Wireless set-up with Vista laptop - make it automatic?

P

poachedeggs

I've just set up a wireless modem for my dad, who'd had a wired modem
for 18 months. It's more convenient but it takes a while to get
linked up, especially as the wireless has to be manually started with
two keys. I've clued my dad up a a fair bit but he tries to get
surfing before it's all going properly. Because I normally use Ubuntu
now my own wireless is on a few seconds past the BIOS screen, I
suppose, and I wondered if there is some registry alteration or
something that can be made so that the wireless is always on once
Vista starts up.

Or maybe the wireless process can be put into the startup programs? I
wouldn't know what the process or software is called (whether it's
among Vista's programs or the Advent's add-on stuff). If Ubuntu
running on the same laptop would allow immediate wireless I imagine
there's no hardware reason why this can't be done. Normally it's a
case of pressing Fn and F10 with Vista. If the laptop is merely
restarted rather than turned off and on the wireless remains on.

The waiting wouldn't bother me, but my dad being of a certain age is
not mad keen on change and different procedures.... I stop short of
seeing if you can use eBay with carrier pigeons....

Thanks.

p.s. No Ubuntu-bashing required this time, I like it and Vista
both. :)
 
P

poachedeggs

Yes, the radio card is turned on with Fn and F10 on the laptop
keyboard. I'm thinking it must be possible to bypass needing to do
this. This is true of my dad's Advent 9115, and a similar thing with
Vista is needed with my Toshiba. When I boot into the latter's Ubuntu
partition (or if I use my netbook with Linux Mint on it) the wireless
network is available without any Fn and F10.

Thanks in anticipation of any next step.
 
B

Bookman

Go to Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center
Click View Status for your Dad's wireless connection.
Click the Wireless Properties button.
Check "Connect automatically when this network is in range".
 
P

poachedeggs

This is what the settings already are though. At present the wireless
card doesn't come on until Fn and F10 are pressed. Might there be a
way of altering the registry so that Vista acts as if these keys have
been pressed when the machine boots into Vista?

I put this question in one other group and the fella who replied there
seems to think all laptops turn their wireless cards on automatically,
yes both the ones I've had, Fujitsu and a Toshiba, and this Advent of
my dad's have required the wireless turned on manually as I describe.

What would the process be called that the Fn and F10 initiates, and
could it be placed in the Startup programs listed in Security Centre >
Windows Defender > Tools > Software Explorer.

The wireless card is a Ralink, if that helps.

Thanks in anticipation of any further ideas.
 
J

Jim

This is what the settings already are though. At present the wireless
card doesn't come on until Fn and F10 are pressed. Might there be a
way of altering the registry so that Vista acts as if these keys have
been pressed when the machine boots into Vista?

I put this question in one other group and the fella who replied there
seems to think all laptops turn their wireless cards on automatically,
yes both the ones I've had, Fujitsu and a Toshiba, and this Advent of
my dad's have required the wireless turned on manually as I describe.

What would the process be called that the Fn and F10 initiates, and
could it be placed in the Startup programs listed in Security Centre >
Windows Defender > Tools > Software Explorer.

The wireless card is a Ralink, if that helps.

Thanks in anticipation of any further ideas.
Click to expand...

On my Advent laptop wireless is Fn+F2 .
 
B

Bookman

I haven't found a registry key yet.... Is the Wlan service set to run
automatic or manual?
Click the start "orb", type services, runs services as administrator if
you're not logged into the computer with an administrator account.

This is what the settings already are though. At present the wireless
card doesn't come on until Fn and F10 are pressed. Might there be a
way of altering the registry so that Vista acts as if these keys have
been pressed when the machine boots into Vista?

I put this question in one other group and the fella who replied there
seems to think all laptops turn their wireless cards on automatically,
yes both the ones I've had, Fujitsu and a Toshiba, and this Advent of
my dad's have required the wireless turned on manually as I describe.

What would the process be called that the Fn and F10 initiates, and
could it be placed in the Startup programs listed in Security Centre >
Windows Defender > Tools > Software Explorer.

The wireless card is a Ralink, if that helps.

Thanks in anticipation of any further ideas.
 
P

poachedeggs

If you mean WLAN autoconfig it says 'automatic'. Someone's turned up
a thread on this elsewhere (uk.comp.homebuilt) that refers to covering
a pin on the actual card, but it must be easier than that. As has
been observed in that thread, if you have certain antivirus stuff
running it will try and look for unpdates when you've logged on but
are not yet with this laptop online.

I'm going to keep looking, if anyone has any ideas still, thanks. And
thanks so far.
 
T

Tae Song

poachedeggs said:
I've just set up a wireless modem for my dad, who'd had a wired modem
for 18 months. It's more convenient but it takes a while to get
linked up, especially as the wireless has to be manually started with
two keys. I've clued my dad up a a fair bit but he tries to get
surfing before it's all going properly. Because I normally use Ubuntu
now my own wireless is on a few seconds past the BIOS screen, I
suppose, and I wondered if there is some registry alteration or
something that can be made so that the wireless is always on once
Vista starts up.

Or maybe the wireless process can be put into the startup programs? I
wouldn't know what the process or software is called (whether it's
among Vista's programs or the Advent's add-on stuff). If Ubuntu
running on the same laptop would allow immediate wireless I imagine
there's no hardware reason why this can't be done. Normally it's a
case of pressing Fn and F10 with Vista. If the laptop is merely
restarted rather than turned off and on the wireless remains on.

The waiting wouldn't bother me, but my dad being of a certain age is
not mad keen on change and different procedures.... I stop short of
seeing if you can use eBay with carrier pigeons....

Thanks.

p.s. No Ubuntu-bashing required this time, I like it and Vista
both. :)
Click to expand...

What model Advent is this?
 
R

Randem

Check with the third party software for that card. It would control the
connection or you can just have Windows manage the connection and be done
with it.

--
Randem Systems
Your Installation Specialist
The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
Disk Read Error Press Ctl+Alt+Del to Restart
http://www.randem.com/discus/messages/9402/9406.html?1236319938



Yes, the radio card is turned on with Fn and F10 on the laptop
keyboard. I'm thinking it must be possible to bypass needing to do
this. This is true of my dad's Advent 9115, and a similar thing with
Vista is needed with my Toshiba. When I boot into the latter's Ubuntu
partition (or if I use my netbook with Linux Mint on it) the wireless
network is available without any Fn and F10.

Thanks in anticipation of any next step.
 
P

poachedeggs

It's the Advent 9115. Had my hopes up on an unofficial Advent forum
for a bit there regarding how it installs Relatek drivers when the
card is a Railink but having followed all the steps I'm still having
to start the wireless manually.
 
T

Tae Song

poachedeggs said:
It's the Advent 9115. Had my hopes up on an unofficial Advent forum
for a bit there regarding how it installs Relatek drivers when the
card is a Railink but having followed all the steps I'm still having
to start the wireless manually.
Click to expand...


I was actually looking for the manual on the web, but no go. It is on the
CD, if you have that. I was thinking that maybe there was a BIOS setting or
something.

I have Belkin G wireless adapter and it uses the Ralink 2500 chip.

You can download the latest drivers from...

http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Home/Support/Windows.html

I am highly doubtful it will fix the problem, though. I suspect pressing
fn-f10 to manually turn on the wireless link is by (poor) design (choice).

My mom's Compaq C304NR has a button to toggle the wireless adapter. Once
it's on, it stays off and when it's off it stays off, regardless of reboot,
anytime. That is probably the design they should have gone for.
 
R

Randem

The next step is to check BIOS to see if there is a setting for the
wireless...

--
Randem Systems
Your Installation Specialist
The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
Disk Read Error Press Ctl+Alt+Del to Restart
http://www.randem.com/discus/messages/9402/9406.html?1236319938



It's the Advent 9115. Had my hopes up on an unofficial Advent forum
for a bit there regarding how it installs Relatek drivers when the
card is a Railink but having followed all the steps I'm still having
to start the wireless manually.
 
T

Tae Song

Tae Song said:
I was actually looking for the manual on the web, but no go. It is on
the CD, if you have that. I was thinking that maybe there was a BIOS
setting or something.

I have Belkin G wireless adapter and it uses the Ralink 2500 chip.

You can download the latest drivers from...

http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Home/Support/Windows.html

I am highly doubtful it will fix the problem, though. I suspect pressing
fn-f10 to manually turn on the wireless link is by (poor) design (choice).

My mom's Compaq C304NR has a button to toggle the wireless adapter. Once
it's on, it stays off and when it's off it stays off, regardless of
reboot, anytime. That is probably the design they should have gone for.
Click to expand...

Oops, I meant once turned off it stays off and when it's turned on, it's
randy... I mean on. You what I mean, there is no problems like what you're
having, to manually turn it on every time you reboot the computer.
 

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