USR PCI WiFi problems

[BeeHay]

ok so i have installed this (http://www.usr.com/support/product-template.asp?prod=5417) wireless card into my brothers machine...he has this (http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWeb/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=453&MenuID=22&LanID=9) system board...i can install this wifi card at work for him and it works flawlessly, but as soon as we transport the machine to his house, the card will not register...i pop the card out and slap it in my mom's machine at the same house and nothing...:scratch: if i take the card home and throw it in my box, works fine. even all the machines at work i can test with, the card is fine...:irk:

now im not sure what is goin on but it's really starting to urk me...i've tried all the pci slots, removed the pci bus from device manager and let it reinstall itself, flashed bioses, and everything i can think of short of re-installing windows...:smash: :smash: :smash:

even at USR's website there is a specific faq link here (http://www.usr.com/support/5411/54xx-ug/trouble1.html) that i think is a rather funny solution...:lol:

so if anyone has some ideas, PLEASE throw 'em at me! :thumbs: :yup:

[BB_One]

Wireless NIC - what is the common demoninator?

It has to register with a wireless Access Point/Router!

By the sound of it, at work and in your house it is being recognized by the AP device, at your brother' s house ( 2 different PCs) the AP device is ignoring the Wireless NIC - hence do not try to troubleshot the NIC Card - troubleshoot the AP device at your brother's house.

Ensure that the correct Authentication Mode and encryption key are being used

If all is well, does he have another wireless device that synchs with said AP and does it work ? IF not , and this is the only device and all seems right at both end - start looking into wireless frequency interference, move the pc closer to AP device - is the device connected on the same power outlet (circuit) as some dohickey thingie causing noise , such as an Air conditioner or Fridge?

Is the AP device in the basement and PC on 3rd floor with some strange architectural/ construction material that could impair the ability of the signal to travel...etc etc...

Let us know how it turns out....and what the problem was if and when you find it.

[BeeHay]

oh, i should have been clear when i said 'registers'. when i say that i meant in device manager, like the PC doesnt even recognize the card is there!

everyonce ina while the computer will detect the card, but in device manager it will say it cant start...but this is ONLY in my brothers box...:scratch:

i know my wireless settings!! :lol: :lol:

[BB_One]

Duh ....indeed a confusing original problem description. 2 minus brownie point for you for making me type the previous post !

Now to get the facts straight or call you on your white lies....:D


everyonce ina while the computer will detect the card, but in device manager it will say it cant start...but this is ONLY in my brothers box...


i pop the card out and slap it in my mom's machine at the same house and nothing

Help us out here, which is it ? On only one pc or both pc's ???

What OS versions on the pc (s?) ? Same as you and the offices - what is different with those machines - something odd for it to happen based on a HOUSE environment. 2 pcs the same brand ?

Come on buddy spit it out and give us details - Windows 98 Me XP -

Whats is (are) the pc configuration and NO do not send us travelling the Internet Merry way to read some web page - spit it all out and as precisely as possible.

This way we might in fact be looking at the same issues as oppose to going on a wild chase based on poorly stated request for help, or improperly identified environment.:hide:

Geezz... now that I think of it - 3 minus brownie points for your original request for help. :deviltail

[BeeHay]

lemme eat lunch first!

lmao, sry man...

[BeeHay]

Help us out here, which is it ? On only one pc or both pc's ???

my brother's is the only one that will sometimes detect the card, my mothers won't even budge...both machines were built by me :rotflmao: :eek:

the systems i tested the card out at work are all intel board, P2/P3 setups, barebone with 2000 installed on em, mine is asus board, p4 w/xp.


ok, my brothers system specs -
478 cely 2.8 oc'ed to 3.0
ecs pm800-m2
512 megs of glorious kingston :bonk:
x700 pro
cd/dwd rw
xp pro

im not clear on what my mom is running, i know it's light and everything is onboard running xp pro...i do know it's a cely 2.6, 512 unknown ram...

all his BIOS settings are pretty straight forward and rather light due to the cheap system board...:o i'm not so sure on the PCI settings as i have never had to change any on any machine due to a add-in card not detecting. i cleared his cmos and tried again, the card recognized, but quickly errored out. i can install his tv tuner card and SB Live! without a hitch, same on my mothers.

one thing i did notice is for some reason both his and my mothers PCI slots are purple. not sure if this has any affect on pci cards, but i do remember seeing that...

and about those brownie points, can i earn 'em back with an 18 pack? :beer: :lol:

[BB_One]

Ok focus on brother PC only - mom out for now. So following is for Bro's pc only and nothing else.

IF 'all pci' slots connector are purple none issue - just a color choosen by mobo maker, although different then what is showned for said board in the link you have provided above.

What XP Pro - Sp1 or Sp2?

Do confirm that mobo is indeed what you linked above and therefor via based chipset.

On bro's pc - remove any and all card in the pci slots. Now install ONLY the Wireless NIC in pci slot one - what happens?

Long story short - I am trying to find out if for some reasons you are not encountering a pci IRQ steering / assigment problem. Hence 2 PCI device sharing same IRQ and XP puking on it.

Might have to clean drivers ( remove through windows the drivers for the TV Tuner and the SB Live - and the NIC) - reboot with only the Wireless Nic installed in a pci slot - should be detected by windows and now install drivers and test.

Brownie points - nah - it will only be granted back when you fix this problem !

Edit : In bios go to your screen that shows OnBoardLan and disable it - in addition to disabling Onboard Lan Boot Rom. Via's onboard lan is a pci device which might be causing a conflict.

[BeeHay]

hopefully i'll get this figured out tonight...im headed over the folks' house for dinner anyway, and plus they told me the 50' cable running through the hallway into my brothers room is more than likely a hazard for them at 2 am smashed drunk...

:lol:

i didn't try the disabling of the onboard nic though, actually i didn't even think of that. :thumb:

[BeeHay]

so, last night i tore into my bro's pc once again with no avail...:beat:

1st thing i tried was went into the bios and turned off the on-board sound and on-board nic which in turn made windows hang at the splash screen...i said ok, lets boot into safe mode...hmm, hangs on good ole Mup.sys which i'm pretty sure this file has something to do with networking. :smash:

so i re-enabled the sound/network and windows would now boot, but still no love on the wifi card...after reading 32487234098 threads on this mup.sys and asking my brother if he had some spyware infections (which was of course yes) i told him we may have to wipe & reload as others had to with this problem...being that he hates me tinkering with his pc (he thinks i can't find his pr0n :lol: ) and him having to soon do a full back-up, he didn't seem to happy...but i was reading somewhere that a few people have had similar errors to their network devices, spyware, and windows updates causing similar symptoms...the others with this problem said it happened like this -

their network devices stopped working, they did a spyware scan, removed all infections, restarted, windows update, and finally a hung computer...

so, im guessing this -

1-run chkdsk /r
2-get into safe mode and run spyware, remove un-necessary drivers, windows update
3-more windows updates :lol:
4-and try the wifi card again

any other suggestions? i really dont wanna wipe, and im sure my bro doesnt want to either, but if need be it'll happen...:hide:

[RotorHead]

Try a system restore before you do a complete wipe. It will keep all you current settings and files intact and only overwrite the system files.

I know you probably don't want to spend any money on new hardware but, I've found that these little guys work great for family and friends.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833124158

[joeMan]

BeeHay -

If you haven't already, go into START> Administrative Tools> Services. Make sure a service called "Wireless Zero" is started and set to automatic. One time this is what stumped me till I finally figured it out...

[BeeHay]

I know you probably don't want to spend any money on new hardware

yea, i tend to lean toward USR stuff as i've always had great product performance and this wifi card matches the router for the 125Mbps (in theory :lol: ) burst rate for my brothers online gaming needs.

and joeMan - i haven't looked into those services, i will check em out later this evening when i go for round 3 on this thing...:bonk:

but the more i read and research, it looks like it's gonna be a wipe-n-reload :cry: