Urgent! Which USB wireless signal booster/adaptor do I need?

[BlogOnTheTyne]

DS' wireless booster adaptor thing has stopped giving him any signal from his desktop PC to our broadband wireless service. It flickers green a tiny bit when you re-plug it in and then stops altogether. His PC then says that no wirelsss network can be found. He urgently needs internet access for homework - and of course all those other reasons DCs need internet nowadays.

I'm thick when it comes to techie stuff and am not even sure if I'm describing properly the thing that's gone wrong. Basically, it's a grey thing with 2WIRE written on it and a tiny aerial like thing that folds up and then a wire connecting it to the front of his PC. It's got to have the green light on for him to have internet access.

On the back of it, it says 2WIRE 802.11g USB Wireless adaptor. But when I search on Amazon, I'm stumped by all the mixed reviews for loads of different kinds of the same thing and have no idea what specific type of what thing to get? Reviews also seem to imply that it all depends on whether you have Windows 7 or Vista or whatever and that some don't work with some other aspects of your desktop etc etc.

I'm confused and need to order him something today that we can just plug in and that'll give him back his internet access - but no idea what to get. Will we also need to do something with software to get the thing to work too - rather than just plug in and go?

The techie guy who usually does everything like this for me is away. Help!!!!!!!!!!!

[BlogOnTheTyne]

Bumping and adding extra info. - the current device WAS working fine and has now stopped after flickering only a few seconds when you plug it in. Might it mean that there's something wrong with the PC rather than me needing a new USB wireless booster/adaptor?

The PC just keeps saying no network detected or no wireless connection detected - but it was all running fine a few days ago and all the other computers in the house( 2 desktops, 1 laptop, 1 ipod) are having no problem connecting to the internet.

Would it have anything to do with DS downloading and using lots of stuff on 'Blender - CGI' or would that having nothing at all to do with the fact that he suddenly can't connect to the internet?

[BlogOnTheTyne]

Bumping again! Any advice out there please?

[Naoko]

Ok. From the sound of what you're describing, you need a new wireless adapter. Basically, your son's desktop on its own does not have the ability to receive wireless signals, and the little thing you plug into it gives it that ability. Think of it as an aerial.

However, before you go out and buy a new one, try and plug it into a different USB port from the one you usually use (your DS' computer should have more than one. For testing purposes, try one that you know works, like the one he normally plugs his mouse into) and see if the light stays on. The 'brief flicker of light, then nothing' you describe sounds to me like a contact problem, ie a mechanical issue with either the USB port in the PC or the connector bit of the wireless adapter. If it's the adapter (is the connector bit that goes into the PC loose or wobbly?), then you probably need a new one, but if it's the port that's dead, just plug it into a different port.

The reason the PC can't connect to the internet is that the wireless adapter isn't working, so don't fret about the rest of the setup.

[BlogOnTheTyne]

Thanks Naoko. The wireless adaptor does the same flicker and off thing in each of 4 USB ports but other devices work from those ports. So I assume it's the wireless adaptor that's at fault.

If I buy another one, do I a) need to get exactly the same one for it to work simply by plugging it in? b) even if I can get the same one, will I need to upload any software for it again? c) if I get a different version will I need to get new software that's compatible with the PC operating system and upload it for it to work?

From what I read on the internet, you have to be v careful to get the type of wireless adaptor that's compatible with your system and do all sorts of complicated stuff to get it to work, by uploading software, rather than just plug in and go?

[Chanatan]

Both of the ones I have got came with their software on disc,pop it in the drive.,follow the instructions ,took 2-3 minutes