Can't Enable Netgear Wireless Adapter

Skyl3r

Honorable
Nov 23, 2012
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Hello all,

I've been having a lot of trouble getting my wireless adapter to work. First of all, my setup is this:
Wireless Network Adapter: Netgear A6200
Computer: Dell Vostro 230
OS: Windows 7 Professional (Not an upgrade)

Symptoms:

  • ■ Wireless Network Connection under Network Connection is grayed out and shows disabled.

Troubleshooting:

  • ■ Right click Wireless Network Connection and select Enable.

    Results:
    A dialog pops up indicating that the connection is enabling, eventually it will say "Enabled", but nothing happens.

    ■ Verify that WLAN Autoconfig service is running by finding the service in services.msc

    Results:
    Service status appears to be Started and Startup Type is set to automatic. No change to be made here (Though I did try restarting it with no effect.)

    ■ Remove antivirus software (AVG 2013 Business Edition) then uninstall drivers. Reboot computer in safe mode and attempt to reinstall drivers.

    Results:
    Nothing changes. Same symptoms.

    ■ Bridge a working LAN connection to the Wireless connection then remove the bridge as this person indicated on their blog (http://technopaideia.blogspot.com/2013/11/frustrating-but-ultimately-successful.html)

    Results:
    Couldn't create bridge initially, so I downloaded Network Bridging Utility here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/networkbridgingutility
    I created the bridge by using their example command:
    bridgeutil.exe /attach "PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8169" /attach {5d624f94-8850-40c3-a3fa-a4fd2080baf3}\vwifimp
    I used my Hardware ID's in place of theirs of course. The bridge showed up and my LAN connection appears as "Enabled, Bridged" and my Wireless appeared as "Disabled, Bridged."
    In other words, no significant or wanted change.

    ■ Test the adapter on a computer that is known to work with it.

    Results:
    The adapter worked flawlessly. (this computer is running AVG too)

    ■ Test various driver versions for possible compatibility mismatch.

    Results:
    I tested their oldest driver, and their two newest drivers (http://downloadcenter.netgear.com/en/product/A6200#searchResults)
    The driver versions tested are:
    1.0.0.26 - 1
    1.0.0.26
    1.0.0.18
    The driver version that is on the computer that works with the adapter is 1.0.0.26, so this is the driver that all my tests have been conducted with.

    ■ Move adapter to different USB ports.

    Results:
    No change.
    I tried USB ports on the front and back of my system.

    ■ Uninstall driver, clean registry (used CCleaner), boot to safe mode, reinstall, plug in device and reboot.

    Results:
    No change.

    ■ Test the adapter on a clean install of Windows 7 Professional. To do this, I had a spare computer (Dell Optiplex 780) which I recently rebuilt on Windows 7 Professional and hadn't been used (no BIOS changes, no registry changes, just clean windows.) I followed this procedure:
    Remove antivirus software (AVG 2013 Business Edition) then uninstall drivers. Reboot computer in safe mode and attempt to reinstall drivers.

    Results:
    This computer had the same problem that the Vostro 230 did (no change.)


Does anyone have any other ideas I can try?
 

Seoulja615

Reputable
Feb 16, 2015
463
0
4,860


No From your computer where the wireless adapter is plugged in.

go to open network and sharing center (bottom right next to time, wireless connection button)
click on the access type connection blue link
press property
click internet protocol version 4
press property
radio button the use the following dns server address
fill in both area with 8.8.8.8
 

Skyl3r

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Nov 23, 2012
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10,660
Yes, the adapter is plugged into the computer. I'm not sure where the miscommunication happened.
I did that though and it made no difference.

It seems as though changing the DNS shouldn't make a difference. The problem would seem to be a layer or two lower than the DNS.


EDIT:
Just so we're all on the same page, when I go to Network and Sharing Center, the wireless connection does not show up. Only the Local Area Connection. If I go to Change adapter settings though, I can see my Netgear A6200 as a Wireless Connection and it is disabled.
 

Skyl3r

Honorable
Nov 23, 2012
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10,660
Hello All,

This is something of an update. I was able to test with a new adapter (TP-LINK AC 600 Archer T2UH.) This time, the device wasn't incapable of being enabled as was the A6200, but would not search for wireless networks, nor would it allow me to manually add one via Network and Sharing Center -> Manage Wireless Networks. I did notice that the Wireless Network management software that came with the device said the device was Disabled even though Windows recognized the device as enabled.

Both of these situations have occurred on two different computers with the same results.
 

Skyl3r

Honorable
Nov 23, 2012
92
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10,660
Hello All,

Final update on this.
We could not get the issue resolved. We ended up deciding to just reinstall the operating system and all of our software again. The ~16 hours worth of time waiting for updates, installing our variety of needed software and setting up a user account was only a fraction of the time spent debugging this issue.

I'm still interested in a solution that doesn't require reinstalling an operating system.


Thanks,

Skyl3r