How can I tell if I have a wireless network card in my laptop?

Hi all,

I bought a Toshiba Satellite laptop last year. It came with Vista. I thought it came with a wireless network card but now I am not so sure. I can connect to the internet but there is a cable going into my PC and then hooks to my Netgear router which is hooked up to my Motorola cable modem. But I really want to use this laptop with a wireless connection. So I have a few questions:

1. How can I tell if I have a wireless network card?
2. If I need to buy a wireless network card, what is a good one that will work with the configuaration I listed above?
3. If I install a wireless network card, do I have to uninstall my old network card?

Thanks!

Bob

 

Made is the exact model number of the laptop?

 

It's a Toshiba Satellite A205. The model# on the bottom of the laptop is: PSAF3U-0P900V.

 

A205-what there are about 50 or more models that start with A205. Look in the taskbar area and see if there is a computer symbol for the wireless. Check start and see if there is a connect to tab also.

 

When I click Sart, Connect To, it says I am connected to Network 4. I already know that I can connect to the internet with my non-wireless card. I want to know if there is a way to determine if I also have a wireless network card.

 

There should be a place to see all connections. Go to the control panel and see if you have an icon called network connections or something close to it. If so open it and see what is there.

 

Thanks for the reply but this is what I did before I posted my problem. I went into Control Panel and tried to determine what I have. There is an icon called Network and Sharing. WHen I click it, it shows me info about the network I'm attached to. But nothing about the network cards in my laptop.

 

Then perhaps you ought to try using the specific model# the OP was so kind as to provide. There is only one Toshiba model with the model# PSAF3U-OP900V, and that would be the A205-S5814.

The detailed spec-sheet for that model is here and it indicates that this Toshiba model comes standard with

So, the short answer to the OP's question is, "yes," his notebook comes with an internal 802.11b/a wireless card.

Whether that card is working properly is another matter entirely.

 

To the OP: Try this (as we now know the system has an internal card): left-click on the "Start" button, type "cmd" in the search field at the bottom of the menu that pops up, and hit the enter key. When a window opens up, type (without the quotation marks) "ipconfig /all" in that console window and hit the enter key. Then post up the results that this command gives.

 

Shyster,

Here are the results of ipconfig/all"

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\oksana>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : oksana-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet
8
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-56-C0-00-08
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f9c9:afc4:ac:de08%23(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.222.8(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 536891478
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-0E-F0-41-66-00-A0-D1-91-17-A6

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8187B Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps
USB 2.0 Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-44-96-CB-3A
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8039 PCI-E Fast Ethernet
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-A0-D1-99-BB-DE
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::6ccd:b0c3:e48e:daba%8(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, March 12, 2010 7:12:30 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, March 14, 2010 6:43:17 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 184590545
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-0E-F0-41-66-00-A0-D1-91-17-A6

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet
1
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-56-C0-00-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b1b8:3adc:d58b:7948%22(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.40.1(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 503337046
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-0E-F0-41-66-00-A0-D1-91-17-A6

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 6TO4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 15:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 23:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 24:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{5CB7A4F3-9A18-4BFA-828B-D5AD2EDD9
B90}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 25:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{06CF5469-2D5E-48B4-948D-6F9DECAAA
44B}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 26:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{3CA56F00-80F3-43C7-9F40-309C70344
BF1}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\oksana>

 

Ok. Now, here's the configuration for your notebook's wireless card:

So, obviously, you do have a wireless card in your computer, and it's the one that the Toshiba datasheet said should be in there.

The bad news is, (i) it's currently "disconnected" - which should generally mean that the on/off switch on the computer somewheres is turned off, and (ii) it seems to have become identified as a USB 2.0 network adapter, which is really strange.

Just to discount the obvious, you don't have a USB network adapter plugged into one of the USB ports of your computer, do you?

 

I have 2 USB ports. One is used for a printer. The other is used for a mouse.

 

Ok. So, quite clearly, you don't have a usb network adapter plugged in. (brilliant at deduction, ain't I ).

Try looking in the device manager under the various usb devices to see if you see one of them being labeled as a network adapter.

 

Shyster,

I appreciate the help!

Here is what the device manager shows:

Universal Serial Bus controllers

Generic USB Hub
Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller 2830
Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller 2831
Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller 2832
Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller 2834
Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller 2835
Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Universal Host Controller 2836
Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Universal Host Controller 283A
USB Printing Support
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub

 

Ok. Well, I guess the easy answer isn't going to work. In the device manager, do you have a device node called "network adapters" and if so, what shows up underneath that (there should be two separate devices under that node if you click on the little "+" box next to the listing).

 

Ok, here it is:

Network Adapters

Marvell Yukon 88E8039 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller
Microsoft Tun Miniport Adapte #2
Realtek RTL8187B Wireless 802.11g 54 Mbps USB 2.0 Network Adapter
VNware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet1
VNware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet8

On the second line, Microsoft Tun Miniport Adapte #2, there is the yellow triangle with a "!" in the middle.

 

If you click on the one with the "!" does it give you any more information? And I just checked and that Realtek is supposed to have the USB bit in its name because Realtek integrated a usb 2.0 controller onto the chip, see, e.g., this webpage.

 

Well from all the evidence here it seems that you do have a Wireless Adapter, being the "Realtek RTL8187B Wireless 802.11g 54 Mbps USB 2.0 Network Adapter"; as the ipconfig/ all command showed. If you go to the Network Connections folder ( Start --> Run and type ncpa.cpl and hit enter) and don't see this Wireless Adapter then it might be disabled in the BIOS.

To enable it you will need to shut down the computer. Power it back on and press the appropriate Key on the keyboard to enter the BIOS/Setup of that machine. It's almost a different Key for each brand PC/BIOS. In your case seeing that you have a Toshiba Sat. you may need to press the ESC Key continously to get into the BIOS. The correct Key to press should also show/flash on the screen for a short moment before the computer boots up.

In there you will look for the Wireless Adapter by it's name "Realtek Wireless....." under the Boot Devices section for example (keeping in mind every BIOS is different and wording for various sections would also be different) and Enable it. Save and Exit.

 

I ran the ncpa.cpl like you suggested. 4 entries appeared:

1. Local Area Connection
Network 4
Marvell Yukon 88E8039 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller

2. Local Area Connection 2
Unidentified network
VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet1

3. Local Area Connection 3
Unidentified network
VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet8

4. Wireless Network Connection
Not connected
Realtek RTL8187B Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps USB 2.0 Network Adapter

 

Right, so it's not disabled in the BIOS so that's fine. What i've bolded above is your Wireless Card. If it's not enabled, you can right click on the icon and select enable. Find a Wireless Network to connect to and you're on your way.

You can/should also right click on that Wireless Adapter, choose Properties and put in the checks at the bottom to have the Wireless Adapter show up in the Notifications Tray, just as the LAN (Local Area Network).

 

Ok, I did that but still cannot connect. But I got an error that said wireless networking is turned off for this computer. It said to turn it on. I will take a look on how to do this. But if you know how, you could post it. I think we are close now.

Thanks,

Bob

 

It works!! Yeah, there is some obscure button in the front. I clicked this and it connected.

Shyster and Makaveli72, Thanks a lot!! You guys are great!

Bob

 

Yah, basically what Shyster was saying in Post #11, second sentence (i).

Glad Shyster and myself could help.