network my no longer be in range

I have two HP laptops running Windows XP with Novell netware. Recently, I have gotten an error "Windows is unable to connect to the selected network. The network my no longer be in range. Please refresh the list of available networks, and try to connect again."

This is when it si sitting next to the Actiontec GT-701 router, or my wife's Gateway Laptop or my iPad (both of which connect just fine). I have tried turning the other units off (to make sure I wasn't trying to connect too many machines to the same router), but didn't help.

The two HPs can both find other WiFis just fine (I can actually reach and use my neighbors, but it is a) stealing and b) slow). No changes were made to the system that I am aware of (was working just great until fairly recently).

Any ideas? I have tried to remove and reconnect the network connection, turn on and off router, check for driver updates ...

 

Welcome to BBS,

Check in Device Manager to make sure the network adapters are visible and correctly installed. You could also try uninstalling the drivers then rebooting to re-install them.

If this initial step does not work please provide the model number/s of the HP laptops.

Did both the HP's have the same problem at the same time?

 

reply

The first laptop is an HP Compaq 6715b. The other is a 6736b. For all intent and purpose, they both started having problems with the home wireless network at the same time.

I tried uninstalling the driver on the Broadcom 802.11.a/b/g WLAN, but did the same thing when rebooted. (This is on the HP 6715b, which I will continue to work on until further notice)

It also has a 1394 NEt Adapter
Bluetooth LAN Access Server Driver
Cisco Systems VPN Adapter

All of which are disabled

and a Broadcom Netlink (TM) Gigabit Etherner (this one enabled, and working according to the device manager).

Why would this machine work in other locations (ie, McDonalds, the library, etc), but not on home system? Especially since, as I mentioned, the home system is still working fine for the other laptop and iPad. I would wonder if maybe my IT at work changed something, but this HP is network supported, and the other is not. The only thing left to guess (in my mind) is that either a Windows update or HP update messed something up. Is that possible?

 

I am not sure if any kind of update could have changed a setting in your system but that seems the only logical reason that this could of happened.

I suspect that this is due to security settings as you have no problem connecting with public networks. Do you have security settings on the router? The quickest way to prove this is to reset the router. Somewhere on the router there will be a small hole marked reset. You need to use something like a paperclip to poke into the hole, push and hold it for at least 5 seconds or until there is some visible response from the routers indicators.

This will clear passwords and any security settings and will hopefully allow you to get a connection with the HP's.

Let me know if this works.

 

That was actually one of the first things I tried (amazing how often turning it off and on again works).

 

But did you actually operate the reset button, not just turn on and off.

Have you tried to connect to your router using a cable to see if that will work.

Is you Gateway laptop also running Windows XP, are they all up to date on SP3? Click on Start and Run, type cmd into the box and hit enter, then at the command prompt type ipconfig /all and check for anything different between the HP's and the Gateway's configuration.