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 with laptop please

Feb 28, 2006 11:11AM PST

Hi, I recently aqcuired broadband internet and the supplier said that I could use a wireless connection with my laptop, so I get the wireless kit which contains a wireless router modem and I set it up according to the instructions, after it was all set up I turned my laptop on and activated the wireless asssitant which located the signal from the modem and turned on the local network light on the modem, however even when the laptop indicated that that the signal was excellent I could not open any webpage as if I was not connected, then I decided to connect the ethernet cable from the modem to the laptop and inserted the modem's configuration cd, after some steps everything went fine and now I can connect to the internet using the ethernet cable but when I open the wireless connection icon on the laptop only a message appears reading: "windows cannot configure this wireless connection, if you have enabled another program to manage this connection, use that software" but the modem's configuration cd wont do anything, Ive tried unnistalling it several times but that message keeps appearing, is there a way I can go back to the beginning and make the laptop detect the wireless signal? Please, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
need more info
Feb 28, 2006 12:58PM PST

Computer model?
Operating system?
Name of wireless network adapter in computer (if you can find it)?

Type of broadband (Cable, DSL, Satellite, other)?
Modem make & model?
Router make & model?

Or do you have a combination modem-router box?

- Collapse -
Sure, here you go
Mar 1, 2006 10:15AM PST

My computer is an HP ze2308wm, running windows XP

The connection is DSL

I dont know how to figure out whats the name of my network adapter

The brand of the modem is 2WIRE, and its a modem-router combination.

Thank you.

- Collapse -
Please anybody, Im desperate
Mar 4, 2006 4:03AM PST

Does anyone have an idea?, please tell me, Im even thinking about formating my hardrive to start all over, I paid extra money for the wireless router-modem and I still have to connect it using the ethernet cable, it doesnt make sense. Please any suggestion will be helpful. Thank you

- Collapse -
more questions
Mar 5, 2006 4:55PM PST

Is your Windows XP up to date with Service Pack 2? If not, run Windows Update.

What is the name of the wireless network adapter in the computer? Hint: look in your Device Manager. Do you have the latest driver for the wireless network adapter (available from HP.com)?

What is the exact model number of ther router (look on the router)?
Can you Access the wireless router administration page?
You need do this to see how the wireless router is configured.

- Collapse -
The answers
Mar 6, 2006 10:13AM PST

I do have windows service pack 2

The name of the wireless network adapter is "Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN," I downloaded and installed the latest driver.

The exact model number is "2WIRE model 1701HG."

I can access the router administration page, the cd that came with my kit installed a shortcut on my desktop which takes me directly to it, however I dont understand most of the stuff it says over there, sorry for that.

Thank you very much for helping me out.

- Collapse -
Some ideas
Mar 11, 2006 6:44AM PST

Something to keep in mind, some laptops have a button that turns the wireless on and off. I have an HP Pavilion and it has a button on the front that turns the wireless on and off (been burned by that several times). With Windows XP, I don't think you need driver software for your wireless adapter. I recently installed a wireless card on my desktop and I didn't need to install the CD because Windows XP already had the drivers for it. It did need one file from the CD but thats it. The drivers on the CD caused more problems than anything. Now all is working well. Good luck.

- Collapse -
Its the wireless assistant
Mar 12, 2006 12:59PM PST

Yes, that button is to activate the wireless assistant, but even when I turn it on, nothing happens, Thanks anyway.

- Collapse -
What should I do?
Mar 22, 2006 12:50PM PST

Now my laptop wont even connect to the wireless connection at college, it says the same thing, "Windows cannot configure this wireless connection, if you want windows to configure this connection open the Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC) service," does anyone know how to use such thing?

- Collapse -
solution that worked for me....
Oct 26, 2007 9:54AM PDT

I had a similar problem, so I went to the knowledge base article 871122 on the microsoft site and followed the instructions to basically turn back on window's ability to manage your wireless card:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/871122


When you installed the 2wire software, it turned this ability off. I had the same thing happen when I configured my 2wire system. Here are the steps copied from the microsoft article on what to do:

To start the Wireless Zero Configuration service, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\system32\services.msc /s, and then click OK.
2. Double-click Wireless Zero Configuration.
3. In the Startup type list, click Automatic, and then click Apply.
4. In the Service status area, click Start, and then click OK.

Hope this helps you out.