Help - loss of wireless capability after windows 7 install

**viks3457** · 07-05-2009

Hi,
Sorry I am new to this forum and am unsure whether I have added this in the correct area.
I have installed Windows 7 RC today on my Fujitsu Siemens notebook (Amilo li2727) and since installing my wireless capability will not turn on, I have a an Atheros AR5007EG wireless network adapter that worked perfectly fine until the install. Device manager says that the adapter is working perfectly and that the driver is up to date however I cannot turn the wireless capability on (usually by using the function and F1 key). I have tried to google the problem with no luck.
Can anyone help me.
Thanks in advance
Vikki

**textureDnB** · 07-12-2009

Your post and profile are a little light on background which is probably why no one has picked up on this.Are we talking about the physical button on the laptop for wireless? If you right clik the network icon in the system tray does it show any wireless networks?

**viks3457** · 07-12-2009

Hi,
I was wondering why I had no replies lol.
I previously had Windows Vista Home Basic on the laptop, and the wireless function (pressing FN and F1) worked just fine. I then upgraded to W7 and reinstalled specific drivers and all of a sudden - no wireless networks are available when I right click the network icon, HOWEVER the hardware is reported as working correctly, drivers are all up to date etc, but Wireless needs to be turned on!!!!!! I can connect to a wireless network through a seperate wireless dongle (which is what have activated now) but the wireless capability in the laptop just cannot be turned on with the normal FN and F1 key press. Does that make sense???
Thanks
Vikki

**textureDnB** · 07-13-2009

These can be tough without being able to check through things, You can access the adapter it's just not detecting any networks?What type of router? Are you using W7 driver or did you install the ones off your recovery cd's?sounds like a simple solution i'm just not seeing it you do see that atheros adapter in the "network and sharing center"? If you right click and select connect disconnect what happens? You should get a little pop up box to the right of the main network and sharing center listing the available networks,if it's empty try clicking on the little refresh icon upper right corner of the little pop up box in question.Do you see your network now?

**viks3457** · 07-13-2009

hi,
Yes I can see my adapter in the network and sharing centre. I have tried disconnecting and reconnecting, disabling and enabling, however every time it is just saying that the wireless capability is not turned on. I have used W7 drivers and also uninstalled these and reinstalled the windows vista drivers (as it worked perfectly with vista) but his changed nothing. I reinstalled and totally updated w7 drivers for the atheros and refreshed, to no avail. I currently have a wireless netgear dongle connected to my laptop that also shows through the network and sharing centre and connects automatically, without problems, to my BT home hub router. I am totally at t aloss at what to do!
Thanks
Vikki

**textureDnB** · 07-14-2009

I've done a little googling for you if you do some searches on your model laptop and/or adapter you will get alot of similar hits it seems this happens with that adapter in alot of new OS installs and i haven't seen one solid fix.If you look a little deeper (i just skimmed) you may find an answer.I saw a couple of possibilities but nothing i would be comfortable telling you to try mostly registry changes which are always a little dicey. I'm assuming your still running a dual boot with your old OS? Does wireless work there? I also see alot about a toggle switch on the side of that box that is very hard to see which will turn off/on the radio,I'm assuming you checked the manual? It seems from what i'm reading that when you fn+f1 it starts a utility from atheros that alows you to turn on the radio? If that is your situation it sounds like that utility isn't playing nice with seven or is not installed at all. It might be on what ever recovery media came with the system i know you installed all the drivers, was that from cd? Was there a utility? It seems that this adapter uses it's own utility if it does you may want to try to find it in programs and features or preferably in all programs, right click it, select properties, the compatibility tab and try running it in compatibility mode for vista.It definitely sounds like a missing utility/driver that card seems to have a history of being a PAIN from what i'm reading and doesn't play well with others. how old is the machine a new wireless adapter shouldnt be too big a hit if nothing else works. Do you have any expansion room left? that might be the easiest fix if you can't find that software to reinstall. if you can get me a name of the utlity (assuming there was one)i'll be glad to do a little research but atheros doesn't seem to be very helpful their is alot of third party garbage to read through and little if anything from atheros itself I dont know how brave you are or talented with system restore and safe mode if any of these should create a problem, these are NOT sites i'm familiar with personally that doesn't mean it's bad info i just cant tell you i trust these folks from pesonal experience like here or Tom's Hardware., but check out these linke the first one is a forum post and the second is a google search with similar hits.

http://www.notebookforums.com/thread209078-2.html

http://www.google.com/search?q=Vista...&start=10&sa=N
It does seem that there is an answaer out there post back your findings and if nothing else i will show you how and where to re post so that some of the more knowledgeable folks here will pick up on it.