Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message
Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
I hit the FN + F5 keys not knowing it would disable my wireless. I thought it would be a toggle but it’s not, and i’ve tried and searched everywhere but am unable to get back my wireless without insert a usb adapter.
Please tell me what I’m missing. There MUST be a way to get it back.
Thank you.
Please tell me what I’m missing. There MUST be a way to get it back.
Thank you.
-
- *Senior* Admin
- Posts: 7623
- Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:40 pm
- Location: San Francisco -> Florida -> Georgia
- Contact:
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
not sure what you mean when you say USB adapter..
Bill Morrow, kept by parrots & cockatoos
Sysop - forum.thinkpads.com
*
She was not what you would call refined,
She was not what you would call unrefined,
She was the type of person who kept a parrot.
~~~Mark Twain~~~
Sysop - forum.thinkpads.com
*
She was not what you would call refined,
She was not what you would call unrefined,
She was the type of person who kept a parrot.
~~~Mark Twain~~~
-
- Admin Emeritus
- Posts: 23873
- Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
- Location: Loch Garman, Éire
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
He probably means a USB-wifi-stick.
@Dd777:
What OS are you using?
Switch off completely and remove charger/battery.
Open the machine up, remove/reinsert the wifi card, insert charger, try booting.
OK now?
@Dd777:
What OS are you using?
Switch off completely and remove charger/battery.
Open the machine up, remove/reinsert the wifi card, insert charger, try booting.
OK now?
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 3858
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 5:49 am
- Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
AFAIK Fn+F5 cycles through four modes:
WiFi on, Bluetooth on
WiFi off, Bluetooth on
WiFi on, Bluetooth off
WiFi off, Bluetooth off
The other possible config is to bring up a menu that allows you to turn on/off the WiFi and Bluetooth separately.
WiFi on, Bluetooth on
WiFi off, Bluetooth on
WiFi on, Bluetooth off
WiFi off, Bluetooth off
The other possible config is to bring up a menu that allows you to turn on/off the WiFi and Bluetooth separately.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
Thank you all for your responses!!
Yes, I meant usb wifi adapter.
Tried removing and putting back the wifi card. No luck.
Running Windows 7.
My laptop does not have bluetooth. Hitting FN + F5 repeatedly doesn’t seem to do anything.
Hitting Windows + X brings up the mobility center, the TURN WIRELESS ON is greyed out.
Completely stumped. May need to stick to adapter.
Thanks again.
Yes, I meant usb wifi adapter.
Tried removing and putting back the wifi card. No luck.
Running Windows 7.
My laptop does not have bluetooth. Hitting FN + F5 repeatedly doesn’t seem to do anything.
Hitting Windows + X brings up the mobility center, the TURN WIRELESS ON is greyed out.
Completely stumped. May need to stick to adapter.
Thanks again.
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
I see from other forums there is supposed to be a windows that opens when you press FN + F5, but that doesn’t happen on my laptop.
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2275
- Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:29 pm
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
Try to install Lenovo Hotkey Features Integration version 3.81.
Be up to date on vcredist x32 and x64 first.
Be up to date on vcredist x32 and x64 first.
P71 X330 T60 et al
2 finger scroll on old Synaptics touchpads
2 finger scroll on old Synaptics touchpads
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
Thank you for your reply, but when I entered my serial number, it wouldn’t let me download the Hotkey file because it’s not compatible with the T420.
-
- Admin Emeritus
- Posts: 23873
- Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
- Location: Loch Garman, Éire
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
Hotkey 3.81.0100 here: https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/p ... vu23ww.exe
Newer 3.89.0100 here: https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/p ... vu43ww.exe
Newer 3.89.0100 here: https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/p ... vu43ww.exe
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
Thank you for the link for those files. Did the install and now when I press FN + F5 it says you must use the hardware switch to turn on the Wi-Fi but I don’t have a hardware switch on my laptop. When you press FN plus F6 it brings up the communication window which allows me to access the WebCam, or change the audio settings which I did not have before, but no luck with the Wi-Fi, unfortunately.
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
The T420 does have a WiFi hardware switch. I believe it's on the back right, next to the SD slot. See this pic:
If it's stuck in the off position, switch it on. If it's in the on position, and the SW detects it as off, the switch may be broken.
If it's stuck in the off position, switch it on. If it's in the on position, and the SW detects it as off, the switch may be broken.
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad
Re: Lost wireless on t420 - can’t get it back
OMG I have egg on my face. As the previous poster pointed out, there is a wifi hardware switch. I actually saw and thought it was some type of EJECT mechanism because it’s so much smaller than the diagrams I’ve seen of the wifi switches.
My apologies and appreciation to those who took up their precious time to try to help me. Thank you!!
At least the poster who linked the download files to the hotkey switches, enabled me to get access to my WebCam, low resolution as it is, that I did not have before.
My apologies and appreciation to those who took up their precious time to try to help me. Thank you!!
At least the poster who linked the download files to the hotkey switches, enabled me to get access to my WebCam, low resolution as it is, that I did not have before.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
-
I'm Back and This Time It's Personal
by ZaZ » Sun Dec 24, 2023 6:58 pm » in ThinkPad L430/L530 and later Series - 11 Replies
- 7547 Views
-
Last post by RealBlackStuff
Wed Jan 17, 2024 1:48 pm
-
-
-
X270/X280 won't start after removing back over without AC adapter
by onespeedbiker » Wed May 01, 2024 3:19 pm » in ThinkPad X230-X280 / X390 Series - 2 Replies
- 247 Views
-
Last post by onespeedbiker
Wed May 01, 2024 6:03 pm
-
-
-
T420 - Quad Core CPU and BIOS upgrade (or downgrade)
by ojciec » Fri Dec 15, 2023 4:49 pm » in ThinkPad T400/T410/T420 and T500/T510/T520 Series - 3 Replies
- 6800 Views
-
Last post by axur-delmeria
Mon Dec 18, 2023 12:04 am
-
-
- 4 Replies
- 4962 Views
-
Last post by dr_st
Tue Dec 19, 2023 12:59 am
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests