Wireless card help

I bought a laptop off of ebay and when it came I noticed the LAN port on it didn't work (the network icon has a red line through it) ... I was bummed. Then I noticed it had a wireless network card in the slot. The wireless card in it reads "f=ma networks 32 bit cardbus pc card"

I don't know anything about laptops or wireless cards, I don't have a wireless network set up, I don't know anyone around me that does have a wireless network, and I can't find info on this card on the internet, so I have some questions.

Here's a picture of a card that is just like mine.

In my device manager I have two entries pertaining to the network:
1. Network adapters = Realtek rt8139 family PCI Fast ethernet NIC
2. PCMCI adapters = texas instruments pci 1410 cardbus controller

When I pop the card out of it's slot I noticed not only does my network icon disappear in my network connection window, but in device manager the device "Realtek rt8139 family PCI Fast ethernet NIC" disappears too from the list .

1.Why does it read "f=ma networks" on the card but is listed as a "Realtek rt8139 family" card in the device manager?

2. Is the "texas instruments pci 1410 cardbus controller" the slot that the card fits into?

I tried popping out the wireless card and installing a new connection but the computer doesn't install anything.

3. I have no listing of the LAN port that's on the motherboard in my device manager even though I've run the add new device program.
a.Wouldn't that have been listed under the "Network adapters" header?
b. Why would it not see it?
c. Would it be a matter of finding a driver for it?

4. What is that cord that is in the picture? I didn't get one.

Well, it looks like the resident ethernet plug on the mobo died, so someone bought a pcie ethernet card for it. The cord you see is an adapter that goes from the card (a flat looking plug in) and converts it to an rj45 (plain lan/ethernet 8 pin plug in) so you can plug in and go!
The good news is that if you go to radio shack you can probably get one of those adapters pretty easy, I don't know how much it'll cost though. (shouldn't be too expensive.)
As for the wireless, I have just a small wireless switch in my system just to run the Wii console and my laptop. I don't have any experience at all of doing a wireless network for the house, but with the instructions that came with the switch (again, from radioshack. Not an expensive one, like 30 bucks on sale. 50 something mbps i think, with a range of about 100 ft or so. ) And some internet reading I got it up and running in about an hour. I like the wireless for my laptop so I can just serf the net and whatnot anywhere in the house and out in the garage (great when working on the car and i can't figure something out, on to the forum searches! LOL).

thanks... that's some good fast info. It took you less time to answer than it took me to type.

For anyone wondering, it's Presario 1700

Fodder,

Check the port via control panel/network connections to see if the LAN has been disabled. If it has been disabled, enable the port and see if the port works (if the drivers are still there). You can get the drivers from Compaq.

Otherwise, Em is correct. However, be careful setting up any type of wireless network due to theft.

I never use a wireless network for that reason--all wired.

(DC)DEMONSLAYER wrote:

Fodder,

Check the port via control panel/network connections to see if the LAN has been disabled.

I have no network to enable.. the only one there is for the adapter, unfortunately I have no cable and will have to get one.

I have a presario 1700 and when I go to their site I am presented with ten driver choices. I downloaded the 1700US on the guess that mine is the US model (I can't read the model number on the tag because it's worn down)

I get a "the style of the inf is different than what was requested" error when I try to install the driver, so I'm guessing that the port is bad. I will go to my local library because I can test the wireless connection there.

Thanks for your help.

You said that the icon had a red line through it (x'ed out?) if you can see the icon on the task bar, right-click on it and select "enable this connection" (or something to that effect)

Spike wrote:

You said that the icon had a red line through it (x'ed out?) if you can see the icon on the task bar, right-click on it and select "enable this connection" (or something to that effect)

That's my the adapter icon. It is enabled but saying unplugged/not connected. I'm guessing a cable will remedy that.

I know you were all concerned, so I 'll say I got my laptop to connect to the internet. I just bought a cable like emetakleze said, hooked it up to the adapter card, typed in my ip addresses (it didn't automatically find them) and hooray, connection! Thanks to all who replied.

Wahoo, glad to here it myfriend! It sucks when something breaks.