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Wireless networking is only cool and convenient when it works right. Networking problems can — and probably will — occur at some point. The causes of networking problems are many and varied, but they can usually be solved by following a methodical troubleshooting process.
The following steps help you troubleshoot a bad wireless connection. Stop following the steps when the connection problem is solved:
1. Refresh the wireless connection that is giving you trouble.
2. Temporarily disable the firewall or Internet security software on the computer that is having connection troubles.
3. Open the wireless connection manager and make sure that the SSID is correct. Also make sure that encryption settings and keys match the settings in your WAP (Wireless Access Point).
4. Restart DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) on your WAP; if necessary reboot the WAP.
5. If the troublesome Wi-Fi adapter is removable — such as a USB, cardbus, or Ethernet bridge adapter — remove or disconnect it and disconnect any power cords. Then reconnect the device.
6. Right-click the My Computer icon in the Windows Start menu and choose Properties.
7. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab and then click the Device Manager button (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: The System Properties dialog box.
8. In the Device Manager window, click the plus-sign next to Network Adapters (see Figure 2).
Figure 2: Check the status of your wireless adapter in the Device Manager.
 | If you see a yellow exclamation mark next to the name of the adapter, something is wrong. Right-click it and choose Uninstall, restart Windows, and then re-install the driver software as described in the manufacturer's instructions. |
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