Windows 7 32-Bit And Linksys WMP54G v4.1 PCI Adapter

Last night, I installed Windows 7 Ultimate 32-Bit on my old computer so that The Wife™ could have a computer with more RAM (2 GB instead of 1) and my larger HDD (250 GB instead of 80 GB). I would have put the 64-bit version on there, but I don't believe the AMD Sempron 3000+ 2.0 GHz Socket A CPU supports 64-bit...

Initially, I was going to place my RAM into her case, and do the upgrade there. However, I couldn't get it to boot. After hours of frustration, I remembered that if there was more RAM than the compy could handle, it wouldn't boot. So, I changed my plan to use my old machine instead.

To connect her to the internet, she uses a Linksys WMP54G v4.1 PCI Adapter.

Before I did anything with either computer, I ran Microsoft's Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor on her compy, and one of the things it told me was this:

Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter Action recommended
Before installing Windows 7, go to the device manufacturer's website to download the latest driver for this device. After installing Windows 7, install the saved driver.

I went to Linksys's website, and downloaded the Vista driver on my computer, and copied it over to my 256 MB flash drive.

After installing Windows 7, I installed the drivers that I had downloaded. The adapter seems to be working fine. However, her computer claims there are no networks. However, her laptop constantly shows between 3 and 5 networks, including mine, at any given time.

I contacted Linksys via Live Chat, and they told me that the card doesn't work with Windows 7. Which is interesting, since Microsoft said it will work...

People on NewEgg say they've gotten it to work, and various Google searches have turned up different ways to make it work. None, however, have worked for me.

I seem to have three problems:

1) Her computer claims there are no networks, when there are 3-5 at any given time, including mine.
2) For Homegroups, it says, "This computer cannot connect to a homegroup.".
3) The network type is set to Public, and I can't find any way to change it to Home or Work (Private).

Linksys told me to buy a new card, but I don't have the $80 needed to buy one. If we can't find a way to make it connect to the internet, then we'll have to downgrade back to Windows XP. I REALLY don't want to have to do this.

Hopefully, someone here can help.

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Rgh. I just did that, too, trying to remember the process I went through. (Different adaptor, I'm looking more at the homegroup items.)

Under network, click on where it says "Public network." See if it lets you switch it to "Home network" there. It should, as I recall. After that, it should be able to let you join homegroups - you'll need the pw from the existing homegroup if one's set up. Of course, it needs to detect that wireless network.

Visual:




Does that not bring it up?

(FWIW, I've got a Linksys WMP300n that's completely unsupported under Win7, I found out - no, not used on this system. The wireless system I am using, on another computer, is built into the mainboard, an Asus M2N32-SLI Wireless edition. And that Linksys card isn't that old - rather irked it's not supported.)

Edit: Also, found info here for the 32 bit version of that card's drivers - haven't tried it, of course, but the info:


Okay, I spent the better part of half a day and got the WMP54G working under Windows 7 64 bit. Why Linksys/Cisco won't update their drivers is beyond me as they are readily available from the OEM Ralink (available since August!!).

I have v4.1 of the card which uses the RT256x chipset. If you have another version of the card, you may have to search to find out what version of Ralink's chipset it is using or do a little try and die until you get it. Here' is the link to the Ralink support page with all the drivers:

Ralink corp.

1. From the link given above, find your chipset (under part number column) and then click to download. In the case of my v4.1, it is the one listed as PCI/mPCI/CB (RT256x/RT266x). As stated before, do a Google to find your chipset (no identifiers on the card). Obviously throw on a flash drive if you are downloading from another computer.
2. The download is an installer. Run it and make sure to choose the option to JUST INSTALL THE DRIVERS.
3. Now go into the Device Manager and find the Network Card (should be flagged under Network Adapters since the driver hasn't been found yet by Windows). If you don't have the network card installed yet, install it then look for it. If you have it installed and you can't find it, you may have already associated it with another driver and it is not working. Find it in the list of devices and uninstall it.
4. Right click on the Network Card in Device Manager and select Update Driver Software...
5. Select - Browse My Computer for driver software
6. Select - Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer
7. Select - Network Adapters if not listed yet
8. Select - Ralink from the manufacturers on the left (note mine had 2 and it was the first one for me which had the a/b/g drivers the 2nd has the n nic drivers)
9. Select - 802.11G WIRELESS PCI ADAPTER

Should install and work like a charm. Good luck and I hope I saved you from going out and spending another $40-50 on a comparable wireless pci nic.

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I don't have that option.

I took some screenshots. Hopefully, that will help.

This is the network icon in the system tray, and it showing that there are no connections


This is the Network and Sharing Center page


And this is what comes up if I click on Choose homegroup and sharing options


Edit
Yeah, already found those posts, and tried. No luck.

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OK. Yeah, network adaptor first. >.>

If it's not seeing the networks at all - not just "not connected" or "limited/no connectivity," but no networks - hmm. It should, I'd think, be fine with the vista driver. Antenna's in properly? (I know, basic question, but still.)

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AFAIK, yes, it is. I'll go check again, and report back...

BRB!

Edit
Back!

Yes, it's screwed on tight.

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Also running off these assumptions : that the notebook is in the same spot when it's seeing those networks, and The card is the same one that was being used when on XP to connect.

Edit: And that the router's not set to "do not broadcast SSID." (What I'm thinking is that the driver has a different cutoff for when it'll show networks, and the notebook has the home network saved so it would display as connected.)

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The lappy sees them anywhere in the house that it's placed. I just had the lappy and the desktop case sitting by each other, and the lappy showed 7 networks, but nothing on the desktop. I even tried rotating the antenna, and nothing.

The card was taken out of her case and placed into mine. It's the only one we have.

And on the router config page, under Wireless -> Basic Settings, Wireless SSID Broadcast is set to Enable.

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Hmm. Kind of inclined to agree it doesn't work under win7 at this point...

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I hate to recap but let me be sure I understand the problem. The device is seen and working, all drivers installed and no issues in Device Manager BUT won't see or connect to any wireless networks in range?

Also, have you checked your Network Connections to make sure it is there and it is Enabled?

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It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.

Let me also clarify something ... you moved your wife's wireless network card into your old machine so your wife could use that machine... then you installed the Windows 7 on the machine into which you had just moved the wireless network card?

When you say the adapter seems to be working fine, what criteria are you using to determine this? Is the card showing up in the hardware list, and is it showing the adapter in the network connections control panel?

Is it possible that the card was damaged in the move - i.e., took a tiny electrical jolt and shorted something out?

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to post a CoH Helper log?

Otherwise, it's pretty strange - my understanding (not experience - don't have Win 7 yet) is that hardware-wise Win 7 and Vista are pretty much the same...

Storm

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Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm ...

Great news!! The problem has been fixed, and everything is working!!

One of my friends, who builds computers, came by work today. I told him about the problem, and he told me that I need to install Windows 7, and THEN add in any additional hardware, like the card.

After I got home, I opened up the case, removed the card and unplugged the second HDD. Booted the computer up with the Win7 install disc in it, went to Install, formatted the HDD, and tried to install Win7 64-Bit.

No dice. It confirmed once and for all that the CPU isn't a 64-Bit. Didn't think it was.

Reboot, reformat, and choose to install Win7 32-Bit, and after all is said and done, I installed the Vista/Win7 compatable drivers for the sound card, then shut down. Plugged the second HDD back in, and put the adapter card back in. Rebooted, and Win7 said it had no drivers for the card. Those were on my flash drive. Installed them, and ta-da!!

There were 3 networks showing, including mine!!

So, there's your secret, folks:

Always install with the bare minimum hardware. Add network cards, printers, etc. AFTER you install the OS.

Thanks Memphis Bill, and also Back_Blast and PerfectStorm, for the help.

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Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm ...