PCA Forums

So I'm having this problem with a new PC running Windows Vista. I installed a wireless Linksys network card(that I took out from an older PC) into the new PC properly. Vista attempted to set up the network. When it asked for a CD, I inserted it and then it said that it failed to install the proper software drivers or something like that. So I attempted to manually install the Linksys software. I did so, but I still had no internet connection. I installed the wireless B CD because it said B on the network card. It says G on my router though so I was a bit confused. During the installation, it asked for an SSID. I didn't know what that was but it had Linksys as a default text so I just used that.

Anyway, anyone have any idea what I might be doing wrong?

First off, if the wireless network card is older than a year or two (it sounds like it's ancient if it's a wireless B card) then the CD probably doesn't have a Vista driver. You'll have to download it from the Linksys website (if they even have one).

SSID is the name of your wireless network, which can be configured in the router control panel. The router comes with a default SSID (if it's a Linksys router the default is usually LINKSYS).

There is no need to configure anything. If you have the drivers properly installed for the wireless card then Windows should just automatically find any available wireless networks and list them for you.

I checked their website and I don't think they support my particular model for Vista drivers. So basically, I'm better off buying a new network card that's Vista compatible since there really is nothing else I can do.

That pretty much about it, old stuff and Vista don't go well together. Best off with a new card anyways, performance-wise.

Do yourself a favor and get a USB Wifi interface and not an internal PCI card. You'll get better range and you can position the unit to receive the best signal.

Hehe true, some PCI cards do come with a nicer external antenna, one thing not to forget. But then again, with USB, you can just slap in an extension cable

Yeah, I just saw a review recently in Maximum PC magazine where they compared PCI & USB wireless & the USB actually had better speed as well as lower resource usage. They were suprised as was I.