"No wireless networks found."

MissMac · #1 November 2nd, 2005, 08:12 PM

Howdy. Me again, with yet another difficulty, only this time on a friend's computer. I'm housesitting.

Here's the difficulty. Now, I'm TOTALLY clueless about wireless stuff. How all this internet connectivity happens without cables is a mystery to me. I read through the first five pages on this forum, just in case someone else had the same problem, but most people seem to know just enough to confuse the poop outta me. Anyway, I'm hoping to get a laptop connected because my friend's main computer is in Antartica (feels like it, anyway), and her monitor is positioned just far away I can't see it well and I'm getting nasty headaches trying. What is it with people who park their monitors six feet away from the keyboard? I'm nearly blind and have double vision for anything over about 2 feet. Hence, I would like to get the laptop connected, in the living room, where it's warm and I can get the thing close enough. Let's not even bother mention the annoying keyboard on the main PC.

OK, here are the details of what I know. If you need more info, please tell me how to get the info you need.

Main PC is a Gateway running WinXP

Laptop is a Dell Inspiron running WinXP

Main PC is connected to the internet via DSL modem VisioNet (beats heck outta me what model) wirelessly.

Laptop has an Intel PROSet/Wireless connection.

Clicking on the little icon for the PROSet brings up a window that says No wireless networks found. At the bottom of that is a toggle for Disable/Enable Radio which currently says Disable Radio, meaning the Radio is enabled. Next to it is says Hardware Radio Switch is on.

Looking at the DSL modem/router there are lights from left to right reading:
Power (on bright), Tx/Rx (off), WLan (off), Sync (on but not bright, kind of twinkling), Lan (on bright), PPP (on bright).

From what I've read so far, it sounds like it's the DSL modem/router but I don't know what the problem is or how to fix it.
If you can help, please post. I'll be in the living room with the electric blanket on.

**Murray S.** · #2 November 2nd, 2005, 09:16 PM

Howdy:

You may have a system that is wireless capable, but does it have a wireless adaptor card (antenna) connected to the port??

Murray

MissMac · #3 November 3rd, 2005, 12:09 AM

Thanks for the reply. I was under the impression these Centrinos didn't need those things. I'll ask my friend about that.

**Murray S.** · #4 November 3rd, 2005, 02:49 AM

Okay.. you didn't say it was a Centrino.. Just that it was a Dell Inspiron..

Murray

MissMac · #5 November 3rd, 2005, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murray S.

Okay.. you didn't say it was a Centrino.. Just that it was a Dell Inspiron..

Murray

Sorry. My bad.

I guess I thought all the Inspirons had Centrino. Shows how much I know, huh? LOL

bAdWaYz · #6 November 3rd, 2005, 03:27 AM

What you need to find out is if that laptop has built in wi-fi or not. Sounds to me like it may indeed have built in wi-fi but find out to be sure. If the WLAN light on the router wasn't on it could mean that either the wireless option on the router is truned off or that there was no wireless device trying to communicate with the router. You may need to have the friend log into the router and enable the wireless option and set an SSID name so you can find it in "available networks".

MissMac · #7 November 3rd, 2005, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bAdWaYz

What you need to find out is if that laptop has built in wi-fi or not. Sounds to me like it may indeed have built in wi-fi but find out to be sure. If the WLAN light on the router wasn't on it could mean that either the wireless option on the router is truned off or that there was no wireless device trying to communicate with the router. You may need to have the friend log into the router and enable the wireless option and set an SSID name so you can find it in "available networks".

My friend is gone for three weeks. Any idea how to log into the router? She will call if I need passwords and stuff.

Thanks for your reply.

bAdWaYz · #8 November 3rd, 2005, 03:43 PM

Well after you make sure you do in fact have built in wi-fi on that laptop you should be able to login to the modem/router using a web browser. Post the make a model number here and someone can help you with the login ip address. As an example the default login for a linksys router is http://192.168.1.1 then you would be promted for a password.

star36 · #9 November 3rd, 2005, 03:45 PM

Some Dell Laptops have a switch on the right side that has to be on in order for wirless to work. It is a small slide switch and is really hard to see. If you don't have one here is a Dell web sit to look at.

MissMac · #10 November 3rd, 2005, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bAdWaYz

Well after you make sure you do in fact have built in wi-fi on that laptop you should be able to login to the modem/router using a web browser. Post the make a model number here and someone can help you with the login ip address. As an example the default login for a linksys router is http://192.168.1.1 then you would be promted for a password.

Thanks. The modem/router is VisioNet model W203-4.

MissMac · #11 November 6th, 2005, 06:12 PM

bump