Compaq Presario CQ56 - Wireless Internet problem :(

[HayIey]

Hey everyone,

  So I've just joined here to see if anyone can help with my issue, because frankly I'm out of options now 😞 it's been about two weeks asking friends and collegues and searching the internet for answers to similar problems. I've tried twice with infomation I've found from this site, from quite a while back and it doesn't work for me!

  Anyway, I have a HP Compaq Presario CQ56 notebook computer. It was set up correctly when I bought it, everything worked perfectly. I somehow managed to get a virus which prevented me from even turning on my computer (Which is odd, because I'm not an idiot with computers, and I know what not to download/sites to visit), so I had to reset my computer back to stock, I used my Windows 7 disk, formatted the partitions and installed windows again.

  Now, for some reason it won't connect wirelessly to the internet. It connects when I have an ethernet cable plugged in, but it won't find any networks, as shown in this screen shot:

(Also here's a cute bunny for your viewing enjoyment)

So, you see my problem 😞 It's highly frustrating. I'm not sure what's causing it, but I guess it must be a driver issue? Which is why I'm posting here, if this is indeed in the wrong section please accept my appologies.

Here's another screenshots that may help, just in case:

If anyone could shed some light on the problem for me, or even solve it I'd be highly greatful 🙂 It's extremely annoying. Like I said, it works fine when I have my laptop plugged into the internet, when I'm at uni, but when I come home on a weekend I can't bring my laptop back, because I only have WiFi back home.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Hayley R

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Hayley:

None of your screen shots showed up.

What model wireless card do you have in your notebook?

You will find it listed in the device manager under the network adapters section.

Please post the full model number of the wireless adapter and I will see if there is a newer driver for it than what you have.

If you do not see the wireless network card listed in the network adapters section, do you see a Network Controller listed under Other Devices in the device manager?

If you do, please post the hardware ID for it. You can copy and paste the text from windows 7 on that line.

If you don't know where to find the the hardware ID, please read the info at the link below.

http://www.devicedriverfinder.com/blog/device-drivers/how-to-check-the-hardware-id-for-a-windows-dev...

[HayIey]

Ah that's odd, they're showing up for me :S I've reuploaded the screenshots on my first post anyway, so they might now.

Okay, for my network adapter:

"Realtek RTL8102E/RTL8103E Family PCI-E Fast Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20)"

Hardware IDs...

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_1604103C&REV_02
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_1604103C
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_020000
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_0200

and I also have a a network controller tab, under "Other devices" although this his a exclamation mark in a yellow triangle on the icon.

Network Controller hardware IDs...

PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4727&SUBSYS_145C103C&REV_01
PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4727&SUBSYS_145C103C
PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4727&CC_028000
PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4727&CC_0280

Thank you for the fast response by the way Paul 🙂

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome, Hayley.

The problem is that the wireless adapter (Network Controller) needs a driver installed, and below is the link to the driver you need.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-107849-1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en

Once you install the above driver, the wireless should work just fine.

Best Regards,

Paul

[HayIey]

Aw brilliant, thanks a lot 🙂 Fixed my problem. Thanks thank thanks thanks.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime! 

[Hemming]

Hello,

I`m having a similar problem. Today, I was browsing with wifi, when all of a sudden, internet stopped working. I would just trubleshoot it and it would work for another 5 minutes, than it would stop again. After about 10 tries like that, my wifi just stopped. There was no icon to connect (the signal looking one) in the down right corner. It was replaced by that screen one. Naturally, i plugged in the cable to see whats the problem, and the internet works when its connected that way, but i would like to have a wifi option again . I have tried everything, from bios reset, to all of those links for driver installer you have posted in this and other forums...  Can you please help me?

I have Presario CQ56. Only network adapter that device manager can detect is Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller. 

Hardware lds is:

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_1605103C&REV_02

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_1605103C

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_020000

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_0200

also once while i was trying to reconnect wireless i came across what i belive to be another device, it was in Manage wireless networks window of the Network and Internet in Control Panel. I`m not sure what it was, but its not there anymore. I think it could be something like 802.11n/b/g wireless LAN. I`m not an expert, and i really don`t know what`s that for, it`s just something i came across while researching and it looked fammiliar to me, maybe that could be a problem (and maybe it`s the same thing, i really don`t know, sorry for my ignorance).

Please, if you could help me I would be very greateful. Thank you for your time 🙂

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

It would be hard to say what the problem could be but if your network adapter just quit working and disappeared from the network adapter list in the device manager, it is probably a hardware failure.

If somehow the driver got uninstalled or corrupted, you would see a device labeled Network Controller showing up in the device manager under the Other Devices category.

Next the the Network Controller name, there will be a little yellowish colored ! mark.

If you see such a device, click on that and post the hardware ID for it like you did for the wired network adapter.

If you do not see such a listing in the device manager, I will not be able to assist you any further.

I suspect the wireless card has died on you, but would not be able to say that is 100% the problem.

[Hemming]

As I suspected. 

Thank you Paul 🙂

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

If you intend to replace the WLAN card, you have to buy one listed in the service manual for your notebook series and it must have the HP part number on it or it will not work.

My recommendation would be to remove the card, get the part number from it and buy the same model.

The HP part number will normally be on a sticker that says "Replace with HP Spare" and the part number.

You can normally find used but tested and working wireless card very inexpensive on eBay by querying by the part number or you can buy new from HP at the link below.

http://h20141.www2.hp.com/hpparts/CountryChoice.aspx