Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Help for Toshiba with Atheros that's not working!

May 30, 2005 10:17AM PDT

Hello,

I want to preface this with an apology because I don't know much about computers and about wireless internet devices. For the past 10 months, I have had a Toshiba Satellite A75-S206, and almost from day one the internal wireless card has not worked. It's weird, when I turn on the computer, a message pops up that says that wireless networks are detected. However, the wireless internet never connects to the networks.

At first it didn't bother me because I just used a lan line. But over time it started to get on my nerves. At one point I even called the Toshiba people and, after one hour of trying to explain the situation, was told that I had to reinstall it. Since then the only way I can get the wireless to work is to delete it and reinstall it. I took it to BestBuy and they were of absolutely no help.

Please, help me! I'm heading off to grad school this fall, where the facilities offer wireless internet, and I would really like to see if there is a way to restore this feature so that it comes up on a consistent basis (like, the way it's supposed to!). Otherwise I would have to install an external wireless card, and the thought of that irks me - I already have an internal one that should be working! Can someone please provide some suggestions as to what I can do???

Thank you so much for your help, and I'm sorry for such a long message!

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Do you have any connectivity?....
May 30, 2005 10:44AM PDT

a loss of signal after establishing contact, could indicate other environmental issues. Does the access point have any filtering set up?

10 months should be warrantible from Toshiba.

- Collapse -
thanks
May 30, 2005 11:54AM PDT

Thanks for responding to my inquiry. No, I don't have any connectivity whatsoever. In the past, after restarting the computer over and over again, connectivity would be established and then it would work for some time and then not work. The thing is, I don't know what sorts of environmental issues could be at work because my sister has the same exact model and her wireless works fine.... I am not aware of any filtering set up by the access point, either. How would I find that out?

- Collapse -
Your descriptions lead me to suspect hardware failure.....
May 30, 2005 12:25PM PDT

The only way to prove this is to turn off the onboard wireless NIC and add another wireless networking device. MAC filtering and WEP/WPA encryption are found in the routers setup program, refer to the manual for more in depth instructions.

- Collapse -
I think you're right
May 30, 2005 10:49PM PDT

I think that you're right, because when it wasn't working before, my dad installed an external wireless card and it worked perfectly. I guess I will have to look at the manual as you suggested. I'm sorry, but what is MAC filtering and WEP/WPA encryption?

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

- Collapse -
what is MAC filtering and WEP/WPA encryption?
May 30, 2005 11:31PM PDT

Tools embedded in the routers software which allow you to restrict access and encrpyt file transmissions over a wireless network. Best to refer to your manual.