Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection

Question

I have a Dell Inspiron 6400 latop 1394 Net Adapter with Broadcom 440x and 10/100 integrated Controller and have recently reinstalled windows. When i try to install the Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection drivers off the Dell Resource Cd (R115707) that came with my laptop the program gets so far makes a beeping noise then unistalls itself again. I can get a wireless connection using the Windows XP software but not with the Intel. Help please. Had no problems before the reinstall and its driving me up the wall!

Rayny2e · Answer

Same here!! Everytime i Start My E1705 Laptop NOW i have to 'Repair Wireless Connection'. It Does NOT Automatically Connect Anymore. Can Anyone Help, PLEASE?? I Did install all the Latest Dell software and tried un0installing, re-installing and even Repair in the Control Panel,but it WILL NOT Connect by itself!! I Must Right Click the Icon and Choose REAPIR Wireless Network Connection. I Di not have Windows Managing the 3945ABG card. This makes No Sense?? Could it have anything to do with a Bluetooth Conflict? I Do NOT Use Bluetooth,but it's on My Laptop?? Seems to be a wide spread concern by looking at all the Google Search Results. Thanks in Advance.

mrguy242 · Answer

Try installing the driver through the back door, go to device manager, find device (should have a yellow circle with exclamation next to it), right click on device, install/update driver, then direct wizard to the folder on your disk that contains the driver.  Or try connecting to the internet on a different box and get the driver off Dell's download area.

Rayny2e · Answer

I Am a pretty Computer savy person. I've been building systems since 1988 and have even done Total re-builds of Laptops,including Dells. This is clearly a Software issue OR Conflict. The Device Manager has No Devices 'Marked' as not working or having problems. I Have Tried,for weeks, experimenting with totally un-installing the Dell 3945abg and Re-installing. I Tried Intel Driver and everything i could think of. When the Laptop starts up (or on RE-Starts),it simply will not connect automatically. I Must use the 'Repair' feature,then it renews the IP address,Clears the Cache,etc and all will be fine. It never loses a connection once connected. What i did yesterday out of Frustration,is to just tell it to have Windows Manage my connection. I Did'nt want it to work this way,but right now i can't find the answers i need to have The Pro/Wireless card handle the job! It used to work just fine,soo i'm not sure if it was one of the New Dell updates or what? Still looking for Help on This one along with alot of other folks.

mrguy242 · Answer

So if you let windows manage the connections it works fine but what you want is the Intel utility to manage instead?  I've had nothing but problems with Intel and Linksys wireless utilities in XP and have opted to let windows manage instead, since then I never get dropped or have automatic connection issues.

Rayny2e · Answer

Yes,you are correct. I wanted to Have The Intel Utilities Manage the connection,and it was doing fine for a long time,BUT....it just does'nt work anymore and so, i just let Windoze XP Manage it and All is Well. It just bugs me when i can't figure out WHY! There has to be a reason,but for now,i'll let it stay the way it is,but The Intel utility Should work as it's supposed to. I have a feeling (and could be wrong),that Maybe one of The Dell Updates to the Newest Version may have caused this,but i thought someone reading this Forum would have some input for a Fix on this concern.

kikomatsing · Answer

@Rayny2e wrote:
Yes,you are correct. I wanted to Have The Intel Utilities Manage the connection,and it was doing fine for a long time,BUT....it just does'nt work anymore and so, i just let Windoze XP Manage it and All is Well. It just bugs me when i can't figure out WHY! There has to be a reason,but for now,i'll let it stay the way it is,but The Intel utility Should work as it's supposed to. I have a feeling (and could be wrong),that Maybe one of The Dell Updates to the Newest Version may have caused this,but i thought someone reading this Forum would have some input for a Fix on this concern.

in order for you to use the intel Wireless connection tool make sure that your windows wireless connection tool is disabled first under wireless zero configuration... because whats happening is your windows and intel WCT are both enabled so your wireless card dont know w/c tool should be followed or be used... thats the reason why its happening....

steve1308 · Answer

I have tried to enable it with device manager and that just gives the same results. I'll try the zero configuration tonight. I've had this problem before last time i did the reinstall but must have got around it somehow, just can't remember how. May have something to do with the order that the drivers are installed in when reloading all the software from the Dell Resource CD. Other than that i'll wipe windows off and try again.

steve1308 · Answer

Solved it. Basically reinstalled WindowsXP after formatting drive then uploaded the drivers from the Dell Resource CD in the following order

1. Notebook System Software

2. Intel Mobile Chipset

3. Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller

4. Audio Drivers

5. Conexant Modem Drivers

6. Intel Pro/Wireless 3495ABG Network Connection

7. Dell Wireless WLAN card

8. Full windows update then install other drivers left on disk (Graphics card, mouse etc.)

The driver reinstallation order is detailed in

Journal ID: 08075190C2 Article ID: 303237

Now works fine. Haven't updated it yet to the latest drivers versions.

Steve.

kikomatsing · Answer

were glad to hear that... =) good job.. Message Edited by kikomatsing on 03-17-2008 08:00 PM

Rayny2e · Answer

Glad to hear it Steve. One thing I'd like to Know,Is your Dell Media Direct Button Still functioning Properly? If you Formatted your Hard Drive, I'm afraid You Wiped out Your HPA (Host Protected Area) Partition,which is Dedicated to The Media Direct Button. It's no big thing if you don't use it,but I would not go through Wiping out the whole Drive just to get The Intel PRO/Wireless to Work. You won't be able to re-create That Invisible HPA as it came from Dell. The Newer Version of Media Direct (3) no longer uses the (Old HPA) Because it caused Problems when cloning or replacing Hard Drives as they would become Truncated to an improper Size. Please let us know if your PRO/Wireless continues to work after you upgrade with the New Dell Software Package for it. Thanks again for your Input.

steve1308 · Answer

I haven't got around to the Dell Media Direct yet. I only formatted the windows drive so i think there are still another 2 smaller partitions in use on the hard drive so the Media direct partition may be there. I'll try installing it tonight. Didn't use it that often though to be truthful as i had Nero installed. I'll probably update the drivers later this week so i'll repost if everything went ok.

Steve.

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection

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