2915abg driver install issues

hi,
i have an xps m170 running windows xp media center sp2, full windows updates and all that.
i have had problems with my wireless card since the day i got the computer, a lot of sudden disconnections and stuff like that that i have seen on the forums. i decided i was sick of the crap dell installed on the computer and went for a fresh install of xp media center. when i tried to reinstall my wireless drivers, they failed repeatedly. i contacted dell and they agreed that there was something wrong and so they sent me a new wireless card. i have just today installed it and i am still getting problems.

i can install the wireless drivers, outside of the intel proset wireless install. this doesn't get me anywhere though since the windows wireless controller detects no wireless networks in range, and i am sure it is not an interference issue. when i do try to install using the intel proset wireless installer (which installs the drivers and proset features) it begins the installer and moves along the steps through "wlan driver", etc. then it gets to "xml support", makes an extremely loud beep that is independent of any volume control i can find, and then rolls back the install, so i am left with nothing. help.

 

starting with the original card and drivers, were you getting disconnects on other networks? (friends, coffee shop, school, work, etc.?)

 

EDIT: moving to networking

 

yes, i have been. i have tried it on my home network and a wireless network i set up in my dorm at school, both of which were netgear routers with latest firmware. i will also note that when i did this, it seemed to crash the entire network. i would connect, stay on for about five minutes and everything would go to crap. everyone in the room would find that their connection had also failed. this was both at my home and at school.

 

ok

that would tell me that it isn't your wifi card. there's just no way that your wifi card could crash the entire network.

have you tried it at a network that you didn't setup? like a coffee house or the school library or something?

 

no i have not, however when i am not connected to these networks they will run fine for months, so i am stumped if its not me tahts the problem. i will try and swing by a coffee shop today or tomorrow.

 

Not sure about the network crash thing...

But I do wonder if your antenna assembly is bunk. When you installed the new card, did you check that the little antenna cables were properly seated? Maybe there's a break somewhere inside the monitor plate where the antenna assembly is that's causing your wireless card to have a limited range.

 

that would be best. it's best to isolate the fault as much as possible. if you have no problems staying connected at another network, then you know it's not the card and possibly your router or the way you setup your routers. this step will go a long way if finding out where the culprit is.

 

okay i know i said i would swing by a coffee shop, but then i remembered that as of now, i do not have a functioning wireless card. i have the drivers installed and when i open the windows zero config controller, it says no wireless networks detected. i can guarantee there are at least 10 networks within range of my house because my dads laptop can see them all, and 9 of them arent setup by me, they are my neighbor's. so i would like to go to the coffee shop, but my wireless card doesnt work so im not sure what that would accomplish.

edit: and to answer otaku, when i installed the card, there were 2 wires, one labeled "MAIN" and one labeled "AUX," i made sure they went the same way they did on the last card and they are securely fastened. sorry edit again, my laptop is seated so it is about 8 inches from my wireless router right now cause i have to wire in and the only cable i have is very short so i dont think it would be a range problem.