More problems with Vista

[grouch]

I finally got around to going with a broadband internet connection. Now, I'm can't use it like I planned. I bought a wireless system and it seems to have set up okay. However, this damned machine won't look at it. I managed to figure out that I need to turn the wireless ability on. It's either a small switch or a command code set up. I've looked at everything I can and can't find any switch. I've got a Toshiba laptop running the Vista Home Premium, which doesn't really have much to it. I specifically went with this system so I can access the internet from elsewhere other than my living room.

Anybody got any idea how to turn the wireless capability on on this thing? I tried looking at the windows help but it wasn't much use. Microsoft seems to have forgotten that a lot of their customers have other things to do besides research computers.

[dom]

Hmm.. Is there a button upstairs on your keyboard that shows like a wireless symbol. Sometimes you can turn the wireless card on that way.

It would be like a tower looking symbol, you would have to hold down a Fn (function key) and then press that key. On some units one of the F1-12 key are it.

Also, on some computers there is a manual switch on the laptop itself.

Are you sure you have the router connected to your modem and you have a signal. All the lights are lit up and solid?

Hope you get it sorted out. Nothing like sitting on the couch, or laying on the floor being on the net. That is how I do it.

Also, you will need to view available networks in your area, i.e., the one you set up.

When you are viewing available networks you will be able to select the one you just set up.

If you continue to have problems post here and I will go into more detail.

I don't have Vista, but will try to help.

[DonTom]

I finally got around to going with a broadband internet connection. Now, I'm can't use it like I planned. I bought a wireless system and it seems to have set up okay. However, this damned machine won't look at it. I managed to figure out that I need to turn the wireless ability on. It's either a small switch or a command code set up. I've looked at everything I can and can't find any switch. I've got a Toshiba laptop running the Vista Home Premium, which doesn't really have much to it. I specifically went with this system so I can access the internet from elsewhere other than my living room.

Anybody got any idea how to turn the wireless capability on on this thing? I tried looking at the windows help but it wasn't much use. Microsoft seems to have forgotten that a lot of their customers have other things to do besides research computers.

Try Function F-2. If that doesn't work, try function and all the other numbers on top of the keyboard. There is often an antenna symbol on the wireless key. They often call this key combination a "switch" just to confuse us.

-Don- Reno

[grouch]

I was talking to a computer geek today who I had given advice to about the brakes on his Beemer. I saved him about $800. He told me where to look. It's a little bitty manual switch on the front but it's so small, and hard to see, I never noticed it. I still can't get the wireless modem to program but at least I can now use the wireless, once the bugs are worked out. Once again, I'll repeat;

I HATE VISTA !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MikeHalloran]

The invisible switch isn't really Vista's fault, but I feel your pain.

I spent a weekend with Vista, and in that time learned to hate it, too.

What I was doing, was trying to get the wireless connection to start working again, after an automatic update killed it. I knew the hardware was still okay because a Linux CD could boot it up and use the wireless just fine. In fact, booting from the Linux CD was faster, a _lot_ faster, than booting Vista from the hard drive.

That hard drive now has XP on it.

[DonTom]

"I HATE VISTA !!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I like it. But there are some things that are a small hassle until you know the tricks. Seems they really over did the security BS to the point that the operating system is impossible to use for many simple tasks.

For one BIG example, if "User Account Control" is on, which is the default. That limits us from doing many every day things with Vista. The only problem then is the little reminder that it's turned off.

What is it that you don't like about Vista?

-Don- (Reno, NV)

[MikeHalloran]

For one thing, they moved everything around, for no apparent reason, so it's different from XP, to which I was conditioned. The permission stuff I can understand, but it's easier and more comprehensible (or less incomprehensible) in Linux.

The thing that really torqued me was the stupid cycle Vista got into, where it 'd discover that the wireless wasn't working, brag about how smart if was, offer to fix the problem automatically (no other choice was offered), churn for upwards of 30 minutes, assert that the wireless was fixed (it wasn't) and eventually discover that it wasn't working... and repeat.

On top of that, on brand new modern hardware with lots of memory and lots of disk space, it was BOG SLOW at _everything_. That same computer absolutely screamed on Puppy Linux, a lightweight but usable distribution with a slightly silly name.

[DonTom]

The thing that really torqued me was the stupid cycle Vista got into, where it 'd discover that the wireless wasn't working, brag about how smart if was, offer to fix the problem automatically (no other choice was offered), churn for upwards of 30 minutes, assert that the wireless was fixed (it wasn't) and eventually discover that it wasn't working... and repeat.

IIRC, that can happen on XP too. None of those "fix it for you automatically" has ever worked for me in any program. I have had them say there's no problem when there is as well as say it's fixed when it's not and all types of nonsense.

Would you feel as bad about Vista after the same thing happens to you in XP?

-Don- (Reno)

[grouch]

IIRC, that can happen on XP too. None of those "fix it for you automatically" has ever worked for me in any program. I have had them say there's no problem when there is as well as say it's fixed when it's not and all types of nonsense.

Would you feel as bad about Vista after the same thing happens to you in XP?

-Don- (Reno)

Actually, I've got two other machines that run XP, plus one in storage that runs 95. I got along fine with them all. Even my older one running 3.1 and DOS. My biggest grip is lazy programmers.

[MikeHalloran]

Would you feel as bad about Vista after the same thing happens to you in XP?

I've been using XP at work since it was introduced, and I've seen a lot of bizarre behaviors from it, but nothing like that arrogant and nonfunctional Vista crap.