Centrino laptop shows wireless connection unavailable

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August 27th, 2004, 12:40 PM
hudsonsmith

Centrino laptop shows wireless connection unavailable

My MIL is staying with us and she has a Fujitsu Siemens Amilo M7400 running XP Home SP1. It has built in Intel Centrino wireless networking (LAN 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter). I have a home network using a Linksys wireless router (WRT54G), but the laptop does not see the wireless network at all. It just shows wireless network unavailable. The laptop is 2 feet from the access point, which is set to mixed network mode. Other computers in the house are using the network, but none are using centrino. She does not have the intel proset utility (at least not installed on the laptop), but according to intel it should work natively with xp.

- I have tried disabling and enabling the wireless network adapter. When I do this, it shows activity for a few seconds, then reverts to the prior state when it fails to detect a signal.
- I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the wireless network adapter.
- I have updated the chipset and network adapter drivers.
- I have run Intel's Centrino Test Utility - all ok.
- I have checked that wireless is enabled in bios.
- I thought it might be a frequency/channel issue (since its a German laptop), but I can't see where to check or change the setting. The manual for the laptop shows that the channel (Ch 6/2437 MHz) is available.

I feel like I'm missing something obvious here.
August 27th, 2004, 03:48 PM
NooNoo

install the proset and create a profile - if you are using mac filtering that seems to upset the xp wireless config so it doesn't connet.

Also check the channel the card is configured to against the channel the router is transmitting on.
August 27th, 2004, 10:30 PM
hudsonsmith

I installed proset, but it appears the problem is hardware related. Proset indicates that the radio is switched off by the hardware. The selection to switch it on is greyed out. There is a button to the left of the keyboard which is supposed to switch it on (one of six "easy launch" buttons), but it has no effect. In fact, none of the buttons has any effect.

Don't know if it matters, but it does not appear that the software controlling the buttons is installed. I'll see if I can't download a copy, as she doesn't have the install CD with her. So far no joy on the fujitsu siemens web site.
August 30th, 2004, 03:51 AM
NooNoo

bios?
August 30th, 2004, 09:03 AM
hudsonsmith

Enabling in bios has no effect. I have to double check, but I believe bios version is most current.
September 17th, 2004, 04:33 AM
NooNoo

fixed it yet?
September 17th, 2004, 06:09 AM
hudsonsmith

I was unable to get it to work, and she has returned home to Germany w/ the laptop. I believe it is a hardware issue, as everything reported ok from the software side - the radio on/off switch simply wouldn't work. It is a leased machine, so she is going to have the vendor address the issue.
November 2nd, 2004, 05:23 AM
kamal

Check out this

Intel 2200 3B mPCI adapter. Instead of 2100 3B. This one is on Intel ProSet 8.0xxx I believe. I know this issue is old however if anyone else has the same problem. As I just solved my problem.
December 7th, 2004, 06:17 AM
Bomberdude

I had the identical problem.

Upon the advice of Netgear (I use a Netgear Wireless Router) I gave my notebook a static IP address and it seemed to solve this problem. I maintained a connection for hours.

The only problem was that after some time my notebook went into sleep mode and when I went back to use it the wireless connection had stopped. Go figure.....
December 19th, 2004, 12:49 AM
hudsonsmith

Update on this problem. My MIL is back in town w/ the laptop. Fujitsu-Siemens now has the software to control the hardware buttons available on their web site (see post #3), and after installing it, was able to turn the wireless on. Works fine now.
December 29th, 2004, 04:19 PM
SteffDudek

Quote:

Originally Posted by hudsonsmith

Update on this problem. My MIL is back in town w/ the laptop. Fujitsu-Siemens now has the software to control the hardware buttons available on their web site (see post #3), and after installing it, was able to turn the wireless on. Works fine now.

I have the same problem but have been unable to find any software on the Fijitsu site to enable the 5 buttons on the left. Have not tried the Intel Pro 2200 drivers as I am not convinced this is where the issue is. Can you supply any further information
December 29th, 2004, 05:08 PM
hudsonsmith

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteffDudek

I have the same problem but have been unable to find any software on the Fijitsu site to enable the 5 buttons on the left. Have not tried the Intel Pro 2200 drivers as I am not convinced this is where the issue is. Can you supply any further information

Here is the driver I installed for the 5 buttons: http://support.fujitsu-siemens.de/Dr...v1_0_8_wxp.exe

After installing it, I was able to enable the wireless. Note - not only didn't the Intel driver help, but it caused a bsod after installing the button driver and I had to remove it.
December 29th, 2004, 06:41 PM
SteffDudek

Worked first time. Thanks for the link to the software driver.
December 31st, 2004, 01:31 PM
Shedinc

greyed out

i have a linksys WRT54G connected to my desktop (which works fine)
my laptop, which is using the intel 2200 series chip also is not reading the wireless connection. my laptop does not have external buttons to turn on/off the "Radio" function...
When i go into the "Intel Proset" software the option to turn on/off the "radio" is also greyed out. please help.
December 31st, 2004, 01:36 PM
hudsonsmith

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shedinc

i have a linksys WRT54G connected to my desktop (which works fine)
my laptop, which is using the intel 2200 series chip also is not reading the wireless connection. my laptop does not have external buttons to turn on/off the "Radio" function...
When i go into the "Intel Proset" software the option to turn on/off the "radio" is also greyed out. please help.

Welcome to windrivers shedinc. Laptop make/model? Windows version & service pack?
December 31st, 2004, 01:40 PM
Shedinc

thanks. i have an ABS Mayhem G2 Laptop (www.abspc.com) running XP Home SP2.
December 31st, 2004, 03:29 PM
hudsonsmith

Can't find a manual on the abs web site - check in bios that wireless is enabled. Also check the manual for any key sequence required to enable/disable radio.

Does the wireless network adapter appear as enabled or disabled in network connections? Do you have xp or intel proset set to manage wireless?
December 31st, 2004, 03:59 PM
Shedinc

The laptop came without a manual (unfortunatly). ABS uses OEM components, all it came with is a cd with a PDF manual on it. I will check that out next.

I am not the most technical person so i dont really know where to go to look at the "Bios".

at the moment the intel ProSet software is managing the wireless. When I look at "Network Connections" it says that is not connected.
I appreciate the help so far, thanks.
December 31st, 2004, 04:22 PM
Shedinc

::UPDATE::
after digging into the PDF manual a little, i had to hit "Fn F1" to turn on the wireless function.
i opened the PRO SERIES software and it says the radio was "ON"

But it still says it is out of range and wont connect. at the moment i am approx. 6 feet away from the Router (Linksys WRT54G)
is there something i am missing setup wise?