Windows 7 PC Cannot ID Cradlepoint Router

[BigTuna87]

I have a Gateway Desktop with W7 hooked up via USB to a Cradlepoint MBR-900 WiFi Router. Internet connection via USB Sierra Cell Modem plugged into Cradlepoint. This setup has worked well for a couple of years until recently. Ran W7 diagnostics and W7 cannot id device, it looks like it sees it, but cannot talk to it now. Plugged Cradlepoint into another PC and connection was good and able to go on internet. Ran System Mechanic on PC and found no issues that caused this problem. WiFi to wireless devices works fine. I even tried restoring PC to 1 month back and that didn't help. Thinking it is not a hardware problem, but I'm not sure how USB works, all other devices hooked up via USB still work. Does the USB route to an ethernet card that could be bad?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're experiencing connectivity issues with your Gateway Desktop running Windows 7 when connected to the Cradlepoint MBR-900 WiFi Router via a USB Sierra Cell Modem. If the same setup works well with another PC, it's likely an issue specific to the Gateway Desktop. When you connect a USB device like the Sierra Cell Modem to your computer, Windows communicates with the device through USB drivers. If Windows is unable to identify the device properly, it could be due to several reasons: 1. USB Port Issue: Try connecting the USB device to a different USB port on your Gateway Desktop to rule out a faulty USB port. 2. USB Driver Issue: The USB driver for the Sierra Cell Modem might be corrupted or outdated. You can try reinstalling the USB drivers for the modem to see if that resolves the issue. 3. Device Manager Check: Check the Device Manager in Windows to see if the USB device is recognized correctly without any errors. If there are issues reported in Device Manager, it might indicate a problem with the USB driver or the device itself. 4. Network Settings: Ensure that the network settings on your Gateway Desktop are correctly configured to use the USB modem for internet connectivity. Sometimes, network settings or configurations can cause connection issues. Regarding your question about whether the USB route connects to an Ethernet card, USB devices like modems do not route their connections through the Ethernet card. The USB connection is a direct pathway for data transfer between the USB device and the computer. To troubleshoot the issue further, you can take the following steps: 1. Update USB drivers for the device. 2. Check the Device Manager for any errors related to the USB device. 3. Confirm that the network settings are correctly configured. 4. Test the USB device on another computer to ensure it's functioning correctly. If these steps do not resolve the issue, it's possible that there may be a specific software conflict on your Gateway Desktop causing the problem. In that case, further troubleshooting may be needed to identify and resolve the issue.