Need help fixing laptop wireless capabilities

Ventak on 14/04/2013 - 22:15
Last edited 14/04/2013 - 22:34

Today, I decided to clean my laptop. So I opened it up (with some initial difficulty), cleaned it (specifically the fan), then put it back together. After I did, and started up Windows (7), the laptop's wireless/Bluetooth capabilities were no longer working, as if they were missing completely. Prior to this, the laptop WiFi was working fine.

The things I've done which have failed to fix the issue:

  • Gone through Device Manager, checked all Network Devices & Bluetooth Devices to see if they were disabled, as well as attempted to update drive software (all of them say they're up to date).
  • Checked the Windows Mobility Center, WiFi capabilities (be they disabled or not) did not show up.
  • Troubleshooting through Network and Sharing Center, nothing helpful came.

Right now I'm using a wired ethernet connection (and so my laptop is tied to the router), but I'd really like to get the WiFi capabilities back up and running. Could anyone please provide some helpful suggestions, before I'm forced to send it to a computer technician? I'd be really grateful for it, especially if it helps fix my problem.

Oh and the laptop is a Samsung RF511.
http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/pc-peripherals/notebook-p…

Computing

Comments

  • scotty on 14/04/2013 - 22:28
    +1

    So did the devices show up in Device Manager?

    Most laptop uses PCI Express mini card for wireless adapter. Maybe when you opened up the laptop it came loose. Just open it up again, locate the wireless adapter and make sure it sits firmly in the PCI Express slot.

    • Ventak on 14/04/2013 - 22:32

      Well on my Network Devices list, there's a Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller. It says the device is working. But I still don't have WiFi, so I don't think that's the one.

      I've reopened the laptop a few times as well, and checked for loose things (it was just the Blu-ray drive). Also checked around the WiFi button (the laptop has a set of buttons above the keyboard for Volume, Wifi/Bluetooth and the Power button), and while the other buttons work fine, the WiFi button doesn't do anything now.

      • scotty on 14/04/2013 - 23:25
        +1

        Controller is not the adapter — there should be a network device there. I guess either the adapter is loose, or got fried when you were cleaning it :(

        If you have a spare laptop, you might be able to get another PCI Express network card from there and check whether it's working in your faulty laptop to isolate the problem.

  • Davros on 14/04/2013 - 23:31
    -1

    Maybe open it up and put all the dust back in?

  • endotherm on 15/04/2013 - 01:41
    +1

    Possibility that you have dislodged the mini coaxial wires from the card, they are possibly sticky taped in place so it could be hard to see if they have been dislodged. http://netbookitalia.it/images/stories/samsung_n150_disassem….

    Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller should be the gigabit ethernet controller, so not that one. Are you positive you don't have to press some keyboard combo to enable wireless/bluetooth? Drives me mad when I accidentally turn mine off and can't re-enable them from the device manager, then I remember the hotkeys (e.g. Fn F2)

  • endotherm on 15/04/2013 - 02:56
    +1

    Looks like the Samsung Rf510 uses a combo Broadcom miniPCI card which does both wireless and bluetooth http://www.laptopking.com/kingpartdetails.asp?ref=3562&categ…. Assuming it is the same one used in the Samsung Rf511, you should be able to get a replacement off ebay for about $10 if you need it, search BCM94313HMGB.

    I would still check the following:

    • remove and reseat the card
    • check the 2 aerial wires are connected
    • check the keyboard function keys which enable the wireless (or a hardware switch on some computers)
    • you have possibly damaged the card (physically or by static) and should replace the board as above.

    Good luck!

  • Ventak on 15/04/2013 - 08:47

    Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll take it apart again tonight, hopefully I can find out what happened to it and maybe try and get it put back in place/fixed.

  • twinbag on 15/04/2013 - 12:24

    If it's not showing up in device manager, then its either come loose when you've pulled the laptop apart or you've shorted something on the MB. The mini PCI cards are normally screwed in, so my guess would be some static has killed something.

  • mskeggs on 15/04/2013 - 12:45

    My laptop has a Fn+f key combo to turn on/off wireless and bluetooth. When these are off the devices don't have power and don't show up in the device manager. Perhaps your's has similar?

    • Ventak on 15/04/2013 - 12:53

      Mine is Fn+F9. Tried it, didn't work.

      • endotherm on 15/04/2013 - 16:19

        Is that in addition to the hard button you mentioned above the keyboard? Unusual you have both.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join