nc4200 wifi & bluetooth setup

I've got a second hand HP Compaq nc4200 that came with xp pro already installed.

I can't figure out a way to get wifi or bluetooth to work.

I've discovered the HP Wireless Assistant which tells me that both are 'On' but I just can't work out how to actually use them - e.g. for the wireless, I can't find the application where you tell the notebook the name of the network and the WEP password etc, and for the bluetooth I don't know how to set the device name, set the service types, and so on.

As this used to be a corporate notebook I've a feeling that they were either turned off or never even installed.

So is there a way of 'reinstalling' everything I need? And what software would I need to download? I've looked at the hp website but just found it totally confusing

And no, I don't have the original installation CD, or even the XP CD, so I couldn't reinstall XP even if I wanted to

Any suggestions for a newbie?

Thanks

 

you should do that under connectivity tab , the network connections tab does show you all connections, eg. ethernet connection, firewire, and of course wifi, the wireless connection.
the hp wireless assistant lets you switch on and off wifi and bluetooth, and thats about all it does.

if you have an intel wifi adapter , you can install the intel pro set, which lets you establish preferences for wireless network adapters. but it´s not needed, if you just go to the connectivity tab and click on the wireless adapter. there you can choose the wireless network you want to use, enter the wep password......

 

Thanks Schoko - what is the connectivity tab and where can I find it? In Control Panel there's a network connections option which has an icon for wireless network connection. That has a red x by it but nothing that lets me connect to a network or add wep info. And there's nothing at all relating to bluetooth. Am I in the right place?

Thanks

 

yep, thats the right place. the red x tell you the adapter is not connected to a network. try right clicking on it to open the context menu and switch it on.

bluetooth requires special software, you should actually find that software at hp :

this should be the software

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ob-41543-1

 

OK, options when I right click are Disable, View Available Wireless Networks, Repair, Bridge Connections, Create Shortcut, Rename, Properties.

View Available Wireless Networks just brings up a message box saying windows cannot configure this wireless connection (the same message I get with my other PC's wireless connections as that's handled by software I got with the wireless adaptor).

Repair disables then re-enables and tries to connect - but of course it fails because it doesn't know what network it's connecting to, what WEP code, etc.

Bridge Connections gives me an error message saying I must select two high speed networks.

Properties lets me change things like the 'preamble mode' and 'roaming aggressiveness' but not choose a network or WEP etc.

What I'm missing is something like the Netgear Smart Wizard application that I have on my other PC that has a screen where I select the wireless network I want to connect to, enter the WEP code, and so on.

Am I missing something really stupid ?

Sorry if I am

 

Do you see an Intel Wireless PROset configuration utility in Control Panel or your system tray? Windows won't be able to configure your wireless if it is controlled by the Intel software.

I'll assume you have tried installing the drivers from HP's website? Have you checked in the BIOS settings (F10 on start up) that the WLAN/Bluetooth Radio is Enabled? Is there a blue light on your switch cover where the wireless button is?

Is Wireless Zero Config service turned on in Windows services (Start > Run > services.msc)? This is required for wireless to function.

 

That's it!

Wireless Zero Config service was disabled; setting it to automatic and starting it up got the wifi going, and the bluetooth drivers at schoko's link got that side of things working.

Many many thanks to both of you for helping me - both schoko and chrixx for getting the final answers but just as much to schoko for having the patience to help me narrow down the issue.