Wireless problems, no networks in my range??

[Fox 3]

Hi Everyone,
I'm currently spending the next two weeks of m life in a hotel that supplies free wireless internet. This same problem also happened in the airport from where I left. What's happening is that when I goto my wireless network connections and hit refresh, it comes back saying there are no networks in range. Well I know for a fact that my laptop is working because I always use wireless internet in my house, and I also just updated my wireless card driver. Anyways I ended up getting connected here by manually going in to my SSID and entering the network name (which the front desk told me). But the funny thing now is that even though I'm connected, it still shows a no connection icon in my taskbar. I tried using the repair network option, to which it goes through the stages, and while it's searching to hook up my wireless connection, the info ballon pops open and says there are several wireless networks in range, click here to show the list. Well when I click there, and hit refresh, it shows no networks in range! this is very strange, but I have no idea how to fix it, or if I'm doing something wrong!

Anyways any help would be great.

Thanks in advance.

FOX

[mbossman2]

are u using the windows config tool or the card's config tool to manage your wireless?

[rjfvillarosa]

Are you having this problem with the Toshiba laptop in your signature?
Does it have the onboard Atheros wireless?

[sgtspector]

Perhaps the motel network is not "advertising" it's existence. That could explain why it does not show up when you refresh. If you are using windows wireless networking app check to see that the preferrred networks options is checked or not. Depending on the wireless card your manufacturers utility may or may not have that option also. If you wan to see your connection in the taskbar when you are connected go to Network connections, crt click on properties, then check the box on the bottom to show icon in taskbar when connected.

[Fox 3]

To answer everyone,
1) I am using the windows config tool
2) I am using the Atheros AR5005GS Wireless Network Adapter
3) I would assume that they would advertise it so anyone could find it...but regardless the airport certainly does have it advertised. I do have the "automatically connect to non-preferred networks" checked, i didn't see the one you were talking about. I prefer to have it only tell me if it is not connected...which it is right now. On that note, I have it set so it does not tel me if it isn't connected for the LAN connection, but it still shows up.

Thank you all for your help.

FOX

[sgtspector]

I do have the "automatically connect to non-preferred networks"

I apologize. That is the option I was referring to. Just to be clear by advertise I mean that the wireless host does not transmit a signal to all devices within range that it is there to be connected to.

On that note, I have it set so it does not tel me if it isn't connected for the LAN connection, but it still shows up

I dotn believe that that alone is an option. When you enable the taskbar icon when connected it will show up with a red "x" through it if it's not connected and a ballon will pop up to tell you.

[rjfvillarosa]

I had an almost identical problem with my Toshiba laptop. After playing around with it for a few days and chatting with a few of the guys here on the Mech, I found that if I rolled back and uninstalled the latest (at that time) Windows updates my wireless connection would function perfectly and show me all the "in range" networks. As soon as I reinstalled the Windows updates it would kill my "in range" networks again. The final solution was to allow the Windows updates and then reinstall the Atheros drivers from the Toshiba CD's, for some reason the updates were conflicting with the Atheros drivers untill the drivers were installed over the updates.
That was sometime last autumn and it hasn't happened again since.

[Fox 3]

Hi,
I just tried doing what you said...I uninstalled my driver and reinstalled using the latest version from Toshibas website. It didn't fix the problem, thank you for the idea though.

FOX

[rjfvillarosa]

Have you tried reinstalling "Atheros" from the CD's? It's probably about six months since I did it and I can't remember if I reinstalled the drivers alone or some Atheros software as well.

[Fox 3]

hmm, no I just got it from the website.

Anyways I'm now back home and I went to connect to my network, but it can't find it now either!!! Man this is frustrating.

ugh.

~FOX~