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merk9

7 Posts

38503

July 8th, 2013 13:00

vostro 3550 - wireless unable to connect to any network

I reinstalled the OS on the laptop from a win7 disk. Reinstalling factory default isn't an option as i don't have any disks from dell and the HD has been wiped.

I've installed all windows updates and gone to the support center, used the automated tool to detect the service tag. But when it shows me the available drivers i only see 4 categories when it's filtered for my tag:

Audio
Backup & recovery
Serial ATA
Video

There's nothing for networking, chipsets, bios, applications etc

Why is it only showing me those 4 categories? (and i do have ALL selected in the category drop down)

Right now the wireless detects available wireless networks, but after typing in the password if fails to connect. I've tried it on two different wireless networks and I'm 100% certain the password was correct and i tried typing the password multiple times to make sure I didn't make a typo.

Can someone tell me how i can get the full list of drivers for this laptop - using the service tag is only showing me a limited selection. I'm just guessing at this point that I might have installed the wrong drivers for the wifi since there are multiple choices available dealing with wifi and I have no idea which one is correct for this laptop. 

Robin3

807 Posts

July 8th, 2013 16:00

These are the drivers you need and the correct order in which to install them. Top to bottom
 

I've left the Wireless & Bluetooth drivers out as I don't know what's installed on your system, but they are in the correct order of installation. You must identify your own hardware and choose the appropriate driver from the link I gave you earlier
 

 

 

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=JX1KK&osCode=W764&fileId=3156053045&languageCode=EN&categoryId=UT#

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=K2NV2&osCode=W764&fileId=2731100216&languageCode=EN&categoryId=CS#

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=PVF18&osCode=W764&fileId=2731100212&languageCode=EN&categoryId=CS#

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=HCP1C&osCode=W764&fileId=2731102971&languageCode=EN&categoryId=CS

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=NM1PX&osCode=W764&fileId=2731100258&languageCode=EN&categoryId=CS#

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=G19K3&osCode=W764&fileId=2731100213&languageCode=EN&categoryId=SA#

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=8H18M&osCode=W764&fileId=2911292151&languageCode=EN&categoryId=AU

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=5PFY2&osCode=W764&fileId=3100845564&languageCode=EN&categoryId=VI#

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=G22HG&osCode=W764&fileId=2932640532&languageCode=EN&categoryId=VI

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=T3WGR&osCode=W764&fileId=2731100256&languageCode=EN&categoryId=NI

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=D2KYX&osCode=W764&fileId=2731104257&languageCode=EN&categoryId=AP

Wireless ------ Choose driver applicable to your hardware

Bluetooth (If applicable) ---- Choose driver applicable to your hardware

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=TK588&osCode=W764&fileId=2731101988&languageCode=EN&categoryId=IN#



Dell Wireless Mobile Broadband (if applicable)
 


http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=HJKK7&osCode=W764&fileId=3156036462&languageCode=EN&categoryId=CM#

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/uk/en/ukdhs1/DriverDetails/Product/vostro-3550?driverId=FWJ4X&osCode=W764&fileId=3087429826&languageCode=EN&categoryId=CM#

PudgyOne
9 Legend
 • 
30.3K Posts
July 9th, 2013 10:00
merk9,
 

 
 

Go to Drivers & Downloads enter your service tag, select your operating system.
 

 
 

Under Security, you should see something listed. This may not have the same name you remember, but should be the fingerprint reader drivers.
 

 
 

Also look under system utilities and you'll see something called ST Microelectronics Motion Sensor, try those drivers.
 

 
 

If they don't work, Post a screenshot of your device manager with the 2 items expanded, like Paul suggested.
 

 
 

Paul will probably get back with a faster response, since I will be leaving for work.
 

 
 

 
 

Rick 
PudgyOne
9 Legend
 • 
30.3K Posts
July 8th, 2013 13:00
merk9,
 

 
 

When you reinstalled the operating system, did you install the Dell System Software(if applicable) and the chipset drivers first? If not, the rest of the drivers will fail to install. How to Download and Install Drivers in the Correct Order
 

Start with the Dell System Software and the chipset drivers and follow the list.
 

 
 

 
 

Rick
Robin3
807 Posts
July 8th, 2013 15:00
www.dell.com/.../vostro-3550
 

It's set for Windows 7 64bit so either leave it if that's your OS or choose another OS from drop down menu. There's 53 files there
merk9
7 Posts
July 8th, 2013 15:00
I already tried that. I'm trying to find out which of those 53 files applies to my laptop. For example, under networking there are 2 different dell wireless drivers, 3 different intel centrino wireless drivers and a wimax driver - which of those applies to this laptop? I thought the whole point of the service tags was that it would show me specifically what is needed for my laptop rather then having to sort through all possible options. 
 

I did not purchase this laptop so I do not know what specs it has or what optional items it did or did not come with.
 

In device manager i still have 4 items which are listed as not working:
 

Standard VGA Graphics Adapter (i downloaded an ATI setup file which I havent installed yet so hopefully that'll take care of that item)
 

SM Bus Controller
 

Unknow Device
 

Unknow Device
merk9
7 Posts
July 8th, 2013 15:00
That's part of the problem though. When i enter the service tag, it only shows me 4 download option. I have to tell it to show me everything for that brand of laptop. So how can i be sure I'm downloading the correct drivers? Thanks for your help.
Robin3
807 Posts
July 8th, 2013 16:00
You've not installed the drivers in the correct order (See Rick's link), that's why you're getting an error with the SM Bus controller. It is critical that you install in the correct order or you will never get everything installed properly.
Robin3
807 Posts
July 8th, 2013 16:00
Sorry but you said you could only see 4 categories..
 

I've installed all windows updates and gone to the support center, used the automated tool to detect the service tag. But when it shows me the available drivers i only see 4 categories when it's filtered for my tag:
 

Audio
Backup & recovery
Serial ATA
Video
 

There's nothing for networking, chipsets, bios, applications etc
 

...well I just found all of them for you.
 

If you wanted to know what hardware was installed on your system you should of said. Use the same link as I gave you but choose "System Configuration" and click "Current Configuration".
 

You need to follow Rick's advice and ensure all the drivers are installed in the correct order, otherwise you'll have more problems.
 

After all that if you still have devices that are not properly installed (Yellow Exclamation), post a screenshot of your Device Manager with the offending devices expanded.
merk9
7 Posts
July 8th, 2013 16:00
I'm sorry, i thought when i said 'it's filtered for my tag' it was clear that I was specifically looking for drivers based on the service tag for the laptop.
 

I took a look under the current config  - it doesn't really give me enough detail to determine what's wrong.
 

There's still 3 items with problems in device manager listed under other devices
 

SM Bus Controller
 

Unknown Device
 

Unknown Device
 

Currently the wireless is working now which was the main thing I wanted to fix. I took a guess with the wireless and installed the 1701 drivers which seemed to work. 
 

Going down the driver install list, I've installed the system utilities and chipset, but didn't go further since again, I don't know what applies to this particular laptop.
merk9
7 Posts
July 8th, 2013 18:00
Thanks for all the links. 
 

Just went through them all and installed them. Still have 2 unknown devices in device manager. Only thing i can think of what they might be off the top of my head would be the finger printer scanner since i dont see anything for that listed in device manager. Not the end of the world if i cant use that since no one was using it before anyhow.
 

Since the sound, display and network all seem to be working ok, i think I can probably ignore whatever those two items are.
 

Thanks for the help.
Robin3
807 Posts
July 9th, 2013 03:00
Post a screenshot of your device manager with the 2 items expanded.
Robin3
807 Posts
July 9th, 2013 13:00
 

I think it was Dell Control Vault
 

 

 
  
  
 
   Dell ControlVault Windows Biometric Framework
This is the Dell ControlVault Windows Biometric Framework (WBF) 64 bit Driver and USH Firmware supporting Integrated Built-in Fingerprint Reader devices in systems with Windows 7 Operating Systems. Note: The WBF solution is NOT compatible with Dell Data Protection | Access solution.		 
   Optional 
   2.2.509.141 
   8/17/2012 
   Windows 7 64-bit 
    
 
 
 		 
  
 
  

 

 
  
  
 
   Dell ControlVault Driver
Dell ControlVault A09 driver for 64 bit Operating Systems		 
   Recommended 
   2.2.117.284 
   6/4/2012 
   Windows XP x64
Windows 7 64-bit
Windows Vista 64-bit		 
       
  
 
  

merk9
7 Posts
July 9th, 2013 13:00
Thanks guys - everything shows up OK in dev man now. 
 

One last question - shouldn't there be an app for actually registering finger prints with the fp scanner? Again - not critical since I don't think anyone was using the fp scanner to begin with. 
 

Thanks for both of your help.
merk9
7 Posts
July 9th, 2013 14:00
Thanks, I'll try installing that later if anyone actually wants to the fp scanner.
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