Wireless Access

I have a new NC8000.

The laptop states that it has a Pentium M processor, (which I think is a Centrino processor). I thought that centrino was wireless ready. Yet I cannot connect to any wireless network.

If I have centrino do I need a wireless adaptor? If so how can I find out whether I have got one built in?

Sorry if questions seem basic. Believe me, I am computer literate - but this is baffling me!

Thanks

Hi Peter,

Centrino only says something about power consumption, your battery will last for some time. Futhermore, your laptop has built in support for wireless (and bluetooth). On the top of your keyboard, there is a button ((i)) to enable wireless and bluetooth (the blue led indicates that it is enabled).

Regards,
Alexander

Centrino means that you have three things: an Intel Pentium M CPU, an Intel ICH6 chipset and Intel WLAN card. If you do not have all 3, then the notebook is branded under the Pentium M program and not the Centrino branding program.

The quickest way (without removing latches, etc.) to determine if you have WLAN is to look under the network adapter leaf in the Device Manager Window. Since you don't have an Intel card, the only two other options are the HP W400 and HP W500 WLAN cards. The previous poster was create in that pushing the wireless button will enable the radio on the WLAN card if it is installed.

Philip - thanks for your (quick) reply - but now there is a follow up!

Although I bought the PC thinking it was WLAN ready, it now seems it is not. My notebook has a Pentium M sticker on the front, not a Centrino sticker so I guess I do not have a wireless adapter. (Incidentally the processor is Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1600MHz /1600Mhz)

As you suggested I checked the Network Adapter leaf on Device Manager but it has nothing about WLAN. So I guess I need to get a WLAN adaptor.

Where can I get one of these from and what do I need to ask for? Is it specific to HP or available at commercial suppliers?

Finally - you said for Centrino I need an ICH6 chipset. Do I need this for wireless Lan and how can I tell if I already have this?

Sorry for so many questions, but my laptop doesnt do what I thought it did, and I really need WLAN capability.

Thx

There may be a specially designed adapter for your notebook. For example, my Evo N610c has an adapter that replaces the silver stripe on the notebook lid and does not use one of my PCMCIA slots.

However: any 802.11b capable PCMCIA card will work fine. Since you were planning on connecting to a wireless network, did you hava a particular on in mind? Do you know if it is just 802.11b (11MB, and very standard) or a faster variant (802.11g, which would also be able to talk down to 802.11b)? If you are planning on setting up in your home, get an 802.11g card and wireless router-hub (5 times faster) or Super-G/extreme-G (10 times faster than 802.11b). (By the way, my D-Link XtremeG *does* use a PCMCIA slot.) And, 802.11g has a slightly better renge.

Where? Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Home Depot, Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, OfficeMax, etc. To say this stuff is consumer mainstreamed is an understatement! Note that you may not find the fastest stuff other than at the big "toy" stores (Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA and the like).

If you do set up wireless at home, you should read about securing your base station <>. Change the default SSID, use WEP (or better) encryption, do not broadcast the SSID you choose, filter to only allow selected (your) MAC address, etc.

Sheldon - thanks for your reply. Its helpful. But I would like to use the current wireless capability of the notebook - which is based on Centrino technology, and I believe that it needs a mini-PCI adapter. (Using this, I understand that the aerial is 'built into' the lid of the laptop).

But I also have read that some people have bought a mini-PCI card that does not work on HP machines. (They mention a Mini PCI 802.11g - Intel Pro wireless 2200BG ).

So before I go out and buy one of these things, I want to know that it will work!

Thanks anyway - I really appreciate the time people put into helping others!