Not able to connect WIFI on laptop after several WINXP updates

[hlthe2b]

Help please, please, please, please my DU techie gurus!

I have a sony vaio laptop with built in orinoco 802.11b wireless LAN mini pci card, running windows xp home edition. It has always worked fine in the past, but not now. I have gone to a half dozen locations where I know they have strong WIFI signals, checked using a kensington wifi finder, showing at least a two band/three signal on this little device. The toggle switch on the laptop is turned on (and the light shows wireless lan activated). The hardware device manager in control panel sees the orinoco and says it is working. However it no longer "sees" wireless networks, even when I'm sitting in direct range of a strong signal.

Other possibly pertinent facts?
I had been using the built in wifi at home on a dsl network through qwest (actiontec pro dsl2200 modem on my desktop), but having had a running war with Qwest over overcharges, I had it turned off about three weeks ago and have been temporarily relying only on my back-up, the ricochet wireless network (uses its own modem available only in Denver and a few other markets). This continues to work fine, is faster than dial up, but still pretty slow. It always worked along with wifi, so no conflict was ever evident. This will keep me online in Denver, but I travel and need my wifi access!I finally removed all remnants of the actiontec dsl-home network I'd set up on my laptop, but this was after I realized I could no longer use wifi (detect a network) on the machine.

Oh--I also use Norton Security firewall and antivirus, but have tried disabling temporarily to no effect.

So, I really wonder if this isn't a microsoft windows update problem, since I recall several automatic updates coming through weeks ago, prior to my noticing a problem.

I don't know what to try or even where to go for help. I went to the Orinoco manufacturer's website--they indicate support for built in wifi cards are the responsibility of the end producer (e.g., Sony). I scoured Sony's tech support website for hours last night and found some references to issues related to windows XP updates, but these were not totally specific to my issue and seemed to date back to 2004.

So, any ideas? PLEASE?

[RazzleCat]

1. So quick things to try

Start by going to your connections (either in your start menu, control panel, or you can their via network neighborhood). Open up the connection your trying to use (right click it). First off make sure the box that says something like notify me when I have limited connectivity is NOT checked. Next go to wireless connection tab and make sure the box saying something like use windows to configure my connection IS checked. While your their check your IP address, unless ricochet says otherwise, set it to automatically get IP and DNS (call ricochet and ask them what their DNS is and you can manually enter the numbers if you have to). Also while attempting to connect turn off all of Norton (matter of fact get rid of it use AVG instead), by all I mean all, firewall, internet security, virus protection, and also check to make sure windows firewall is off. If necessary set it (norton) to a manual start. I am thinking that you may have some configuration issues left over from Quest, and Norton holding back your machine. By doing the above you will have your machine open and ready to locate any connection in range.

[hlthe2b]

2. thanks, I'll get a chance to try this out tomorrow morning....

Norton is a pain, and I plan not to renew when subscription comes due. The ricochet settings are specific to that extenal modem, so it has its own connection setup and it is set to automatically get IP and DNS. I don't think it is the problem. Qwest action tech "remnants" might be.. I uninstalled it and deleted everything, hoping that would remove any settings, but possibly not?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

3. If you happen to have updated to XP SP2

you might check to see if the new native XP firewall is active, and what its settings are. It's accessable through the control panel. It has nothing to do with your Norton (which sucks, by the way).

[hlthe2b]

4. AARGH... still not working... Here's what I've tried:

1. I disabled all Norton Security, firewall and all
2. I disabled all firewall for Windows and checked that it had been disabled for all network connections
3. I checked for the DNS settings suggested earlier--ok
4. I checked device manager for the appropriate driver date (and checked windows for an update--none)
5. I checked that device manager said the orinoco internal wifi was working--check
6. I uninstalled and reinstalled the driver--check
7. I tried to go back to a setpoint when I thought it was still working--the earliest was August 5, but I think the problem started earlier than that. Nonetheless I rolled back to that setpoint--no success.
8. I did all this while sitting outside an apple store with a strong wifi network (others were able to connect), but my laptop never detected the presence of the network.
9. My USB modem run ricochet still works fine (I'm using it now), but I'm going out of town for business in two weeks and will NEED my wifi connection.

ANY THOUGHTS???? Please! Is it probable the wifi internal card is no longer working even though device manager says it is? Should I take it to somewhere like COMPUSA and ask them to problem solve? Damn, if this is all a result of a windows update, I am going to be so f'ing pissed....

Thanks for all advice to date and any other help you can provide.

[RazzleCat]

5. Back to simple things to look at

Disable any other network device in side of device mgr. If you think its a windows update, you can start rolling back (i.e. removing) them one at a time and see if that works.
Yes it is possible for a bad hardware to say its working. Edit, do a couple of other things first. Check that the set the Station ID name (SSID) to "any" or leave it totally blank in the PC card connection configuration property sheet, just in-case you still have the old configuration in their.

[lateo]

6. Who is the manufacturer of your wireless card?

I have seen problems like this when the patch to update WPA is installed.

[hlthe2b]

7. Card is the original orinoco wireless mini wifi (I believe Proxim

then Lucent then Orinoco, from what I gather the manufacturer's name changes from other websites).


I'm still curious why it stopped all of a sudden, but in desperation, I saw a Belkin wireless 8011G card on sale for $35 and though, what the hell--beats paying for a service call. I installed today outside a wifi hotspot and it worked. So, while I am still puzzled, why device manager sees the original card, states it is working fine, but can't connect, it seems I have a solution--at least for now (until the next update, possibly). HOWEVER, I probably should add, that the new card only works when I let the Belkin software take over and disable windows from configuring. This latter point is why I still wonder if it wasn't a windows update related problem, to beging with.

Nonetheless, Lateo, if you have thoughts on why this happened, I'd love to hear them.

[Ready4Change]

8. I just had wierd solution to "no connection" problem.

In the wireless connection window, click the Radio on/off button, even if it looks like it would turn the radio off.

Just had a problem connecting at a new hotspot, until I turned the radio off. :shrug:

I've got no explaination for that, other than "It's a Windows thing."