time reinstalling everything just in case they decide to reformat and reinstall. Just wait until you get it back, and then have at it.

I never thought I'd use the word reinstall so many times in one post....geez.

 

Just be careful and take snapshots of the laptop before you give it in. With all thats being said regarding hp's tech depot. They may mess it up more then it actually is. Seriously check out the forum. One guy sent in his laptop, when it came back it looked as if the tech guys used a crowbar to open the laptop. He posted pics. anyway just warning you.

 

what about RAM? It came with 1GB but I upgraded that to 2GB...that *should* stay there correct...I don't want them to just give me 'another' laptop as an easy fix...and lose the money I put into it...

 

If you bought the laptop with 1 GB. Take out that extra 1GB and hold it until the laptop comes back. Best advice I can give.

And probably the best advice there is. Don't be naive and leave the RAM inside. Put whatever the laptop came with in it's original position. If you bought a new HD swap it with the original.

Trust me, you don't want to end up losing those things. Especially with HP's "great service"

 

good thinking, i still have the original 2x512 ram chips and I'll put those in before I send it off...

 

Not a problem. I had the same issue. And I figured it's not worth it.

It takes two seconds to swap it, but saves hours of potential aggravation.

 

Same exact thing happened to me and I had the same unit as yours. they replaced the MB, card and nothing. It is a known problem. It was escalated to the "manager's hotline" and they sent me the rig below at no extra cost. PM me if you want their phone #.....The problem will NOT go away!!!!

 

Unless you buy a different laptop. lol

 

Listen to the voice of experience>>>>
they don't like it if you mod the system, somettimes not covered under warranrty >> send back the orig laptop,original parts, etc.. Excellent adivse from mikeletts!!!!

 

then again, I wouldn't purchase a laptop that had known problems thats not able to be fixed by the end user.

 

Or that....

 

LOL I really don't understand why people would buy a laptop that has serious problems.

 

Just so everyone knows...I bought this laptop in July of 07...it's not like I bought it yesterday. More or less on a whim. My wife and I couldn't pass up the deal we got for it at Office Depot (something like 400 bucks) It was purchased for school and up until last week was FLAWLESS in its operation.

Stop being a jerk Yitzter

BTW - I sent my notebook coffin in today and the lady at the FedEx desk said "HP laptop huh? We get lots of those..."

 

I'm just stating my opinion. lol

Thats a pretty wicked price, 400$ huh. nice

 

Alright, this ordeal is FINALLY OVER! Sheesh.

Getting it fixed part was nothing, getting Windows Vista reactivated was a nightmare!!! Only because the HP-Compaq CSR had NO IDEA what to do...he had me go through his 'steps' 4 times and since my computer screen didn't 'match with his' he said I needed to call Microsoft instead...All I needed was info on how to reactivate my copy of Vista since they changed out my system board and Vista thought it was a 'different' copy thus invalidating my product key (or so I thought....)

So, I call Microsoft and scream agent until I talk to someone...he says I need to talk to MS Technical Support....I call technical support and he says I need to talk to technical support within the activation department...so I call them...and the guy there says all I need to do is retype my product key (that's on the bottom of my laptop) into the 'change product key' field....

WHY DIDN'T THE HP GUY KNOW THAT!!! COME ON!!!

I just spent 40 minutes on the phone to do something I, yes should've tried in the first place...but it said my key was invalid when i clicked activate...how was i supposed to know that you just retype your product key!

Come on HP...help out the consumer a little bit!!

Hopefully this will last me awhile, and if it does break again...hopefully it breaks before July...or I'll be buying a different network card for this laptop

 

I've been having a somewhat similar issue with my C712NR/US and its Broadcom WLAN. HP had me send in the notebook for a Motherboard replacement thinking it would fix the random freezing issue. Even after the motherboard replacement it continued to freeze until I removed the WLAN card. A replacement Broadcom WLAN card didn't solve anything..

If you do eventually need to do so, HP can Reimburse you for it. My case managers solution to my problem is to buy any network card(Mini PCI-E or USB) and HP will reimburse me the price up to $150 (With proof of purchase).