Driver Issue?

Hello,
I'm trying to fix my Aunt's Laptop. I don't know if this is a driver issue or what, but I can't get her computer to connect to the internet wirelessly (it shows no connections when my laptop detects and connects to our WiFi just fine). I have also tried to connect it to the internet via Ethernet, but it's not detecting it. I tried to install a new network adapter on the computer, but even after I installed the driver from the software CD, it said it couldn't find the drivers to make the adapter work. I don't know what to do with it honestly. It is almost like the computer isn't detecting USB or Ethernet. I can't get online to check the drivers from the Dell site.

Here is the specifics:
Dell Inspiron 1545
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 64bit
Pentium(R) Duel-Core CPU T4400 @ 2.20GHz
Ram: 3.00GB

Thanks in advance.

 

In device manager, is there a yellow exclamation mark next to your network adapters?

 

Yes, it is a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark inside. However, it is only beside the Dell Wireless 1397 WLAN Mini-Card.

 

See if this driver will work. It states it is for the 1510 but it shows it also being compatible with the 1397. Install in an admin account.

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers...ormats?c=us&s=dhs&cs=19&l=en&DriverId=R237779

 

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I had to download it, put it on a flash drive and just luckily it detected it. When I tried to install it, it says that it's not compatible with my system :cry

 

Update: I have updated/reinstalled the network driver and the chipset driver. It is still not working.

 

In device manager, right click the device with the exclamation mark, select properties and in the details tab, provide the Vendor and Device Id on the first line after selecting Hardware ID's in the dropdown box.

 

Dell Wireless 1397 WLAN Mini-Card

Hardware ID's:
PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4315&SUBSYS_000C1028&REV_01

 

I am not sure if this driver will work for you but try it. Download by clicking the small hard drive picture.

http://www.driveridentifier.com/sca...ware_id=PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4315&SUBSYS_000C1028

Edit: I would try this driver first. Do a virus scan first and also at virustotal just to be sure. This link was from wikidrivers.

http://wikidrivers.com/wiki/Broadcom_BCM43xx_win6x

http://www.mediafire.com/?n2sj1yyk5j9gj0u

 

That didn't do anything

 

Did you try the one from Wikidrivers? If that did not work, try the Dell driver for Vista. Unzip the driver by double clicking on it but do not install it yet. Post back when you have the R206848 folder opened.

Edit: I am not sure this would be your problem but make sure your Wireless Lan is enabled in BIOS. Is there a service tag sticker on the bottom of the laptop. What is the number?

 

The service tag is: D91Z8L1

I have already installed that driver.

 

Do you have the C:\DELL\DRIVERS\R206848 folder?

Edit: according to your service tag, this is the driver (Win7 64bit) you should download. Have you tried this driver?

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers...ormats?c=us&s=dhs&cs=19&l=en&DriverId=R228532

 

Yes, it created a folder when I installed it. I made sure to create the folder.

 

Sorry, I edited my last post. Did you download the Dell R228532 shown in my last post. This is the driver listed for your service tag.

 

Yes, I have already downloaded it. Thanks for trying to help by the way lol this is a pain my neck.

 

If you have downloaded R228532, do you have a C:\DELL\DRIVERS\R228532 folder? If so, can you post what is in the folder. A screen shot is okay. And did you see if the Wireless lan is enabled in BIOS?

 

Yes it is. Okay, when I restarted my computer, something popped up about sockets and initialization?

 

Was that an error? That usually relates to the TCP/IP stack or Winsock. You still have the yellow exclamation mark?

 

I'm not sure.

 

Right click on the wireless device in Device manager and select properties. What does it say in the Device Status Box under the General tab?