HP & Compaq Laptop Wireless Problems

I haven’t fed on Lockergnome content for a while but was drawn to an article regarding laptop wireless issues:

http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2007/10/23/hp-compaq-laptop-wireless-problems/

I started following this forum after encountering wireless problems following an HP update recommendation. Long story short, there’s quite a few people experiencing this issue and HP is not handling it very well. They started modifying (sanitizing) posts and removing others to the HP ITRC forum referenced in Ron’s article and then removed the related forums Friday night. It was here: http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?threadId=1136440&admit=-682735245+1193150685312+28353475. The forum also mentioned Circuit City removing/sanitizing this from its forum, which makes me very suspicious. I have a copy of the forum from Friday night in PDF before they took it down after they had edited content. Send me a note if you would like to see it. I’m using someone else’s laptop now.

Someone from ZDNet had also got involved at one point and would probably like to be made aware.

There’s quite a few models involved and they probably would like to sell the stock as soon as possible.

Some of the models mention in the postings are:

dv6000z , DV6449us, dv6646us ,dv6000, dv6225, dv6500t, V6133CL, dv9205us, DV 9000, DV6105us, DV6040ca , dv6105us and many more models.

-Tim

Hi I have a preario v3000 nootbook that has been sent to hp for parts . the Wireless stoped working. All Circuit city say is sent for parts.Thats all the info I can get from them.can you tell me if this is on of the computers ?
thanks

Hello John,
If I understand your question correctly, the wi-fi may be built into the mobo and may need replacement. Just a guess without further information.

HI what I was trying to say is this one of the computers that has the problem with my presario is v3000 nootbook it has a wi-fi card.
It was working just fine. I shut the system down the nixed day it the wi-fi was not working.it sounds just like the HP dv6000 problems.I was just wondering if it is. I am lucky I have an extended warranty
Thanks

I too have had the same problems described here (wlan disappearing after a while of use, blank startup screens, etc). I just wanted to add my name to the long list of frustrated users. I have a Compaq Presario V3000z (AMD Turion x2).

The only way i can get my wlan back is by restarting in safe mode, which it freezes. Can’t wait until i need that for something else. Then I have to restart it a couple of times by either taking out the battery/power supply or holding down the button. SO FAR THIS HAS WORKED but i’m not holding my breath.

HP customer service/tech support is pretty worthless. they hung up on me because i was out of warranty, even though it’s clearly a widespread problem.

For everyone with a problem with HP Laptops check out this link. Have it ready if you call HP for support because they won’t tell you about it. You will have to sent them a link to it to prove you know there is an 24 month service enhancement warranty on these notebooks because of a hardware issue. They have to fix it for free but will try to charge you for the repair if you are unaware of the warranty program. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01087277&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=&product=3259108 How low is that?!!!

Thanks Donna for the information and the link.

http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2008/05/22/hp-compaq-wireless-problems-enhanced-24-month-warranty-is-available/

Hi!
I’m from Brasil and I have the model F555US.
Today I couldn’t conect internet because the pc are not identifing the wireless. It says that don’t have wireless.
I thik that is the same problems, isn’t it?
I don’t know what to do because the HP service from Brasil don’t want to atend me because my pc was bought in USA…
Can somebody help me??

Thks

Lydia

I also had the problem that the WLAN on an HP dv9000 stopped working after I turned it off. I’ve read that the latest service pack update may be the cause. I restored my computer to a point before the update and WLAN is working again.

I also had the wireless problem. I sent it into HP, they called back saying it would cost $1050.00 to fix. (like to fix a scratch on the screen, replace the keyboard, replace motherboard) none of what I need accept the motherboard problem fixed so my wireless is detected) I told them I wanted them to fix only the wireless problem that they said they would fix. They said ok. So I got my laptop back with no work done, missing screws and DVD drive not functioning. Thanks HP. Just a warning for you all, HP is not very good about fixing this.

Compaq f730, same thing. And I was so happy with it before I shut it down this morning.

RE: Wireless Prob HP. If your warranty has run out.Just get a
wireless USB Adapter for about $39. Problem fixed!

compaq laptop new early last summer; wireless quit working that fall (1 year ago)

should i reconfigure the BIOS for the sake of the motherboard overheating? (re. wireless stoped working)

Thanks for all of the comments everyone.

gord - I’d contact HP and see what they recommend.

The Broadcom wireless adapter just died eight days after the one-yr warranty on Presario F730US. Unfortunately, this model is not listed in the link provided by Donna. I’ve restored, recovered, download, enable network device in F10 boot, yet nothing has changed. HP wants $49-$99 to tell me how to fix the problem. There’s a sticker inside the housing that says Broadcom replacement part is HP 441090-001, but I think I’ll just get the usb device, instead.

Thank you for setting up this blog.

My son has problem with his HP DV6000 series wireless last week. Tried to get in touch with HP Technical Services. They asked for support fee prior answering his technical questions and then turned him down.

Yesterday, after finding the information on this bog, reaching HP website, my son contacted HP via the provided 800 number. He got the tech went thru the verification with him, including opening the laptop up and reseating the network card. The problem persisted. Then HP decided to arrange the repair of the laptop wireless free of charge.

Again, thank you to Ron for setting up this blog and Tim and others for the information. Hope many HP users will reach this blog for their wireless problem.

Chuong Phung,
I am glad that your son was able to get his problem resolved. Thank you for letting us know and for sharing your experience with us.

Enjoy the holidays.

sent mine in and 14 days later they sent me a bill for almost $400. I called and said no way this was to be free of charge, they claimed it was a mistake and would send computer back to me fixed free of charge, I told them it best work I had read online about all the bad things that happen to hp and I would not be purchasing another!!

Hello Deb,
When you get your HP back let us know if it is fixed or not.
Thank you, Ron

Hi all,

I have the exact same problem with my 16 month old presario F560EM (UK), no wireless, can’t detect the Broadcom thingy in the device manager etc etc blah blah. I’ve done all the things that HP recommends, updated BIOS etc but no change. HP are totally denying that this problem exists - even though there are scores of people with the same issues and not just with this model. It’s immensely frustrating to be told that ‘yours must be a one off case’ (quoted to me in an email from a hp tech) and to clearly know there are others with exactly the same issues. Oh, and of course, mine is one of the models that isnt covered by the extended warranty.

Anyway, enough moaning.

I don’t know how far I’ll get, but anything’s worth a try, hopefully if we all get together we can get some help. I’ve emailed the consumer help TV programme Watchdog (UK) and i would be very grateful if all you could email them too - the more people the better chance we have at at least getting HP to add our models to the list of extended warrantees!

Please email them at http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/?thanks

Many thanks

Gina

Hi,
I have a F551au presario and have the exact same problem, no wireless, adapter not detected, HP state that the warranty program will not cover my notebook, they state the wireless adapter is the problem and to send it in for replacement( I have already brought a new adapter and it still does not work)
I think I will just go wireless usb.

I have an HP Pavilion tx1327cl. It has the same symptoms –the wireless card going undetected. The problems seemed to start when I installed the BIOS update, HP wireless assistant update, and Broadcom driver updates. Because there appears to be no concrete fix to everyone’s problems, I am concerned that the problem could be software related. However, after a 3-hr online chat with HP, they assure me that the symptoms and lack of software fix point to a hardware problem. They claim that swapping out the Broadcom card should fix the problem. I’ve tried using a USB wireless adapter, but the HP wireless assistant still does not work, and the wireless adapter does not find any wireless signals. Suspicious of a hardware conflict, I even removed the Broadcom card and tried the USB adapter again. It still would not work. However, this adapter is old and was designed for Windows XP. I may have a driver problem with it. Even if the problem is hardware related, is HP replacing with another faulty Broadcom card, or do they have a new part supplier? Has anyone bothered to look at what the new part is? Fearing a supply of faulty Broadcomm cards that someone may be trying to offload, I did not want to buy a replacement part from anyone but HP. However, HP is evidently sold out of the replacement part. My order was cancelled without notification. I have ordered a replacement part from another retailer and await its arrival.

Same problem as everyone else here but I have a newer tx2000.
Tried all the fixes, then went out and bought at $50 usb wireless and disabled the hp wireless assistant, and removed the driver for the broadcom card, and turned off the wifi switch.
Not only does the computer work, but it runs cooler.

I think HP’s exposure for this hardware problem is so big that they just keep denying it for newer models until someone sues them.

You bet; Presario F700 with a 441090-001 WLAN chip set bites the dust (about a week ago). Question, do I keep the NETGEAR Wireless-G USB 2.0 Adapter (about $39) or try to get a new internal WLAN chip set to work (HP says $89)?

Personally I would go with the USB adapter. Just my 2 cents.

Same here my computer is a pressario F500em and no way to get the wireless to work it is not detected in the device manager. the wierd thing is that it starts working for 5 min from time to time and even more weird the usb wireless I bought doesn’t work neither… If any one has any advice it would be great the tech guys don’t know so if u do open ur own business you’ll make millions because of HP incompetence…

Same problem here.
Yesterday my wireless from my TX2000 stopped working. The PC is not seeing it at all. I’m gonna look if there has been any updates that might have caused it.

Wat the hell is going on? I, too, am having the same problem on my F572us. My wireless card disappeared from the device manager, i did a quick system restore to a prior date and it started working. But after a restart it disappeared. I’m glad this guy is preparing a lawsuit > http://h30434.www3.hp.com/psg/board/message?board.id=Internet&message.id=1998&query.id=42366#M1998

I have the same problems, add me to the list. HP support on this is horrid and should defintely recall them all. Besides the wireless going dead, the keys have broken off the keyboard and the AC power adapter has caught fire.

There’s just something really wrong with HP

Hp says updates in XP Serv. Pack 3 are causing issues with broadcom wireless lan cards . . I downloaded the original driver for the broadcom from their site and started from scratch. Seems my only choice is to remove serv. pack 3 or live with overflow issues every 4 or 5 weeks and manuallt flusf the dns and register the dns . . . THANKS A LOT MICROSFOT and BROADCOM for not FIXING this ALREADY !!!!

I have the Presarion F700 with the sam problem. A lawsuit should be filed. It’s too many of us with the same issue.

I have exactly the same problem. My v6105au lost wireless connection today. Around two years ago, I installed the latest BIOS HP recommended, but finally I stuck into this problem.
What I did was just normally shutting down my XP and booting it again.

I could find that the system couldn’t detect wireless card. Yap, its not a driver issue. So, I opened the back and reinstall the Broadcom wireless card, but I didn’t have luck.

Thanks to this blog, I could understand the issue. I was thinking about buy a replacement wireless card, but changed my mind and decided to go with USB wireless adapter.

By the way, it does not mean that the wireless card has been dead? Right? What if I install the XP with svc pack2 (service pack3 seems not good for this issue)? I can get it back?

Same problem - I have been using USB adapter for months now. Had to leave town and install a sprint broadband card and guess what happened - all of the sudden my internal wireless came back to life and the blue light came on and worked fine. Something in the sprint setup fixed the problem but it did not last long, after a week its off again and I am back to the USB adapter which has to be unplugged and replugged in each time the computer goes to sleep.

hi, I live in Bangalore india, I having same problem with my V3424AU model laptop, wifi just disappeared from the network and it always lights up red, I went to HP service they say I need to change motherboard which will cost me half of my laptop cost as its not under warrenty, after reading so many similar problem here I think its manufacturing defect and HP should come forward to repair this for even which are out of warranty. luckly I have one USB netgear adopter with me which is working fine. I have sony and dell they never give me this kind of headach. I am seriously thinking of preparing a lawsuit against HP for cheating so many people. I need support from all those who are victims like me.

Having the same problems with tx1410. out of warranty. hp wants £257 to fix it!

I have the same problem on my HP G6030EM. I have done a factory restore, the downloaded the new BIOS, and reinstalled the Broardcom Driver.

This does work until you restart the Laptop.

I will never buy another HP product.

i encounter this problem yesterday.
what is happening here?

what should i do??

I have a hp tx1000. My wireless card just bummed out on me about two weeks ago. I have the same symptoms the computer does not even register that the hardware is there!! I’ve restarted a million times, opended the computer today but don’t really know what to do in there. I decided to go online to see if there was any quick fixes to this problem before I went to geek squad and shell over money!! But I am happy to hear about some of the work arounds like ubs adaptors and restoring the computer. I will try those hopefully that works. In the meantime I would love a recall and would support anyone’s efforts in the pursuit of it!!!!

I have a Compaq Presario F730US. Received for Christmas 2007. Back in June I checked e-mail before work, wireless worked fine. Came in after work that evening to check mail and wireless would not work. Tried everything HP recommended……reseat card, reinstall BIOS update, etc! No dice!! I am VERY unhappy!! I supposed I’ll go with the USB Adapter!

I am having the same problem with my hp 6000,i went and got a usb adapter as when i red that replacing the wireless card was not working for some people,i updated the bios and the network card driver with no luck. i am very disappointed in hp, very surprised that they are not taking care of there customers, always owned an hp, for years now, i went and got me a macbook pro laptop very happy with it. if any one from hp reads this, you are screwing over your customers, please! put some kind of recall out and fix this, people bought your product because we believed you had a great product, Support it! This hp laptop was my work laptop and now it is just a home laptop for my kids, i build computers and people always ask me what is a good laptop, i always said hp until now.

I am also having the exact same problems and have tried everything that every gracious tech. has posted on every site. Thank you for the help all but HP is just sorry!!!