Wireless stopped working on X60 -- help needed

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maryt · #1 Post by **maryt** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:24 am

For some reason I can no longer get a wireless connection on my X60. I can still connect by LAN, but when I try to connect through the wireless connection it doesn't work (I'm using LAN to send this so can't tell you exactly what words it uses, but it tells me that it can't connect after taking a LONG time looking for the [address? not sure of the word]. It offers several suggestions on how to repair the problem but none of them works.

This has happened at a bunch of different places, including a vacation home where I've got exactly the same setup I've always had, so there's no problem with encryption or other settings. Other computers connect to the wireless here, and this computer can connect through the LAN, so it's something going on inside this computer.

I use Thinkvantage and have always liked it. If I uninstall it to see if that's the problem, am I going to lose any advantages (no pun intended)? Is there anything else I can try first?

Thanks for ANY help you can give me,

Mary T

maryt · #2 Post by **maryt** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:32 am

Thinkvantage sees the network but when I click on "connect" it stops when "waiting for association" and then I get an error report with this information in it:

szAppName : AcSvc.exe szAppVer : 4.0.0.0 szModName : ntdll.dll
szModVer : 5.1.2600.2180 offset : 0003426d

It offers to send these files to Microsoft:

C:\DOCUME~1\Mary\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER738b.dir00\AcSvc.exe.mdmp
C:\DOCUME~1\Mary\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER738b.dir00\appcompat.txt

I've switched over to having Windows configure my wireless but Windows doesn't even SEE the network connection.

I'd love to know what's going on. thanks for any ideas.

Mary

adrianaitken · #3 Post by **adrianaitken** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:55 am

When this happens to me it's normally because I've tripped that little switch on the front which switches off the network !!!

maryt · #4 Post by **maryt** » Thu May 22, 2008 12:00 pm

thanks for the idea, but i've turned the radio on and off about fourteen times to make sure it's on. It is.

There must be some sort of diagnostic test I can run?

Mary

adrianaitken · #5 Post by **adrianaitken** » Thu May 22, 2008 12:18 pm

Control panel,system, hardware tab, device manager (if running XP)

Is the WLAN enabled (yellow or red icon over it = bad) ?

maryt · #6 Post by **maryt** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:29 pm

I've got a 11 a/b/g wireless LAN mini PC that doesn't have those colors, but when I click on it (from the system tray_ it says that Windows cannot complete disabling the network wireless adapter. I have no idea what that means.

There's also a sierra wireless 1xEV-DO network adapter but i don't think i've ever used that.

Mary

adrianaitken · #7 Post by **adrianaitken** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:24 am

The Sierra is your mobile connection (WWAN) - you'd need to put a SIM card in to get that to work.

And what ever you've done is contagious, I rebuilt my X61 last night (putting a clean XP on it) and am having no end of wi-fi issues (cheers !!).

#8 Post by **Harryc** » Fri May 23, 2008 5:58 am

To the OP, I would uninstall Access Connections and try wireless with Windows networking. If it now works that would point to an access connections problem. You can always try a different version or reinstall the current version of access connections.

maryt · #9 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:05 am

Harry and Adriana,

Let me give you my latest information and then respond to your messages with a question:

Yesterday Adriana asked me whether my wireless card had a red mark over it. (Today i noticed that in my system tray there's an icon for the Thinkvantage AC 11 a/b/g wireless lan mini pci express adapter that has a red circle with a red line through it.

When I click on it it gives me an option to power off the wireless radio or to view its status. When I choose the View Status option, it says: "Radio powered on but not associated. Then as I watch it it says Radio off. ( It has the correct current location profile.) When I click on Power On Wireless Radio, I get the same radio powered on but not associated message. When I then click on Find WLAN, it shows the home network. When I select Connect (very strong signal) it tells me two or more profiles that use the selected network name have been found. I pick the correct one and click connect. It applies the wireless settings, waits for the association, then a red ex appears next to wwaiting for association and I get an error message from thinkvantage saying it is disconnected.

When I click on Help Me Fiux this, it tells me that the association failed -- wireless radio not powered on; error code 014.

At an earlier point yesterday I got a message that the radio wasn't on either b/c it was turned off in the hardware or in the BIOS. Can I somehow turn it on in the BIOS?

Does this information change your advice that I uninstall Access Connections next? If I do uninstall it, can I reinstall it later from my hard drive? I don't have recovery disks.

I really really appreciate your helping me get through this problem. It first happened on the first night of a trip, when I tried to access a local network. (That's the second profile that pops up when I selected Connect above.) I don't know anything about profiles so may have messed something up at that time.

Thanks,

Mary

#10 Post by **Harryc** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:24 am

Yes I would still uninstall Access connections. As long as you have a wired Internet connection you can download access connections. If it would make you feel better to download the installer prior to removing it, go to this link.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... ZLNJB.html

adrianaitken · #11 Post by **adrianaitken** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:30 am

Mary, if you can see it (even breifly), then it's not turned off in the BIOS. That's the good news

If yours is like mine, then the wireless card itself is just held inplace by 2 little clips. I think you might have slightly unseated it (which is why it's intermittant). How confident are you at taking laptops apart ?

Adrian

maryt · #12 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 9:05 am

Adrian,

I've never done anything more than take out hard drives from my thinkpads (starting back with 720, 760, and T20) but I'm game.

Sorry to hear yours caught the bug.

So what do I do first?

Mary

maryt · #13 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 9:22 am

Harry,

I've removed Access Connections and rebooted. I've gone to Advanced settings for my wireless 2 and selected "use windows to configure my wireless network setttings." But no wireless networds are found in range.

I've got my T20 sitting next to the x60 and it finds the wireless just fine -- that's what I'm using to send this message.

Any other suggestions? I'm going to try the loose card idea but am open to further ideas as well.

Thanks,

Mary

#14 Post by **Harryc** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:02 am

It sounds like a loose card check is a good idea at this point. You could also run PC-Doctor to see if it picks up a hardware error associated with your WiFi card.

maryt · #15 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:15 pm

<<You could also run PC-Doctor to see if it picks up a hardware error associated with your WiFi card.>>

Done. It passed the PCI Express Status Test, but couldn't pass anything else b/c there was no connection. I saved the file with its MAC address, IP address, and driver info. Nothing else showed up on the PC Doctor run to suggest anything else wrong with the machine.

Is that what you expected?

I've also taken my machine apart and the card was very solidly in place, with nothing shaky about the connections. That was a learning experience.

If you were me, what would you do next?

Mary

maryt · #16 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:19 pm

Adrian,

One more question: you said that since I can see the card intermittently it's not a bios problem. are you referring to something in the description below, which I gave you earlier? If so, I'm not sure where it "sees" the card. Or was it something else?

"When I choose the View Status option, it says: "Radio powered on but not associated. Then as I watch it it says Radio off. ( It has the correct current location profile.) When I click on Power On Wireless Radio, I get the same radio powered on but not associated message. When I then click on Find WLAN, it shows the home network. When I select Connect (very strong signal) it tells me two or more profiles that use the selected network name have been found. I pick the correct one and click connect. It applies the wireless settings, waits for the association, then a red ex appears next to wwaiting for association and I get an error message from thinkvantage saying it is disconnected. "

Thanks,

Mary

ArtShapiro · #17 Post by **ArtShapiro** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:37 pm

I've certainly been faced with "weird" wireless situations in which going into Device Manager, deleting the wireless network card, and letting Windows reinstall it has remedied the problem.

Can anyone suggest why this might not be worth the five minutes it takes?

Art

adrianaitken · #18 Post by **adrianaitken** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:07 pm

Mary, if the card was disabled in BIOS you wouldn't see any network at anytime. I take it you had been travelling jsut before this problem occured ?

If you want to check the card physically....

Remove the power supply and battery. On the bottom of the laptop, undo the screws near the iconof a keyboard (I place them in the same position of the laptop so I know which ones go where when rebuilding !!!!). You should be able to carefully remove the keyboard - you might need to push a thin screwdriver up through the holes where you took the screws out of. Carefully remove the ribbon cable.
Now remove the rest of the screws from the bottom which are near an icon whhich looks like a rectangle. Ever so ultra-carefully prise the top of the base unit off. It is fragile and you could crack it so be very very ultra careful here.
The wifi card in where you would rest your right wrist. Two little clips hold it in. Unclip the card and remove it then put it back and make sure the clips 'snap' on the end.
Since you've come this far.... you might as well make sure the 2 cables attached to the card are secure. They are extremely fiddly to put back on but a steady hand here is useful (!!!!!).
Rebuilding is just doing the reverse of the instructions above (oh, how easy it is to just write those words

).
If it's still got issues then you might have to get IBM/Lenovo to look at it (or a local computer shop might be easier/cheaper, depends where you live and if they have an Intel or Atheros mini-PCI card to test with).

There you go, something for the weekend

#19 Post by **BillMorrow** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:39 pm

mary..

(who is an OLD friend of myself, thinkpads.com and this forum)

i am thinking hardware..
those little wifi cards are cheap and i MIGHT have one (an intel version) hanging around here, someplace..

if i DO i will send it to you and since you are now handy with a screwdriver and "fiddy" antennae (<--plural of antenna) cables you can easily swap the wifi card and see if windows sees it and if so if it will reconfiguer itself and hand you a working wifi connection..

the only caveat i have is actually FINDING that intel wifi card since i am still in a state of near chaos from my recent move from florida..

Edit:
nope, can't find that wifi card..

anyone have a spare they can loan to mary..?

maryt · #20 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:02 pm

OLD is right!!!! LOL.

Thanks, Bill, if you find it I'll take you up on it. In the meantime i'm going to try Art's suggestion, which seems too easy to be true.

I'll let you guys ("y'all" in my part of the world) know if it works.

Optimistically,

Mary

maryt · #21 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:11 pm

<<I've certainly been faced with "weird" wireless situations in which going into Device Manager, deleting the wireless network card, and letting Windows reinstall it has remedied the problem.

Can anyone suggest why this might not be worth the five minutes it takes? >>

IT WORKED!!!!!!!

Art, you RULE!

Thanks so much, everybody,

Mary

ArtShapiro · #22 Post by **ArtShapiro** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:38 pm

maryt wrote: Art, you RULE!
Mary

rule, n., v., ruled, rul·ing.

14. to control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or influence over; govern: to rule the empire with severity.
15. to decide or declare judicially or authoritatively; decree: The judge ruled that he should be exiled.
16. to mark with lines, esp. parallel straight lines, with the aid of a ruler or the like: to rule paper.
17. to mark out or form (a line) by this method: to rule lines on paper.
18. to be superior or preeminent in (a specific field or group); dominate by superiority; hold sway over: For centuries, England ruled the seas.

Hmmm...I must be marking parallel straight lines!

Glad you're back on the air.

Art

maryt · #23 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:58 pm

. . . or ruling the C's. Your choice.

mary

#24 Post by **Harryc** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:14 pm

Art, you ROCK!

P.S. - I just wanted to see your reply

ArtShapiro · #25 Post by **ArtShapiro** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:22 pm

Harryc wrote:Art, you ROCK!
P.S. - I just wanted to see your reply

At this juncture that would merely be belaboring a point.

Besides, I'm totally classical.

Art

maryt · #26 Post by **maryt** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:54 pm

Points taken.

However, I remain grateful that you saved me much time and labor.

Thank you,

m.

lukkbox · #27 Post by **lukkbox** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 3:23 pm

maryt wrote:<<I've certainly been faced with "weird" wireless situations in which going into Device Manager, deleting the wireless network card, and letting Windows reinstall it has remedied the problem.

Can anyone suggest why this might not be worth the five minutes it takes? >>

IT WORKED!!!!!!!

Art, you RULE!

Thanks so much, everybody,

Mary

i am having the same problem as the original poster

i am glad the above suggestion worked but unfortunately i dont seem to quite understand what it means

so far in device mananger i have disbaled and re enabled the wireless card, also uninstalled the drivers and let windows re install them, ut none of this has worked

can anybody please explain the above procedure in a step by step fashion as if they were telling it to a retarded child like me so i may follow it and fix my wireless?

please

ArtShapiro · #28 Post by **ArtShapiro** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:08 pm

lukkbox wrote:i am having the same problem as the original poster

Sure - if this is insufficient, just prod for more detail:

Fire up device manager - Easiest way is double clicking My Computer while holding the ALT key / Hardware / Device Manager.

Expand the "Network adapters" item in the device tree by clicking the plus sign.

Right click on the wireless network adapter, and click on Uninstall. On the machine I'm using right now, a desktop with no wireless, I clicked on one of my wired adapters and Uninstall was the third item, below "Update Driver" and "Disable".

It will probably give you an "are you sure" prompt and reply in the affirmative.

I'd probably reboot at this point, and let Windows find the adaptor when it comes up. We could force a scan for hardware changes after the Uninstall, but the reboot seems prudent given the fact that you're having problems.

Hope this is clear, and that it happens to fix the problem.

Art

Marin85 · #29 Post by **Marin85** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:33 pm

Also, check this. Many *issues* with the wifi seem to originate from the wifi power management settings (seems to be a common issue when browsing through the forum).

Marin

Wireless stopped working on X60 -- help needed

Wireless stopped working on X60 -- help needed

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