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Author Topic: Generic driver for wireless adapter?  (Read 3792 times)

Monkeyleg

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Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« on: January 01, 2010, 07:08:40 PM »
I did a clean install of Windows XP on my old beater laptop, and everything is working fine. The only problem is the wireless adapter. If there was a driver for it, it was erased. I don't remember installing a driver, though. I thought I just plugged the adapter in and it worked.

Anywho, the card doesn't work, and I can't find a driver for it. There's no brand name or model number on the card, so I don't even know where to look.

Is there a generic wireless adapter for XP?

Thanks for any replies.
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lee n. field

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2010, 07:41:15 PM »
No.  Might help if you could identify the chipset.

In a laptop?  Did it come with the laptop.  If yes, go to the manufacturer's website.

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Monkeyleg

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2010, 07:57:18 PM »
I bought it after I bought the laptop. It's unusual to see a product not have any brand name on it.
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RocketMan

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2010, 09:53:43 PM »
Monkeyleg, download a program called "PC Wizard".  It's a free PC hardware analysis tool. Sometimes it can identify connected hardware by make and model number, even when no drivers are installed.
Look for it here.
There are some other interesting and handy tools on that site, as well.
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lee n. field

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2010, 09:55:50 PM »
Is it a PCMCIA card?  What markings, if any, are on it?
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Battle Monkey of Zardoz

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2010, 10:17:22 PM »
You can also try a program called Driver Detective. There is also a driver magic or driver backup, google it.

And I think Belarc adviser might list your hardware.
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GigaBuist

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2010, 11:47:23 PM »
I've never been terribly happy with how Windows IDs devices and how it matches it up to the drivers.  Odds are the card has a generic chipset in it like Prism2 which in Linux would be covered by a single driver regardless of the actual manufacturer.

Anyway... if you really can't ID the card in Windows I'd suggest grabbing a Knoppix Live CD and popping that in.  Running a simple 'lspci' command on it would probably ID the card for you easily.
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Monkeyleg

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2010, 12:02:16 AM »
I've identified the adapter. (Thanks for the links). It's a Ralink 802.11g PCI Wireless.

I did some searching for drivers for it, and there's all sorts of sites that claim to have it for download, but none of the downloads work.

The odd thing is that the adapter worked just fine when I had XP installed previously.
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GigaBuist

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2010, 12:42:10 AM »
Did you try Ralink's site?  Downloading a driver for their PCI card now.

Started here:  http://www.ralinktech.com/support.php?s=1

2nd link down.
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Monkeyleg

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2010, 05:18:06 PM »
Edit. It's working. Thanks, GigaBuist!
« Last Edit: January 02, 2010, 05:40:19 PM by Monkeyleg »
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RocketMan

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2010, 08:06:22 PM »
Don't you love it when a plan comes together. =D

Hey guys, should we send him a bill?
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If there really was intelligent life on other planets, we'd be sending them foreign aid.

Conservatives see George Orwell's "1984" as a cautionary tale.  Progressives view it as a "how to" manual.

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Liberals believe one should never let reason, logic and facts get in the way of a good emotional argument.

Ben

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2010, 08:37:04 PM »
Quote from: RocketMan link=topic=22468.msg429932#msg429932 date=1262480782

Hey guys, should we send him a bill?
[/quote

I think the price should be that Monkeyleg shaves his head and posts a picture.  =D
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GigaBuist

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2010, 09:09:11 PM »
Quote from: Monkeyleg on January 02, 2010, 05:18:06 PM
Edit. It's working. Thanks, GigaBuist!

Blind squirrel finds nut.  News at 11!
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Monkeyleg

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2010, 11:21:53 PM »
Hey, c'mon. At least I knew it was a driver problem. That's pretty good for a Mac guy. ;)
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GigaBuist

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Re: Generic driver for wireless adapter?
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2010, 10:49:54 AM »
Quote from: Monkeyleg on January 02, 2010, 11:21:53 PM
Hey, c'mon. At least I knew it was a driver problem. That's pretty good for a Mac guy. ;)

Nah, I was referring to myself as the blind squirrel.  I can see how it would be taken the other way though.  Anyway, glad to help.
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