Wireless network question

[travism91]

Alrighty, so i was updating some drivers, virus/spy scanning, disabling meaningless startup applications on my mothers laptop this afternoon. About 2 hours ago she mentions she cant see our wireless network on the wireless connection window. I take a look, couldn't figure it out.
So created a new wireless network and key. Set it all up by the book. Rebooted and turned back on the wireless receiver on the laptop. Still nothing. There is no SSID to be seen. Ive been on google frustrated as hell, looking up services to enable.

I obviously don't know sht about wireless. Any help would be awesome.

edit: using windowsxp sp3

[Mibz]

Option 1: Log in to the router and make sure "Broadcast SSID" is turned on.
Option 2: Manually add the wireless network on the laptop.

[Alterac]

You probally removed the 3rd party wireless software, all you need to do is Open up the services.msc and make sure Wireless Zero Configuration is started, and set to automatic.

Try that.

[travism91]

okay, back at it again. Thanks for the replies :)
The wireless zero config has already been started and set to automatic. I've looked at all the services that delineates to wireless and have enabled and set them to automatic.

How do you manually add the wireless network?:dunno:

I may have tried that.
Wireless network connection Properties>Wireless Networks> Add.
Typed in SSID, network authentications and key, pressed okay and it got one of those " Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close.. Weird.

I would just reformat the thing, but it has one of those hard drives that need to be slipstreamed.
Ex. Using an F6 floppy drive to install the drivers needed to install windows.
Don't have a floppy drive or know of another technique, so fixing this sounds like the easier option.

[Mibz]

Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close.. Weird. Did you uninstall the 3rd party software first?

[travism91]

Haven't uninstalled anything yet. If i have, what software do i need, what is it called? Assuming its found on the Microsoft website?

[Tik-Tok]

Does the wifi have a switch? I know it sounds dumb, but I had the same problem with my netbook last year. "Function + f12" or something on mine will switch off the wifi, BUT it will still be "enabled" in my network connections screen.

[travism91]

Lol, the wifi switch on this laptop has a huge blue light that lightens a dark room when its on. When you don't see that light, you know the switch wifi is off. You just know.

Anyone have a cheapy sata laptop hard drive i can through into this thing. The moms be naggin me to fix it.

[Euro838]

Okay, since I have a wireless networking question, I'll post here. Sorry OP if you think this is a thread hijack. Anyways, I'm currently running a D-link router in a small apartment. One half of the place gets a strong wireless signal whereas the other side does not. It's a very small apartment so distance range should not be an issue. Obviously there is some sort of interference issue here. The router is currently 2.4ghz and before I go out and get a 5ghz one, should this work? I haven't tried to run on a different channel yet, but would that help at all? Thanks.

[adam c]

channel change could help, if you have a older router and have a cordless phone running at 2.4 range then your signal will suffer