In Need Of Some Help Please...laptop Can't Connect To Wifi Anymore

[BKS22]

Woke up this morning and for some reason my laptop will no longer connect to any of my apartments buildings routers.

It was working just fine when I went to bed last night.

I can see some, but not all the available wireless connections...I even had the router closest to my room set up to automatically connect and that had been working just fine for the last month.

Now that router shows up on my wireless list only when I turn the cpu off and then on again.

But when I click to connect to it or any of the other routers and I enter the security key...a pop up appears saying "windows was unable to connect to xxxxx network"

I attempted to trouble shoot the problem and the diagnosis said "problem with wireless adapter or access point"

Not sure what that means, but I confirmed with the building manager and some other residents on my floor and they are all able to connect with no problems.

One thing to note...on the Network Sharing Center when I click See Full Map....it says "the adapter is not connected". Is that relevant to my problem?

When I looked at the properties of my Atheros Wireless Network Adapter...it says "this device is working properly"

Damn...I'm really bad with this <deleted> fellas. So I appreciate any help. I need to get up and going again to Skype with my daughter.

B-

[lomatopo]

Are you able to turn the router off and then on?

Also re-start the PC.

It could be something as simple as an IP address conflict.

[BKS22]

Are you able to turn the router off and then on?

Also re-start the PC.

It could be something as simple as an IP address conflict.

I can not get to the routers...they are on the ceilings in the hallways and out of reach. The other residents are not having any problems.

I have also tried re-starting my laptop ....multiple times. I did not not help.

It's odd to me that not all of the buildings routers are showing up on my wireless list too. And when I attempt to connect to the ones that are showing....they disappear after they fail. Just blows my mind that it was working fine 12hrs ago.

[watcharacters]

Are you able to turn the router off and then on?

Also re-start the PC.

It could be something as simple as an IP address conflict.

I've taken it upon myself to stand on a chair in a hotel corridor before and turn off the router for a minute or two to reboot it. Sometimes it works.

[BWPattaya]

What operating system are you using?

[BKS22]

What operating system are you using?

Windows 7

[Cloggie]

Delete the driver of your wifi card and reboot the PC, Windows 7 should find the wifi card, install the drivers and hopefully find the wireless networks again

[BWPattaya]

What operating system are you using?

Windows 7

At the bottom right on your screen is a small icon like a monitor. Put your mouse on it. A box will open and say "Network (name?) and underneath it will say "Internet access"or "No Internet Access"

Click on the icon and a box will open. Click on the line that says "Open network and sharing centre"

On the left near the top is a line that says Change Adaptor Settings.

Click that line and click Local Area Coonection. On the top click disable this network device, let it disable then it will show enable this device. Click on it to enable.

It may be necessary to do it for your wifi device rather than Local Area Network.

Hope that helps.

[BKS22]

What operating system are you using?

Windows 7

At the bottom right on your screen is a small icon like a monitor. Put your mouse on it. A box will open and say "Network (name?) and underneath it will say "Internet access"or "No Internet Access"

Click on the icon and a box will open. Click on the line that says "Open network and sharing centre"

On the left near the top is a line that says Change Adaptor Settings.

Click that line and click Local Area Coonection. On the top click disable this network device, let it disable then it will show enable this device. Click on it to enable.

It may be necessary to do it for your wifi device rather than Local Area Network.

Hope that helps.

This appears to have worked. I will know for sure when I wake up tomorrow and see if it auto connects for me as it has in the past.

Many thanks to BW...and the others that replied so quickly. Some helpful members on this website.

[JetsetBkk]

What operating system are you using?

Windows 7

At the bottom right on your screen is a small icon like a monitor. Put your mouse on it. A box will open and say "Network (name?) and underneath it will say "Internet access"or "No Internet Access"

Click on the icon and a box will open. Click on the line that says "Open network and sharing centre"

On the left near the top is a line that says Change Adaptor Settings.

Click that line and click Local Area Coonection. On the top click disable this network device, let it disable then it will show enable this device. Click on it to enable.

It may be necessary to do it for your wifi device rather than Local Area Network.

Hope that helps.

Well done! Definitely deserves a "like"

[mamypoko]

If above does not work, most laptops have a fn + function key that turns of wifi off and on.

GL!

[kimchibob]

Probably doesn't apply to this problem, but I had an interesting issue with wifi connection last week. My router was set to "auto" for channel selection. Thailand allows the use of 14 channels, the U.S only allows the use of 11 channels. Whenever, my router automatically selected channels 12-14 (after a power outage), my U.S made laptop could not even see the router signal. After doing 2 hours of research on the Internet, I finally figured that out. My iPhone and Thai gf's Windows 8 phone had no problems with channels 12-14, just my laptop. After using an app for tracking all available wifi signals, I selected an unused channel (in my case channel 2).

Maybe this has been posted before, but I didn't know about it. It may be helpful to someone for future wifi troubleshooting.

[BKS22]

Probably doesn't apply to this problem, but I had an interesting issue with wifi connection last week. My router was set to "auto" for channel selection. Thailand allows the use of 14 channels, the U.S only allows the use of 11 channels. Whenever, my router automatically selected channels 12-14 (after a power outage), my U.S made laptop could not even see the router signal. After doing 2 hours of research on the Internet, I finally figured that out. My iPhone and Thai gf's Windows 8 phone had no problems with channels 12-14, just my laptop. After using an app for tracking all available wifi signals, I selected an unused channel (in my case channel 2).

Maybe this has been posted before, but I didn't know about it. It may be helpful to someone for future wifi troubleshooting.

I do find that interesting...and possibly connected to my problem. It could be why even after BW's fix...that I am still unable to see all the available wireless routers in my building on my list. I would like to know what APP you used to see all available channels. Can you share a link here please.

Thanks for posting!

[kimchibob]

Actually not an app, but a Windows 7 gadget.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has deleted support for Win 7 gadgets in order to concentrate on Win 8 apps. I have heard there is an Android app for this. Don't know about iPhone.

[kimchibob]

The gadget is called Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor. Perhaps you can find it with a Google search.

Here you go: http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx

Edited March 15, 2013 by kimchibob

[BKS22]

The gadget is called Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor. Perhaps you can find it with a Google search.

Here you go: http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx

Hey great! I will take a look at that and see if it helps.

Thanks

[kimchibob]

Be advised, that gadget will only see what your laptop NIC can see (for U.S. models, channels 1-11). Maybe the NIC can be configured for the other channels. I know my wireless Canon printer has a country selection which changes the available wifi channels.

[pault17]

@BWPattaya

Thanks. I Configured a WiFi connection but I never got it connecting to my router. As I have (also) a cable connection I didn't bother. But your suggestion intrigued me and I gave it a try. Holy @#$%^ it worked!! Thanks again.

[h90]

Delete the driver of your wifi card and reboot the PC, Windows 7 should find the wifi card, install the drivers and hopefully find the wireless networks again

I once changed the IP address to fixed IP, tried to connect, changed back to automatic and it worked again.

[h90]

by the way if you have any other device like mobile phone, that can connect to Wifi, try if it works. Maybe the manager just lied

[Searat7]

I have a somewhat related problem. My laptop won't recognize the router outside my room (but no such problem with I phone and I pad) so I connect to router on the next floor.

Message I receive is : The settings saved on this computer for this network do not match the requirements of the network.( I know I entered the password correctly).

Any ideas ? The people in my building office are useless so no sense asking them.

[chiangraifalang]

I had nearly the same problem. one router only at home. smartphones wifi worked fine, my notebook (from germany, 3 yeras old) get only limited access to the router. Unable to connect to internet.

The hint from BWPattaya works on windows 8 fine.

Thank you!!