Compaq F551AU Wireless not working

[Sunboost]

I have a Compaq F551AU just out of warranty this month. Just turned it on an hour ago and it's not picking up my wireless network and any other wireless networks in my area. There are 5 that I know of, none come up and the wireless switch on the front of the laptop has the orange light on (wireless off) even when it's in the on position. This is really pissing me off, guessing something's fried in the laptop somewhere.

Was hoping by chance someone may have a similar PC and have had the same problem and fixed it??

I googled this shit and there's HP tech forum where people have bitched saying that theirs has stopped working after a Windows driver update automatically installed itself, and they've had no luck from reverting back. I wouldn't know where to start to revert back, so I just deleted HP WL Assistant as someone else suggested and am still having no love.

If it's fukked I'll just go buy a USB wireless adapter.. but it's fkn annoying none the less.

And plz refrain from posting that you are l33t computer sikunt and shit and that compaq licks it. This is the only problem I've had worth mentioning in over a year, and the thing's got wearmarks on it you wouldn't see on a cab steering wheel.

[Damo]

ask this guy.

[Kyle the ED4LTR]

is there a button on the laptop for the wireless, i know on my laptop which is also a HP/Compaq, they have a button that activates the wireless etc etc. That might be worth ago. If that doesn't work, try and find the specific model name of the wireless and search for a driver somewhere else. I'll see if I find anything

[Thanatos]

Not saying that this is the problem with yours, but I've seen a few similar styled laptops (all from compaq) with the same problems (I run my own tech support business). It turns out there was a fault with the laptops and the internal wireless card fails (dodgy soldering job). Unfortunately the wireless isn't a MiniPCI card, meaning that it can't be removed (must replace the motherboard). All I ever did was give the people a PCMCIA wireless card to use instead and it solved the problem (I'm not a fan of the USB ones, they don't tend to be able to hold the signal as well).

Play around with drivers first though (you should be able to get the official drivers from the HP/Compaq site, and you could even try finding drivers from another laptop that uses the same chipset in it's wireless and see if that makes a difference. But if that doesn't get you anywhere, then I'd just get an external wireless card for it.

[stevo]

i would first uninstall any drivers and re-install first
otherwise I offer similar info to Thanatos, it may be easier to grab a wireless card and throw that in to use if it isnt a simple software/driver problem

[Sunboost]

Thanatos come fix it I tried driver's and shit and then gave up. I'm hopeless. I can only do useless sht like MPI conversions and BBM conversions and 5 speed conversions and shit I wish I learnt computers not EA's.

[Gozza]

yeah id only go a usb as an interim fix - i have one for my home PC and its shit

[Kaddis]

My mum had the same problem wireless stopped working on her compaq doesnt matter where she went in her place even with the router few mm away nothing.

[Sunboost]

Dang sounds like it's a really common problem then. Doug and Rips are next, they bought the same model just after I did.

Lol @ Damo btw. <3 it.

[XRated]

Hey brosef, try go into Control Panel > Device Manager and manually enable wireless. It's a long shot but worth a try.

Did it just randomly stop? Like nothing was installed/updated/changed? I am pretty sure your mainboard is fucked. Apparently the warranty for these models was extended because of this issue, not sure about Australia. See here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... 071&dlc=en

A lot of those laptops have the exact same prob You should try ringing up HP or Compaq and organising them to replace the motherboard. Keep pushing and I'm sure they will eventually give in. They can't just exclude the same laptop because it was sold in Australia.

PS: Love the pic Damo.

[Malakai]

Is the wireless device still appearing in device manager? Under network adapters.
If so is it listed as "This device is working properly"? When you right click and select properties for it.
If neither of those are true, are there any devices listed as unknown device? Try right clicking on the computer name at the top of the device manager tree and selecting "Scan for hardware changes"

After all those possibilities are exhausted I would check if the wireless device is disabled in the BIOS for some reason.

If none of the above give any joy then it's likely that Thanatos is right and the wireless device is just dead. Being built onto the mainboard sucks the big one, your stuck with a USB or PCMCIA/ExpressCard to use wireless.

[Sunboost]

This model doesn't have a PCMCIA slot, I've looked before. I have one of those cards somewhere that was provided by Telstra when my brother hooked up Bigpond.

Luke I'll give it a crack, I'll just say it's been JUST over 1 year and I've had this problem now.. they should be able to come to the party. Just a pain in the ass.

[John_LS1]

my G/F's compaq had to have the motherboard replaced when the wireless was doing exactly as you described. you could turn it on manually from controll panel etc but it would just switch itself back off. in the end it would heat up alot and eventually the computer would'nt switch on at all. luckily she got extended warrenty with hers.

[Jake]

You could try doing a system restore,
Start > All Programs > Accessories > System tools > System restore

Go back to a date when it was working, it will uninstall any windows updates and go back to how it was.

If you have any work or files, it might be a good idea to back it up onto a USB stick before doing this... but doing this shouldn't delete any files anyway.

[Tiga_EL]

mines busted too now wtf! if you try to go to HP wireless assitant, that wont even open up..

[Malakai]

Are you sure it's not a Windows update that has killed it?

[Tiga_EL]

i had a look through the recently added updates, appeared most of them had failed neway, and the others were related to something else, so i dont think its update related.. it was working fine had the comp running for about 4-5 hours, and then all of a sudden the connection dropped out, whilst the blue wireless light was still on, and it wouldnt find any other connections, tried to restart it and the blue light never came back

[Sunboost]

The system recovery only works if you enable it Scratch that..

Rips, give Compaq a call and see if they are willing to do anything about it. If they say they can't, get a bro their address and I'll write a letter in for both of us. Do it!

[Frost]

We just dumped 150 HP/Compaq laptops all with the same issue, only 2 years all the same, spent probably I dunno 40+ Hours to try and fix this but it has not worked. We even tried swapping chips etc. HP corporate supports solution was "Buy a new laptop" so we did Thinkpads.

I have not worked out if its software or hardware issues, he have had laptops do no updates and just die. Updates and die, get full of dust and die. First its the wireless, then the Ethernet card, then the screen, dvd drive etc.

[wolf]

stupid question but have you just tried formatting it?
also get a form of linux say like puppy linux or even ubuntu and see if the wireless works in that.

both run off the cd so you dont need to install it.

[Sunboost]

We just dumped 150 HP/Compaq laptops all with the same issue

I stopped reading after that line.

[stav50]

have u tried using wired connection? guy at my work had a compaq laptop and he couldnt connect to a network here or at home, called up and tried to get a retarded 'help' desk guy to get me to fix it and didnt worked, ended up sending it off and it works fine now. unlcuky its out of warranty, but might still be able to get it fixed. at least if it works with a wired connection its mostlikely software problem, if it doesnt then u will know its most likely a hardware problem....

[Sunboost]

Yeah worked through the network wire off the modem.

I bought a D Link USB wireless adapter. It's working and shiz, so it's all good. Doesn't get about 2 bars of fking signal though!! Seems a little slower than normal too

[Frost]

Usb adapters are not the best to use. The aerials in them arn't as powerful as built in ones.

As for you "Stoped reading after my comment"

Ill quote this from http://www.compass-group.com.au "Compass Group (Australia) Pty Ltd is the leading provider of catering and support services operating at more than 500 sites,
employing over 10,000 dedicated staff across Australia and New Zealand. "

500 Sites, and I support 15 of them IT wise, with over 60 PC/Laptops at every site.

Iv delt alot with HP/Compaq, so I know what I'm talking about. HP/Compaq laptops are crap, they die, cook themselfs, just randomly stop working. Tried many rebuilds etc and its an endless battle.

HP wont fix it out of warranty. Since Compaq/HP merged they went down hill.

As wolf said you could try a rebuild, but it will most likely be pointless. If its out of warranty find a manual online at http://www.eserviceinfo.com/browse.php?id=43 open it up and have a look see if its broken. wat Is chipset? If so it should be a separate card, and you should find one online. I may even have a few spares in the cupboard.

[Sunboost]

You threw away $150k worth of working laptops and drive a E-Series?

[Frost]

Threw away 150k of out of warranty lease laptops and drive a nissan navara. Laptops were not mine. They were Compass Groups. And I dunno if they got "thrown in the bin" or given to a charity organisation. But when I couldnt fix them and the lease was up they went, and they got thinkpads as replacements.


Do you know how large corp environments work? 150k of old equipments is nothing, taxable etc writeoff. And I grantee they got them cheaper Per Item leased than you paid for them outright.

[Sunboost]

[Frost]

Jealous Much?

Ahh classic photo that. CFA Leadership Course. Contributed to my 145IQ. You have to much time on your hands.

And it seems you cant accept the fact I might know something about your laptop.

What is the chipset of your wireless on your laptop? Atheros or Broadcom? or some other shit brand?

PS. Your Laptops shit.

[Sunboost]

And plz refrain from posting that you are l33t computer sikunt and shit and that compaq licks it. This is the only problem I've had worth mentioning in over a year

I only posted that coz I knew if I didn't you would come in this thread acting all l33t and shit, but you did it anyways.

I'm not jealous. I give no fark for you and your billions.. just like I give no fark for Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Bill Gates etc.

[nommic]

Jealous Much?

Ahh classic photo that. CFA Leadership Course. Contributed to my 145IQ. You have to much time on your hands.

Are you taking the fukking piss? LOL

[Frost]

Jealous Much?

Ahh classic photo that. CFA Leadership Course. Contributed to my 145IQ. You have to much time on your hands.

Are you taking the fukking piss? LOL

November Oscar

Problem with volunteer fire fighters?

[nommic]

Yes clearly that is what I meant.

[Frost]

Yes clearly that is what I meant.

And you know what your a fuckhead.

[needfordspeed]

LOL you twit, I think (I know) that he was having a go at you about the way you talk about your IQ...not the CFA.

[XRated]

z o m g

Give it up frost.

[Dansedgli]

z o m g

Give it up frost.

+1

This is a car forum, not a frost autobiography focusing on how awesome you are. Surely you saw that he was referring to you talking up your IQ (again) and not bagging the CFA.

[Gozza]

Yes clearly that is what I meant.

And you know what your a fuckhead.

Frost i have noticed your negativity increasing recently

[Steady]

My old man is a CFA captain, he reckons you are a fukwit too.

[Sunboost]

Fkn Frost ruin my fred and shit.

[Frost]

Sundeep an on topic question. Have you installed service pack 3? Service Pack 3 although being a service pack has caused a few issues with various peoples hardware.