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- HP Community
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- Re: Cannot find wireless networks- "hardware radio switch of...

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03-02-2012 10:02 AM
Product Name and Number:
HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC, Product number: LZ802PA
Operating System installed:
Windows 7 home basic, 64 bit
Error message:
"Hardware radio switch off"
Any changes made to your system before the issue occurred:
I've been searching for a solution all over, including hp website and forum and the manual pdfs.
I have a problem to connect to the internet wirelessly (I can connect using a cable). The wireless button is turned on (F12 key light is blue), but "Intel My WIFI Utility" tells me that the "hardware radio switch off". I've been looking for the switch on the case, and searched for a key shortcut for it- but could not find any.
As a result- my laptop can not recognize any wireless connection, eventhough they exist for sure!
I also used Microsoft System Restore to restore it to an earlier date- before the problem accrued. It did not make any difference.
Also, I reinstalled Intel wireless Drivers, Intel PROSet, and my WIFI for Microsoft Windows 7. It did not help either.
Please help!:mansad:
Solved! Go to Solution.
Accepted Solutions
03-02-2012 01:14 PM
I had to enter into the BIOS and enable the network adapter from there!
03-02-2012 11:20 AM
Ezra,
I did read that it may be disabled - and you might try reflashing (updating the BIOS). There is an update from October 2011 at your computer's website. Double check before loading/installing and BIOS update.
HP Notebook System BIOS Update sp55068 F.1B
It could also still be disabled in your Device Manager - just tangled.
I hope this helps!
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2012 Year of the Dragon!
03-02-2012 02:39 PM - edited 03-02-2012 02:41 PM
Hi Ezra,
I'm looking all over this thing; I can't find anything that jumps out. The Device Manager setting would be an anomaly and unlikely; here it is just in case:
Device Manager > Right-Click Intel(R) WiFi Link 1000 BGN > Properties > Advanced >
802.11n Mode > Make sure it's Enabled (running "n" router mode)
I've checked Services, logs, various executables, .dlls., Autoruns (from NirSoft).
I didn't see any hardware on/off swtich in the dv6 service manual, either. ?
This should work!
Here is a check you can do:
Open a Window and switch to folder > C:\Windows\System32\
Double Click on the file > gatherNetworkInfo.vbs
This will create two files, osinfo.txt and WcnInfo.txt
Open the WcnInfo.txt file (with Notepad) and take a look through it.
When you get to the wireless entries, it should say things like, "device blah-blah working properly"...
Confirm the hardware is healthy...
=========================================================================
.
I hope this helps!
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2012 Year of the Dragon!
08-29-2012 03:22 PM
my wifi is not turning on, please help asap, laptop is just 7 moths old, dv7 customizable edition.
when i trouble shoot it, it says "hardware radio switch off" i cannot find that switch anywhere, i've tried everytthing trouble shooting suggests, still off, please help
05-17-2013 05:07 PM
I have a DV6. I have the same problem. The hardware Radio Light is on, but it is reported as being off. I have tried the suggested solution. When I double click the file > gatherNetworkInfo.vbs, nothing happens. The two files mentioned are not created.
Are there any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance your time and suggestions.
rdavis441
05-22-2013 01:02 PM
A couple of notes of interest:
1.) This seems to be a common issue with the HPs and maybe related to a.) a windows update, b.) power management disabling the hardware radio but not re-enabling it. Our HP 8460p workplace computers are experiencing this as well.
2.) The WiFi button on the laptop (the one with the blue or amber color) is a SOFTWARE radio, not hardware. So, you have two ways to disable it - the software radio can be disabled, or the hardware radio. In this case the problem is with the hardware radio.
I fixed it by:
a.) verifying it was enabled in the bios
b.) Installing the HP Connection Manager software from HP
c.) disabling windows mobility center using a registry hack (search online for disable windows mobility center)
d.) Perhaps removing the device from device manager and rescanning for it (can't remember if I did this or not)
Once I got it working, Windows mobility center would keep disabling it so I disabled WMC and now it works perfectly.
So there is something in the above sequence of events that will get it working but I don't know the exact sequence as I went through several steps and its been a few days.
Chris
12-03-2013
10:56 AM
- last edited on
12-03-2013
11:52 AM
by
KittyK
I have tried the forum response to my HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook "hardware radio switch off"
problem description. Downloading and running the sp55068 file was incompatible with my
Product Number QJ926AV and S/N {Personal Information Removed} computer. Other suggestions to access
the BIOS and/or otherwise enable the hardware radio switch to receive wireless access
would be appreciated. (The f12 enable/disable switch and light are functional.) jabana
