Can't connect to wireless network

Hi everyone,
I have just bought a new laptop with Vista home premium OS. The problem is: I can't connect to any wireless networks though it works fine with Ethernet cable.
My computer saw those unsecured networks but when I click "connect", it just said: cannot connect and when I click on "Diagnose the problem" it said "wireless association failed due to an unknown reason..
I'm a novice when it comes to network so I hope everyone can help me out.
By the way, my laptop is dell inspiron 1720 and my wireless card is intel(R) wireless wifi link 4965AGn just in case. Thank you for reading this.

 

Try restarting the router. That usually works.

If not, check for new wireless drivers (I'll see if i can get you the link).

EDIT: Here you go: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Product_Filter.aspx?ProductID=2753

 

If you can post your ipconfig data it would help to see what's not working.

 

Do you mind reading the question?


To OP, if it isn't connecting to public or open wifi networks that could be a secuirty setting in the network/privacy settings. If you configured your computer as such as it never connects to an open network or unsecured, it wont. It probably was a factory setting. You just need to go under the settings of the network preferences and change that.

 

The OP is saying that it works fine with Ethernet cable!

 

Thanks for all your quick reply.
for wirelessman, I'm sorry but I'm not sure about ipconfig data. Anyway I type ipconfig in command and it said in wireless lan adapter wireless network connection: media disconnect?
I run the manual diagnostics tool of Intel and it said that I failed the association test. I check the troubleshooting and It told me :

When the access point signal strength is low, utilize the signal test listed below.
Verify that a profile has been created. If so, do the following:
Verify that the profile SSID matches the access point Network Name (SSID).
Remove the profile and create a new profile.
Verify that your wireless network is not included in the Exclude (profiles) List. Verify that the MAC address has not been excluded in the access point.

I honestly have no idea how to create profile or so.

 

I think by profile, it means network. If that's what it's talking about, here's how to get there: Right click on the network icon on your task bar (bottom right by the clock), and select "Network and Sharing Center". Then click on "manage wireless networks" (on the left). There should be at least one "profile" there. Make sure it has the same name as your router (for example, for most Netgear routers, it's "NETGEAR"). Also, right click on it, select "properties" and type the password in again if it's a passworded network.

 

Use the wireless network wizard that comes with Vista, use it to make a wireless network.

 

I'm sorry for not making myself clear. I'm living in a dorm and using its network and it is unsecure network. My computer did see those wireless network and the signal is perfect but always failed to connect to it. I just don't know the problem is in my computer, the network or myself.(probably the third one)

 

Just as i said, it's the security settings.

 

If that's the case, Could you please show me how to change it step-by-step?
Since I'm not good at network. Thanks.

 

What dos it says when you try to connect to the unsecured network?

 

After select "connect anyway" It took about 10 seconds and said "windows cannot connect to..." and " wireless association failed due to an unknown reason.

 

These are the things you can try;

1. Disable the antivirus and firewall and see what happens,

2. If this is the result of the upgrade of the wireless card driver, then rollback to the one it worked properly, or

3. If your router firmware is not Vista friendly, try either to upgrade it or use another vendor firmware.

4. Finally, disable IPv6, it's known to cause problems.

Remember, don't do all these steps, do one at the time and stop if your system works.


Question: Is it Vista 64 or 32?

 

thanks for your suggestion. But it doesn't work for me.

 

One more thing I could think is that your wireless card is defected or just not installed properly. To verify if it's well installed you need to open the appropriate cover in the back of the laptop and see if the card is sitting well in the PCI slot assigned to it, or if the 3 cables are in their right jacks. There are two PCI slots, one is for the wireless card and the other for the TV tuner, make sure the wireless card is in the first PCI slot from the bottom.

 

So your laptop detects a wireless network, says the signal strength is wonderful, and you cannot connect to it? That doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem... You say you're in a dorm room. What type of wireless network is this? Is it someone in another dorm room with a wireless router? A public wifi hotspot? Your school's wifi?

I know (in XP anyway) at my girlfriend's apartment, it detects a ton of wireless networks, with some being unsecure. It says the signal is excellent, but it is unable to connect to them. I know it's not the computer's fault though, because it connects to other wireless networks fine.

What I'm getting at is... Maybe it's not your computer, maybe it's the network

 

Regardless what is the source of the signal, if it is "unsecured", then the OP should be able to connect w/o problem.

 

Not necessarily..

Like I said in my last post, my (old) laptop recognizes lots of unsecure networks that say the signal is excellent, but fails to connect. But then it connects to another unsecure network..

 

I haven't personally yet not connected to an unsecured network, so I can't comment on it, but you have a good point though.

 

Yeah, I don't understand it either. It's a nasty trick having an excellent signal to a network and not being able to connect to it. It's like a false positive. The computer says excellent, but it's actually no where in range. I tried looking this up a long time ago and never got anywhere.

 

Now that I remember I had a similar experience using Ubuntu, it would see a very strong signal, higher than my own network signal, so I was really suspicious, then I tried different applications to see who was this wireless network coming so strong and it was someone who was really far from my house, but when I tried to detect that network using XP, the signal was much lower, and Vista wouldn't even see it.

So, the only think I can think is the network manager has a lot to do with prompting a network signal, which could be contradictory, or to see not to make sense at all.

 

Thanks for your replies. The wireless network as well as network jack in my room belongs to the dorm. I also don't think my wireless network card is defected, either since the computer said it's working properly. Well, I guess I have to ask the network manager for this problem. I just want to enjoy the convenience of using laptop without those cables around.

 

I understand you, laptop means wireless to me

What is your driver version for your 4965AGN?

Mine is 11.5.1.15 dated 3/13/2008.

 

Mine is 11.5.0.32. I ran the manual diagnostics tool of intel then again, the Association Test failed. I thought when my laptop saw those unsecured networks, It should be connecting easily? That's what I experienced with my old Toshiba at home. I have just bought this laptop for 2 weeks and it's good so far. Only the wireless and Mcafee matter isnot my liking.

 

You don't have the latest driver, go to the Intel web site and get it.

 

just wraped the lastest version. After installed, It does detect more available wireless networks, but connect to them is still no-no

 

Ummmm, I don't know what else to say, it seems that we have tried everything already

One question, you don't have any static IP on your wireless adapter, right?

 

So the wireless network is coming from your dorm... Meaning it's someone like you who has their setup running through a wireless router (?) Why not go somewhere like Starbucks where there is free wifi and see if it connects to that. If it does, it's not your laptop.

 

Sometimes could be someone else wireless card, not even a router you are detecting.

 

nope, it is part of the wireless network service of my dorm. Each floor has its own wireless router and all of them are insecure. It's quite convenient but sadly that I can't connect to it.

 

Since we are talking about one floor, are you the only one not connecting? You may ask the router responsible to reset the router.