# Please help me troubleshoot wireless problem



## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

I have fixed wireless internet.

This problem has been going on for a couple weeks, and seems to be getting steadily worse. Through much trial and error, I have figured out the steps I need to take to get connected. Explaining these steps will show what the problem is.

Upon booting/rebooting, I have to right click to view wireless networks.










You can see no networks show, so I have to click "Change advanced settings".










Most of the time, the network tab is missing. 










At that point I have to reboot up to a couple hours (or more!) until it finally shows up:










I click the network tab, and tick the box...










And then I may or may not be able to connect. It will SAY I'm connected, everything seems to be in order, but sometimes I still can't connect to anything.

If it still doesn't connect, I have to start rebooting again.

When I finally get connected, I may be able to stay online for anywhere from 5 minutes to a couple hours until suddenly I lose my connection. Then I have to start the rebooting again.

Here are things I have done trying to fix the problem:

Scanned with AV and several anti-malwares. Found very few problems, fixed them, but it hasn't fixed my connection problems.

Ran CCleaner.

Reset modem and router.

Let windows fix the connection (it almost always fails).

Downloaded updated drivers for wireless hardware, uninstalled the old, installed the new.

Disabled firewall and av to see if they were interfering.(didn't changed anything so I enabled them again).

I've probably tried other things that are escaping my memory at the moment.

What can I do to troubleshoot and fix? I have googled but have found no solutions.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I'm curious to see what your Event Viewer logs say. First thoughts (and I could be WAY off on this) is that maybe your WZC (wireless zero configuration) is hosed.

When the wireless stuff doesn't show up, what does the Device Manager say about your wireless hardware?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

I'm guessing that the adapter vendor connection software keeps taking over for the Windows wireless connection manager, creating confusion. What I would try is to uninstall the adapter software, then reinstall looking for an option to install the driver only.

The card itself seems to be working fine. It's just that the connection managers keep bumping heads.


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

Kung said:


> When the wireless stuff doesn't show up, what does the Device Manager say about your wireless hardware?


I'll look next time.



Nevada said:


> I'm guessing that the adapter vendor connection software keeps taking over for the Windows wireless connection manager, creating confusion. What I would try is to uninstall the adapter software, then reinstall looking for an option to install the driver only.
> 
> The card itself seems to be working fine. It's just that the connection managers that keep bumping heads.


Yanno something... I think you're right. 

The wireless stuff is way new to me, I'm really stupid about it. But I'm pretty sure when I reinstalled the drivers, they were the drivers only. How can I be really sure?


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Good point, Nevada - and I can't believe I missed that. I've always told people "If Windows includes a wireless manager, use it" and yet I didn't say that here. *smacks forehead*


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

Ladycat:

Generally the Windows Wireless utility will not interfere with another wireless connection software and vice versa. That said, before uninstalling drivers etc, there is a real easy way to determine if this the problem (which I highly doubt...but then again I could be wrong)

To test this theory, temporarily disable the built-in Wireless functions 
Go to Start>>Run, type in services.msc. In the services window, scroll down and locate *Wireless Zero Config*, double click on this then stop the service if running. Next, in the Startup Type dropdown box, select disabled then click on OK and exit the services module. 

Next open up the wireless connection program on your laptop and see if you can connect and keep the connection. If the connection does not improve, I suspect that the wireless chip on the motherboard is going south. These are not easy to replace nor is the cost justified given that a USB wireless adaptor can be purchased for $20.00 - $30.00.

Just to add, I re-read your post and you mentioned that the wireless tab is sometimes missing. This is usually caused by the Wireless Zero Config service which I mentioned above is not running or is running only sporadically. 

Furthermore, can you clarify if you always use the built-in Windows Wireless functions or do you use another program? If you use another program, it will normally prevent the built-in wireless from functioning....so if the other program is failing instead and then you try the Windows function then this makes sense that the wireless tab is missing as Wireless Zero Config is probably not running at this point...


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

Shortly after posting here yesterday, I lost my connection again and was only able to get on again about 10 minutes ago. I'm rushing like mad trying to get stuff done before I lose it again. I'm ready with a dialup modem "just in case", and I'm wondering if I should just reformat my hard drive and try to start over.




Kari said:


> Ladycat:
> 
> Generally the Windows Wireless utility will not interfere with another wireless connection software and vice versa. That said, before uninstalling drivers etc, there is a real easy way to determine if this the problem (which I highly doubt...but then again I could be wrong)
> 
> ...


I don't have a laptop. 

I don't know if I'm using a built-in Windows Wireless functions. The ISP guy installed the modem etc because it was the only way I could get connected. 

The software being used is Airlink and Realtek, and I'm very confused about which is what.

There is a box in the house attached to a wire that runs to a receiver on the roof.

That box is connected to a router.

There is a little USB device plugged into a USB port on the tower.


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

Kari said:


> To test this theory, temporarily disable the built-in Wireless functions
> Go to Start>>Run, type in services.msc. In the services window, scroll down and locate *Wireless Zero Config*, double click on this then stop the service if running. Next, in the Startup Type dropdown box, select disabled then click on OK and exit the services module.


I haven't tried this yet. Where is the Startup Type dropdown box?


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

I'm in such a rush I'm forgetting things. Here are other things going on:

Often at bootup, I get a popup saying generic host process has closed.

Often wireless monitor or wireless adapter disables itself. The "disable adapter" box will be checked and I can't uncheck it.

And I found something peculiar last night in the startup menu. These are both in the startup menu at the same time, one checked, one unchecked.



















But there is only one instance each in add/remove programs, in "all programs", and in the device manager.


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

I am now using my free dialup Netzero account, and since I no longer have an accelerator, it is a truly horrifying experience.

I linked to this topic on another forum to see what other suggestions might be pointed my way. Someone said this:



> Try to uninstall the wireless network adapter in device mgr.
> And then add the network adapter back in by searching for new hardware.
> If it's working it should find it.


I did that, and windows reinstalled it, so presumably the hardware is ok.

There must be some kind of software conflict going on, but I don't know how to find out what. The only thing I know to do is to reformat my hard drive, then reinstall the drivers.

If that doesn't fix it, I'm in deep doodoo.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Have you powered down the wireless modem?
Not just by pushing the reset button, but like unplugging it and waiting for a couple of minutes. Then Without the computer being on,, Power the Modem back up. Once booted back up,, turn on the computer again.
I have lost my wireless a couple of times, and did this shutting off and restarting the modem again and the computer then on Restart found the modem and everything was great again.


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

arabian knight said:


> Have you powered down the wireless modem?
> Not just by pushing the reset button, but like unplugging it and waiting for a couple of minutes. Then Without the computer being on,, Power the Modem back up. Once booted back up,, turn on the computer again.
> I have lost my wireless a couple of times, and did this shutting off and restarting the modem again and the computer then on Restart found the modem and everything was great again.


That's one of the things I've done many times. It seems to have little effect.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

ladycat said:


> I haven't tried this yet. Where is the Startup Type dropdown box?


Assuming you are on XP:


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

ladycat said:


> There must be some kind of software conflict going on, but I don't know how to find out what. The only thing I know to do is to reformat my hard drive, then reinstall the drivers.
> 
> If that doesn't fix it, I'm in deep doodoo.



I doubt it is software. Just because a driver re-installs, does not mean there are no issues with the hardware. I have a laptop here where the on-board wireless card has the driver installed, yet it drops the connection much like your wireless is doing. A re-install of Windows and Linux proved that the hardware is at fault and so I installed a USB wireless adapter. I know you don't have a laptop, however the same principle could apply for your wireless adapter.

If you can post any pertinent errors from the event logs, specifically the system log. Start>>run>>eventvwr.msc.


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

Kari said:


> If you can post any pertinent errors from the event logs, specifically the system log. Start>>run>>eventvwr.msc.


Ok, I'm seeing a lot of these:

-----------------------------------

Error Service Control Manager

Properties says this:



> The Icatch(IV) Video Camera Device service failed to start due to the following error:
> The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.


I don't know what that means. I don't have a video camera.

-----------------------------------

WARNING Dhcp



> Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 00212F31F096. The following error occurred:
> The semaphore timeout period has expired. . Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.


-----------------------------------

WARNING Server



> The server could not bind to the transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{9CC4F695-3B65-4095-B74E-7192452EC881}.


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

The DHCP error messages can either be caused by a bad router or a bad network adaptor. What happens when you manually assign an ip address, Gateway and DNS server IP's to the network adapter.

Now that these errors are known, I am not 100% sure where the issue is considering the earlier problems with the wireless that you first reported...

If anyone else can chime in with help here for a bit, I will be away from any internet service for a few hours.


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2011)

Kari said:


> The DHCP error messages can either be caused by a bad router or a bad network adaptor. What happens when you manually assign an ip address, Gateway and DNS server IP's to the network adapter.
> 
> Now that these errors are known, I am not 100% sure where the issue is considering the earlier problems with the wireless that you first reported...
> 
> If anyone else can chime in with help here for a bit, I will be away from any internet service for a few hours.


I'm afraid to try the wireless at all, now. I started getting the BSoD last I tried. I was going to reformat but I don't remember how. How do you boot from a CD?

If reformatting doesn't work, I'll have no choice but to take my pc into the shop.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

You have to change the boot order in BIOS and then put the CD in the drive and restart. When you restart, there'll be a "hit any key to boot from CD". I believe that's how.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

If you're still having problems, you can shut down everything except the basics and then slowly turn on one at a time. Sounds like it's more than just the network connection going on with the blue screen thing going on. Don't know for sure, just my .02 worth of advice.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

One last thought. If it's the Windows quick restore disk, if you put it in, it will automatically restart and boot from the disk.


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2011)

Ok, I reformated. Ick. Windows and IE are several years out of date. It will take me days to reinstall applications, download updates etc.

Wireless working fine so far (crossing fingers).

I can't change my screen resolution from 640X480. Ugh.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ladycat said:


> Ok, I reformated.


Pretty drastic measure to take over a wireless adapter.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

True, but if it STILL doesn't work, it almost has to be either hardware, or a hardware incompatibility with something.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

If you try to run any newer applications on an older Windows OS, it can really mess things up. Good luck. Hope it all works out for you.


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2011)

Nevada said:


> Pretty drastic measure to take over a wireless adapter.


Yes, drastic, but everything was going haywire. I was running out of free Netzero hours which meant I was also running out of time to search for solutions. I was getting desperate. 

I didn't want to be without a computer until after the first of May when my mother gets her next check and I could take it to someone to fix. 3 weeks with no computer? Yikes! Better to try reformatting and hope that works.

But the wireless is working again, and Windows is busy busy busy updating itself.

Hopefully everything will be back to normal in a couple days.


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