No RJ45 Ethernet connection seen: HP Elitebook 8540w win7 pro

[GuidoValentino]

Hi folks,

I just bought a HP Elitebook 8540w with i7 2.67GHz Quad Core 8GB DDR3 and loaded it with a Cruzer (r) 250 GB Solid-state drive then loaded Win 7 Pro.  Don't see a wireless device showing up in Device Mgr.  but thought I could get around that and hook up to our WIFI modem (Infinity Technicolor TC8305C) as it's got 3 available RJ45 jacks out the back, but when I go into network adapters in Device Mgr, don't see anything about RJ45 and it doesn't show a connection in Network and Sharing Center and I let Win 7 troubleshoot and it says I don't have drivers for Ethernet Controller and Network Controller.  Is there somewhere I can go to get a big fat file with ALL the drivers for networking in it?  

Maybe this will fix the WIFI too?  But I don't think there's a wireless card physically in the unit and have one on the way.

Thanks for any help,

Jon

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi, Jon:

You just need to install the drivers for the ethernet and network controller devices.

Those are the wired and wireless network adapters.

Here is the wired one...

This package contains the driver installation package for the Intel 82577LM or 82577LC Gigabit Ethernet Controller in supported notebook models that are running a supported operating system.

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp53501-54000/sp53806.exe

Please post the hardware ID for the Network Controller device, so I can figure out what model wireless network adapter is installed in your notebook.

To find the hardware ID, click on the Network Controller and then click on the Details tab at the top of the Network Controller window.

Now you will see a Property drop down list, and it will be set to Device Description.

Drop down on that list and select the 2nd item (Hardware ID's).

Post the top string of characters that you see in the window.

[GuidoValentino]

Hey Paul, Thanks! Drivers worked for both and it's working great. No need to get into the system details but just for my knowledge I saw the box you were talking about... it's got a whole long list of different items and I saw the string of text you're talking about, like: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_4238&SUBSYS_11118086&REV_35 but before installing the driver, the device didn't even show up in the network adapters, was it showing up as an unrecognized device perhaps? Guido

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Before you installed the Intel ethernet and Intel wireless drivers, the wired network adapter showed up as an ethernet controller and the wireless adapter showed up in the device manager as a Network Controller.

Now that the drivers are installed both devices are properly identified and listed under the Network Adapters device manager category.

And the ID you posted tells me that your notebook has an Intel Ultimate Wireless N 6300 wireless card.