Windows 7 Unidentified Network

[Swagbird]

So I've seen a couple threads about this already, but no solutions have worked for me or the person who started the thread had a slightly different problem. Basically, for a while now, maybe 3-5 months, every 5-10 hours, my internet fully shuts off, and I get the exclamation mark sign over my internet bars. When I click on it, it says I have an unidentified network, and I have no internet access, even though it still shows me connected to the Wireless connection in my house.

Some details: I'm on an Alienware M11x laptop, and I also have an Xbox 360 near me that does not have this problem (its connected to the same wireless). My desktop upstairs that is connected directly to the router is not having this problem. (Windows XP)

I can solve the problem for a while simply by disconnecting then reconnecting to the my network, but it eventually comes back 5-10 hours later.

I can also solve the problem by right clicking my internet bars and pressing "Troubleshoot Problems" which ends up saying:

Problems Found: Problem with wireless adapter or access point - Fixed

Here is the troubleshooting Report:

Windows Network Diagnostics Publisher details

Issues found
Problem with wireless adapter or access pointProblem with wireless adapter or access point Fixed
Reset the wireless adapter Completed
Investigate router or access point issues Not run
Refer to Windows Help and Support for more information about wireless connectivity problems Not run


Issues found Detection details

6 Problem with wireless adapter or access point Fixed

Thanks, if any more details are needed I'll be happy to post them.

 

[Mike]

I suggest that you consider ensuring that the Mobile Intel GS45 Chipset is updated with the latest drivers from Link Removed

I would also do this with the wireless card.

If you can give us some specs on the wireless card and the router this may be of some use.

If you are broadcasting on a Wireless-N router and only have a Wireless-G or B WiFi card this can create some issues. It very well could be a router related misconfiguration or a misconfiguration of the wireless network properties in Windows. More information will be needed, but a device driver update would be a prudent first step.

Use the Dell certified drivers. If they do not appear to have been updated in a long time, go to Intel Support for the chipset drivers.

For WiFi, we will need the specs of your card and router.

 

[Swagbird]

Alright just downloaded a "Canitga GS45" chipset" for the rest of what you said, I'm really terrible with computers, how would I go about finding the specs of my D-Link router and my Card (not sure what you mean by this)

edit: Got an error while downloading the chipset "This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing the software. Setup will now exit.

 

[Mike]

If you can just give us the make and model of both I am sure that we can try to help you find out what is going on. We can see in what way the router broadcasts and how compatible the card is with the router.

Generally, for the card, you can go to Device Manager and look under "Network adapters".

For the D-Link if you can find it on a receipt or online invoice, make and model, that will be enough. Otherwise it will be on the device itself.

 

[Manikandan]

Hi,

You can manual override the Unidentified Network classification.

go to run in windows type secpol.msc, Then click Network List Manager Policies on the left, Change it from there and try.

 

[Swagbird]

Hi,

You can manual override the Unidentified Network classification.

go to run in windows type secpol.msc, Then click Network List Manager Policies on the left, Change it from there and try.

Can't find secpol.msc tried finding it in the search bar on the start menu and tried opening it with Run, just get "Windows cannot find 'secpol.msc'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, then try again."

Under network adapters is:" Atheros AR8132 PCE-E Fast Ethernet Controller" and "DW1520 Wireless-N WLAN Half Mini Card
On the white sticker under the Router: P/N: CWBR2310ANA..A1. S/N:F332179029505. MAC ID:001CF06914F3.
H/W Ver: A1
F/W Ver 1 04

 

[Mike]

If you are running Windows Home Premium there is actually no way to access secpol.msc (Local Security Policy). Changes apparently are expected to be made through editing registry keys...

 

[Manikandan]

HI,

Please refer this link It will help you: Link Removed

 

[Swagbird]

Mike do the specs tell you anything about how to fix it?

Thanks!

 

[Mike]

My research shows the Atheros AR8132 may actually be your LAN card (Not WiFi). So this is for physical connections. Nonetheless, you may find WHQL drivers here which need to be manually updated using Device Manager.

Atheros is not exactly the best type of LAN card to have in my opinion, considering I've never heard of it before and it doesn't look like they even have a working website with drivers. (Their Ethernet section drifts off into the ether... literally). Someone in Czech Republic set up an unofficial driver site: Link Removed

(Mind you I have not tested these and this won't solve your wireless problem anyway, but if you want to update your standard ethernet card you can do so here - use at your own risk).

My goal is to try to get you updated WiFi drivers and also identify if the card is fully compatible with the router. Currently I do not have this information as I have vaguely confirmed that this isn't the WiFi card on your system. Look for a different adapter.

Try Start -> Search -> Network Connections

For a full list.

 

[Swagbird]

little reluctant downloading anything from an Unofficial Czech site.

Network connections:

Local Area Connection - Network Cable Unplugged - Atheros AR8132 PCE-E Fast Ethernet Controller
Wireless Network Connections - graham (my wireless connection) - DW1520 Wireless-N WLAN Half Mini Card

Status for this ^

IPv4 Connectivity: Internet
IPv6 Connectivity: No Network Access
Media State: Enabled

 

[Mike]

For the intermittent loss of connectivity, please read this carefully, as it could be related to your problem:

Link Removed

Now, Dell must certainly have driver updates and a software bundle for wireless. Ensure that you get it from their support.dell.com and have everything up to date.

By all rights, I do not see any difficulty you should have, but the "Unidentified Network" thing is a problem many people are experiencing. In some cases, completely uninstalling the WiFi card and reinstalling the drivers and software bundle upon restart may solve the problem. Thus, you will be somewhat giving yourself a fresh set of drivers and configuration to work with as best as possible.

Also, consider disabling IPv6 on that card. See here:

Link Removed

(These are instructions on how to do it in general)

Some WiFi card and router combinations cannot handle any type of IPv6 communication for some reason. This may be because some routers do not handle the IPv6 protocol correctly, whilst Windows 7 will try to use it on the local area network as a preference for internal communications on your LAN. This can create a intermittent connection loss to some routers.

So ultimately follow the above steps, check Dell Support for the latest WiFi drivers and software. Do not worry about it being listed as unidentified for so long as it stays on! This is our primary goal at this juncture I would say. Let me know how it goes.

 

[Swagbird]

For the intermittent loss of connectivity, please read this carefully, as it could be related to your problem:

Link Removed

I've seen this problem before while looking around google for my problem, but the unidentified network problem has nothing to do with startup for me. Reinstalling all my drivers and whatnot sounds like it could work, how would I go about doing it?

 

[Mike]

Download everything related to wireless from Dell first and keep track of where these files are being stored. Ensure that they are the correct drivers, for the correct model, etc.

Remove the existing drivers and its software bundle by uninstalling the Dell WiFi software in "Programs" if it is there.

Uninstall the card from "Device Manager". Make sure it is the right card.

Note: At this point you will have no Internet.

Restart the computer.

Begin the process of installing the Dell drivers and software. This will require an understanding of how the installation process works. Read the documentation. If possible, contact Dell for further instruction.

You will now need to create the link to your wireless connection once again.

Follow my advice about disabling IPv6 above. Consider disabling your LAN card under Network Connections by right-clicking on it and Disable. This is simply a good practice in general.

Set your WiFi card properties so that (as in the above article) it does not turn off. "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" Uncheck.

These instructions are fairly vague. I would actually need to do a video or post a large amount of screenshots for the level of support you are requesting. In general, this is the procedure. What is important is that you perform the procedure properly and carefully. If you have any doubt about what you are doing, take a step back. I cannot provide phone support to you through the forums or remote support right now, or I would try to help. However, Dell Support may indeed assist you with this to get everything functioning properly.

I believe that by updating your wireless adapter and starting from a fairly clean slate, there is a good chance you will mitigate the problems you've been experiencing. Disabling IPv6 on a wireless card is a practice that is known to work for many routers whereas the connection becomes faulty. It is not the first time it has been done to correct the issue and likely not the last. However, there is no guarantee any of these steps will work. Making sure the computer is not turning off the card to save power is also an important step.

One other thing: Try using the card without the Dell WiFi software if you have it already. If the connection works without failure, you may not need it. Sometimes third-party software, even from Dell, can create problems with wireless connections. If you still experience problems, continue to install the software applications that are associated with this device which I do believe are and should be supplied by Dell.

Again, this is not a procedure that is easy for someone who is unfamiliar with changing around system settings, removing and adding devices, and especially performing networking tasks. Writing all of this on a forum post and hoping that you can get it done perfectly is not exactly the ideal method of assistance in your case. You really should be utilizing telephone or remote desktop support from the manufacturer in this case.

However, if you believe it is worth the risk of getting everything working properly, try making these changes. Since you can't use wireless properly right now anyway, for so long as you stick to the directions, the risk may be worth the reward of being able to use your wireless connection properly.

There is still a very good chance this is all due to some misconfiguration of your router, and if that is the case, you will need to consult with D-LINK. I have found that working with Cisco/Linksys over the phone on complex issues involving customer support in the past was never a problem. I have probably called D-link support as well, and they were good. They will usually support all devices and give you good instruction if you reach the appropriate support personnel and explain the problem to them in detail. This is the best information I can give you on properly reconfiguring the router portion if that is the issue. One way or another, there is an opportunity that these steps may solve your problem.

Relying on forums is an excellent choice in many instances, but if you get into a predicament where you seriously are not sure of what you are doing, and do not feel comfortable performing certain tasks to try and fix your system, you should always consider contacting manufacturers and working that angle as well.

I do apologize if my instructions have not been clear enough, but I am hopeful you are familiar with the concepts I have explained in the various posts in this thread. Good luck with this and here is hoping the WiFi will work again. If all else fails, there are always USB-based portable WiFi adapters you can buy as a last resort. However, that does indeed defeat the purpose of having a built-in card. I have replaced cards on laptops and know what I am talking about in this regard, but there is no guarantee and a large margin for error on this one.

Good luck and please let me know how it goes.

 

[Saltgrass]

I would need a couple of pieces of information.

First, open the Network and Sharing Center. Click on Connections:Local Area Connections, then Details. Are the first 3 numbers for your IP address and the DHCP server and Gateway the same? For instance, if your DHCP server shows 192.168.1.1, then your IP address should show 192.168.1.xxx. If it shows something like 169.xxx.xxx.xxx (attach 1), then you are not getting the address from your DHCP server.

If you are not showing the same type of address as your router, you may need to set a static address until the DHCP server finds your wireless card, then later go back to letting the DHCP server find it (attach 2).

If you are showing the same address, then on the Network and sharing center, does your network show as a house or a bench. If it is a bench, click on public network and select Home Network in the dialog window that opens.

After all that, right click on your wireless icon in the system tray and select the network you want to connect to.

Snipping tool pictures attached will help us see what might be happening. Use the paperclip, and if you need to remove sensitive data, open the .gif files in paint and erase or cross off the private info.

Don't worry about the IPv6 stuff, that is mostly for the Homegroup, so far.

Oh, by the way, if I am using the wireless, I will disable the ethernet adapter.