Broadcom 802.1 b/g wireless card not working-- Help

My friend has a 5 year old HP Compaq and his Broadcom 802.1 b/g wireless card is not working.

When he comes here I disable it because it is better for him to connect to my DSL through the Ethernet.

It has worked in the past.

I checked the device manager and it is fine and I've tested it and it says it is working properly. I've done "repair."

It will not recognize any wireless connections. I have my own ASUS z70va and my own HP dv1000 and both of them recognize not only my wireless connection but several others in the neighborhood.

I can't think of anything else to check.

I searched the internet for nay updated drivers-- I couldn't even find it except in discussion lists talking about it.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

What model Compaq is it...R4000?

 

Sorry -- I forgot to write that it is a Compaq Presario 2200

And when I was looking on HP's site for info -- one of the prongs to check was HP's wireless assistant. I couldn't find it anywhere so I tried to download HP's wireless assistant and it stopped in the middle and said it could not download for some "unspecified" reason.

I haven't check my own HP yet but I believe I see the icon in the lower right hand corner near the clock all the time.

Right now the specs on the Broadcom says it being managed by Microsoft's client.

My friend had visited a hotel this past weekend and he couldn't get a connection to the wireless there. (I assumed because the wireless card was still disabled from when he was here.) So hotel guy checked it and maybe did something and screwed it up. And them gave my friend a "bridge" -- which I believe was just an wireless card put in through either the Ethernet or a USB port in the back and said some BS that the signal was to weak in his room when the whole hotel was supposed to be wired for wireless broadcasting in each room.

And with this bridge, then my friend could work in his room.
"

 

Try this LINK...it's for the Presario V2200 Notebook w/ XP.

Edit: BTW, did u guys make sure the card is enabled..when u go to view Wireless Networks using the Windows Built-In utility what exactly does the error say? (In the box where the Wireless Networks should show up)

Also, make sure the WZC utility service is started...Start--> Run and type services.msc and hit enter...scroll to Windows Zero Config. service and make sure it's Started and set to Automatic.

 

I added more info to my post above -- you were too fast for me.

 

Yes, as I said in the first post, it is enabled all tests say it is working properly but no available wireless connections show up. There is no error message. The only error message is that when I tried to download HP's Wireless assistant, it would not download for some "unspecified" error --- their words. I am sure the guy in the hotel changed the client to Microsoft's client.

My HP has the HP Wireless Assistant showing in the lower right hand bar.

I downloaded your link above -- thanks for that -- but unfortunately it did nothing. But at least the software is upgraded.

And the wireless Zero Configuration was set to automatic

 

I also did a system restore on his laptop to before he went to the hotel. It didn't help.

SO maybe it is the software are the card is bad even though the diagnostics say it working properly

 

My next suggestion would be to download all the Broadcom drivers listed in the Link I provided above...go to Device Manager and Uninstall the Wireless Adapter and restart the computer. Upon restart Windows should detect the Card...if not no problem..just go back into Device Manager, right click the Wireless Adapter (It may have a yellow symbol on it) and choose to manually browse and specify the drivers to install. You may have to extract the drivers first...it's trial and error but I would start w/ the 3rd driver down "Broadcom WLAN Network Adapters Driver" 10-2005 4.00E.

 

If the system's 5 years old, there's a very good chance that the NIC itself is worn out and is beginning to physically fail. I've got a 6 y.o. _Sony VAIO and the NIC went on the fritz about 6 months ago; the simplest solution was just replacing it with a wireless adapter card that plugged into the slot on the side.

 

I have some new info I found. I decided to run the Network wizard and guess what -- it said the the Broadcom is disconnected. Now maybe that just means it is not connected -- but may it means that something is turned off..

I plan to do that. Thanks for explaining how. I didn't know how to do that.

Yeah -- I've been realizing that that is the route of last resort (no pun intended... )

 

Well, I tried everythign suggested and then more... I was completely hopeless.

The notebook was out of even extended warranty. SO I knew I could not get tech support.

I went through all these different diagnostics on HP's site.

And then I found the tech support page for online chat tech support.
I thought I would give it a try.

The guy was willing to help.

It took 3 steps.

The external button was switched off.

I swear -- that was one of the first things I thought of. And I looked all over for an external switch but couldn't find any.

The tech support chat guy sent me a copy of the manual where showed where it was. It was underneath the lip -- you would have to know to look there --- you would have to lift it up but not too far or you would miss it.

And because this notebook is so old -- it was almost all worn off. So it was not very visible.

I had looked and looked and looked.. I swear...

I felt so bad for my friend. I even bought an external wireless card for him.

I lost 3 days of work doing this.

And all of the efforts of all you guys... I learned a lot regardless... but I feel totally stupid.