Intel Wifi 5100 AGN - Windows cannot find any networks

Hi,

I'm having real problems with my wireless connection and am starting to tear my hair out in frustration.

Here is the problem: I cannot detect or find any wirless networks to connect to when previously all was fine.

Firstly I know my (and other) wireless networks are active and available as I can connect via my iphone/work laptop with no issues. Nothing has changed on my router settings and my connection was previously working fine a couple of weeks ago.

At some point recently I could no longer even search and detect wireless networks, even though the wireless adaptor card seems to be active and turned on. Bit of background, my laptop is a Dell Studio 1555, running Vista64 (SP2), Intel Wifi 5100 AGN network adaptor, Kasperky AV.

When I check the network adaptor in Device manager, it shows as beign installed correctly (no yellow exclamations), the driver is the latest version from Intel downloaded from their website. There are no conflicts showing. When I view the wireless properties of the card it appears to be active but shows that IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity are not connected.

The card is activated by pressing F5 key on the keyboard, there is no hidden switch on the side that has been knocked off. When pressing this is shows up as activiting both the wirelss connection and bluetooth radio. Strangely enough bluetooth transmission is still functioning ok as have tested to my mobile.

I have tried all sorts to fix this as below:

- Unistalled and re-installed drivers for Wifi adaptor (Both the official Dell ones and Intel ones)

- Unistalled the device and reinstalled following scan for hardware changes

- Installed all latest Dell system patches/drivers to ensure everything up to date

- Performed full Windows update

- Disabled Kasperky Firewall (heard this might affect it)

- Rolled back all the windows updates back to when I knew it was last working

- Uninstalled any new programs back to the date I knew it was last working

- Enabled/disabled the adaptor in device manager

- Tried windows repair to fix the adaptor

- Checked all the settings within the adaptor - have altered various settings with no joy, now back to default.

- Disabled/Enabled Bluetooth Radio

- System Restore back to when it was last working

I have searched a lot forums trying various suggestions and cannot fix this, would appreciate some real techie help. I would have thought it was some kind of hardware issue but its seems the adaptor is installed and powered up according to windows. I have removed any programs that I could think was having a conflict issue but am totally confused as this was working fine previously.

My only option now is to re-install windows which I am loathe to do. I did this about 3 months ago and it has taken me ages to re-install my apps and get my configuration just right, any help would be appreciated.