How to set new laptop so it will pick up my home wireless network connection?
We have a wired/wireless network already set up here in our home, with a laptop wireless connected to it, and two wired desktops connected as well. This network was set up by the guys at Circuit City. I bought a used laptop with XP and it has a wireless network card. When I plug it into the network via the Ethernet cable (wired)... the internet works, and we can share files, etc. But when I try to pick up the wireless signal, it won't work. What might I have forgotten to do? Should I be using the drivers that go with the network card....? Or... do I have to reset the connection so that it uses the wireless router's driver? It seems to me that with a WiFi card, it should pick up any wireless network in the area, so why won't it pick up the one here in our home?
Public Comments
- It sounds like your network may be encrypted for your protection. Did Circuit City leave any documentation when they installed the network? If so, look for an encryption key. You will have to enter that key into the card on your laptop. The key is usually found in the WEP section of the documentation. If there is no documentation, call them; they should have left you that information.
- Did you set up wireless network in control panel with your new laptop?
- see any third party software other than windows xp is managing ur wireless connections some time it happens with DELL or HP laptops. uninstall it let WinXP manage ur wireless network and adapters. if some error pops out try search in Microsofts knowlede base (copy paste) http://support.microsoft.com/ if winXP recognizes ur wireless adapter u can see the strength of the signal in the task bar if ur wireless network is secured provide the encryption key!!!!!!! hope this might work cheers bye
- Easy fix had this problem too. Be sure wireless card is in and computer sees it . Use an extra ethernet cable to connect it to your router. Open internet explorer or what ever browser you use ..in the address field put www.linksysfix.com/ela now just select download.....run ...and follow the rest of the directions to finish. Takes maybe 5 miunutes to complete. This is assuming your router is a Linksys.
