Enabling Thinkpad R50e Wireless HELP!!!!

[BillG]

I have a remote user with a Thinkpad R50e 802.11 wireless that I need to help via telephone. The onboard WiFi is disabled.

Is there a setting in the Thinkpad R50e BIOS to disable/enable the on-board WiFi? Can anyone PLEASE walk me through how to enable the Thinkpad R50e WiFi through the BIOS?

Thanks!!!

[dr_st]

Just go into the BIOS (press F1 at startup), and look around. The relevant setting should be plain and clear.

[BillG]

Just go into the BIOS (press F1 at startup), and look around. The relevant setting should be plain and clear.

I don't have the computer in front of me, and the User is inexperienced. I need step-by-step instructions.

[ajkula66]

Press F1 to enter BIOS on boot.

Go into Configuration. Find the wireless card, enable it, press F10 to save and exit.

BTW, not all R50e units had on-board wireless to begin with, so confirm that the user sees the antennae on the lid...

[BillG]

Press F1 to enter BIOS on boot.

Go into Configuration. Find the wireless card, enable it, press F10 to save and exit.

BTW, not all R50e units had on-board wireless to begin with, so confirm that the user sees the antennae on the lid...

This one definitely has wireless.

Keep in mind that I have to instruct the user to do this over the phone. Can you walk me through the keystrokes to get to Configuration in the BIOS?

[ajkula66]

Turn the machine on, while it's coming up press F1.

You should be in the BIOS screen, and at the top of the page there's "config", click on that.

The next page should display a variety of ports and devices, go into "Internal wireless device", click on it to enable it, press F10 to save and exit.

[RealBlackStuff]

Having antennae could also be interpreted as: the laptop is wireless upgradable.
Meaning it has the antennae, but no wifi card (yet).
Go into Control Panel/System/Device Manager to check if there is an entry for wifi.
If not, you will need to remove the palmrest to check if there is a physical wifi card.

[BillG]

Turn the machine on, while it's coming up press F1.

You should be in the BIOS screen, and at the top of the page there's "config", click on that.

The next page should display a variety of ports and devices, go into "Internal wireless device", click on it to enable it, press F10 to save and exit.

Thank You!

Walked him through it over the phone - WiFi was already enabled in BIOS, and driver is already enabled in Device Manager, but when I ask him to scan for wireless networks nothing comes up even though the access point is only 20 feet away.

Sorry to say that I think this is something I can't diagnose over the phone.

Thank You to everyone that helped!

[dr_st]

Ask him to press Fn+F5 and see if the wireless card is enabled in software.

[BillG]

Ask him to press Fn+F5 and see if the wireless card is enabled in software.

Unfortunately, that brings up a driver error message.

Ideally I'd like to reinstall/update the driver, but this User can't do that over the phone.

[craigmontHunter]

tell him to go to device manager, select the wireless card, open the properties page, choose advanced, and (on intel cards) make sure that it says "wireless on" at the top of the page.

Good luck.

[BillG]

While this is an old topic, I wanted to follow up with the solution because I recently had to deal with this again.

On most laptops (and not just Thinkpads) there is an option to disable the WiFi and the Ethernet LAN to conserve power when either on batteries, or not in use. On Thinkpad and Dell laptops this feature is buggy and totally disables the port even when using it. Usual examination makes it look like the port is enabled, when really it isn't.

On the Thinkpad R50e I went into Access connections, Control Panel Power options, and the driver in Device Manager - you'll find settings to disable WiFi and LAN ports in many of these locations, and in others. Any option to manage the power, or disable when on battery, of these ports MUST be turned off.