Need help with wireless internet connection on my comp

**_Switch_** · August 12th, 2005, 05:08 PM

Hey guys,

Well about a week ago, I moved stuff around my room for a change, and in the process I broke off the wireless antenna on my pci card, now I was getting very worried and was sweating like crap, so I hurridely (?) put all my stuff in the spots I wanted to, and plugged everything into my computer and set it all up.

Then I took a look at my wireless antenna to see what sort of damage I had done, and basically the whole of the antenna had came apart from the screwy knob that goes onto the pci card, and all that it was hanging from was the wire, so I'm like, OK let's see if I can put it back into working condition. So I unscrewed it carefully making sure that I didn't rip off the wire, and I just pushed it all back together the way that it was in the first place, and then I screwed it back into the pci card.

Then I turned my computer on to see if I had fixed it, no luck, Windows couldn't find any wireless networks whatsoever, so now I'm getting really freaked, but then I remembered that I still had the D-Link Air Utility, so I disabled the windows wireless config, and then entered all the info into the D-Link prog. and to no avail, I still could not find any wireless network, so now I'm like CRAP!!....I didn't want to screw with the antenna anymore, and I told my mom about it so she knows.

Then the next day I went to my friends grandfathers trailer (real nice) up in Peterbourogh (?) for a week thinking that it might just blow over, and we got back today, so I went to start my computer, and as I figured would happen, still no wireless, so I tried taking my mom's lappy (which I'm on now) and tried plugging an ethernet from hers to mine thinking I could use her wireless connection on her lappy, but it didn't work (cuz I think you ned a crossover cable instead of regular patch cable), so is there a way I could temporarily use my mom's lappy wireless connection through my computer, because I don't want to have to move my comp downstairs, and using this laptop is a pain because it's somewhat old, and the graphics hurt my eyes (8 mb intel extreme ->1024x768 max @ 60hz

) so anything could help....

Oh and btw, my wireless router is a D-Link DI-514, the pci card on my comp is a DWL-510, and the wireless card on my mom's comp is a GatewayWireless .11B card.....plus I have an extra router we used to use before I got a comp, so maybe that would be useful?

Oh and btw again, I mean temporary because I'm guna get those range extenders that screw into the wireless thingy, so that I can get increaqsed coverage, and a fix to my problem.

Thx!

**bwcc** · August 12th, 2005, 05:35 PM

Yes, you can share the internet connection from the laptop, but you do need a cross-over cable to connect and setup the ICS Wizard in XP, but that's more of a PITB.

Not knowing what your signal strength was prior, your best bet is probably to spring for a new wireless card. A broken antenna aint going to do you any good - range extenders or not.

**mjolnir1134** · August 12th, 2005, 05:45 PM

Neweggs got a lotta PCI wireless adapters to get you started with. Hey, they're much better prices than what you see in Best buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ubmit=Property

**_Switch_** · August 12th, 2005, 05:58 PM

yes, i know i could go out and buy a new pci card.....but what i said before (not sure if i explained clearly) was that what i asked for (first post) and if it could be done would be temporary, and that I was going to buy 2 wireless range extenders, one for my router and one for my computer.......because wouldnt that improve my signal a lot plus it'd fix my problem.....(5-6dbi range extender on both router and card, as compared to 2dbi).....because wouldnt another pci card just give me the same range as before (which i got low to verygood....mostly good.....

**brewskieman21** · August 12th, 2005, 06:41 PM

If I understand you correctly Switch your saying if you bought 2 wireless range extenders would it work for your wireless network card (the 1 with the broken antenna) right? If I did understand you correctly, I seriously doubt that would work. As mjolnir said it's best to go ahead and buy a new wireless network card unless your MacGyver and can rig up something

.

**_Switch_** · August 12th, 2005, 08:14 PM

GAHHHHHHHHH......ok this is what I meant.....you know the antenna you can unscrew from ur wireless pci card? yea that one.......well what i mean is get a range extender that screws into where ur regular antenna would go into....as in this kinda thing......http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...10864.......it screws right into where ur old antenna used to be...and works the same way.....just with higher dbi (more coverage)....so i'd use one for my comp and my router (which would give me a lot more coverage and a solution)

**brewskieman21** · August 12th, 2005, 08:38 PM

Oh sorry man, I misunderstood you. To answer your question, yes if it is compatible with your network card then give it a try. I thought where you screwed in the antenna was broke instead of just the actual antenna itself.

**_Switch_** · August 12th, 2005, 10:03 PM

no no....on my antenna i have the part that screws in and then this part that if you pull really hard it breaks off and is where the wire is soldered on.........and thats what broke...not the screw in thingy......so i guess ill give it a try...and thx

**brewskieman21** · August 13th, 2005, 09:52 AM

no problem.... good luck

**_Switch_** · August 13th, 2005, 05:00 PM

yea...thx.....and i was wondering.....the antenna i posted earlier is at bestbuy...which is bout 30 min drive.....for 39$ CAD.......and then there's this one ->http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Pr...roduct=2513271 at The Source...which is a 5 min drive for 49$ CAD......now im buying 2....so i'd save 20 bucks......so would it be worth it to drive out....or should i buy that generic one that i havent heard of before ?:P

**brewskieman21** · August 14th, 2005, 02:27 PM

I don't know man. All depends on what kind of warranty they have to offer. I've never heard of Gemini. I tried looking it up online, but didn't see anything.

**brewskieman21** · August 14th, 2005, 02:28 PM

Oh also, depends on if BestBuy or The Source would give you a refund if you didn't like it.

**_Switch_** · August 14th, 2005, 03:41 PM

alright, well today i went to bb and bought 2 of the d-link antennas i was talking about....and it's 150% better then it was before.....webpages load a lot faster....and aignal strength is always excellent!!

thx for all your help in making this happen