Wireless card weirdness.

Yesterday evening, it seems the wifi card in my laptop died. I got the
usual symptoms of a dropped network, so tried reconnecting, which
didn't work. My desktop is connected fine on wifi, so the problem is
in the machine (I checked I wasn't blocked by the router). I tried the
repair utility, but it couldn't finish, so I went to device manager,
which says the card is working fine. Obviously not. I've had the card
out and re-inserted it, etc. No joy. I think the card is dead.

So... any recommendations for a replacement, which won't cost the
earth - this is an old laptop, which will be replaced soon. I have the
option of an internal card, a USB stick or an express card.

Personally, I'm leaning towards a USB stick - especially one of the
tiny ones - if there are any good ones under a tenner.

There's so much stuff on www.scan.co.uk, that my head is spinning. I'd
prefer scan, pc world, etc. because they are nearby and I can get
there and get sorted today or tomorrow.

So... does anyone have any recommendations?

TIA

 

:

PCWorld prices start at £18 so bollocks to them. It is a Linksys item,
though, and will probably be okay.

Scan have 2 versions of what is the same thing, differing in packaging by
the looks of it. Edimax items, around a tenner.

Scan product code LN26818 or LN25238. 1st one is a super mini job, 2nd has
an antenna.

There's a cheaper one for £7 LN34169 if you want a black one. Branded
getNet but seems to be an Edimax job, too. No stock currently.

All have a 2 year guarantee.

Start with whichever one of those you find the prettiest/in stock.

 

Is it as simple as a wireless connection switch has been pushed to 'off' by
accident. I spent a happy 10 minutes this morning trying to get a wireless
connection on my friend's new Sony Vario only to find a tiny switch on the
front set to off.

 

Ah, good point. My lad's Acer Gemstone has such a thing. Baffled me for a
short while until the symbol registered. Fortunately, the same thing on my
netbook requires pressing the Fn key plus another key, so the chances of
doing it accidentally are slim.

 

Cheers, mate.

Found an old d-link stick in the back of a drawer, which seems to have
temporarily resurrected itself... I thought it was utterly dead, tbh.

I'll have a look at those - think I spotted them earlier, but had
other stuff on my mind...

 

Checked that - no dice. Been into connections and faffed... nothing.
Dead card.

 

Not necessarily - I have an Acer Aspire 5710, it was the same & I spent a
lot of time fannying about with it.

Strange thing was when I restarted the machine it always worked again,
eventually found that if I simply right click on the 'internet access' icon
on the taskbar & 'troubleshoot problems', this restarts the card & Robert's
your mothers brother

--
Frooty

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