TP-LINK 300Mbps Wireless N Adapter problems

[IFF]

Hi,

I have the above network adapter and I think something's happened to it. It used to work fine I could see all the different wifis in my block of flats. I have moved since - put the computer in a van, then storage, etc. I got it out of the storage recently but it doesn't really see wifi networks anymore - I have a separate laptop so I know there are public networks with 5/5 signal strength but the PC doesn't see them. Even when I turn on my iphone hotspot it shows as having 5 bars on my laptop and 1 bar on my PC (iphone is literally on the PC tower). The only way I can connect to a router is if the PC is standing right next to it which kind of defeats the whole point of having a wifi adapter.

Does anyone have an idea what could have happened? Is that some kind of mechanical damage? In the device manager box in says 'the device is working properly' and the green light is on in the back of the PC. However when I go to control panel>network map of wireless network connection it says 'the adapter is not connected'.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Michal

 

[SpyderTracks]

Did you reattach the antenna's to the card? If they were never taken off, unscrew them and make sure there are no breakages and screw them back in.

 

[IFF]

That did the trick. As it turns out I never attached the antennas in the first place and I'd had this computer for 3 years! Fortunately as I was moving boxes from my previous place I noticed these two weird black plastic things in original packaging and took them with me!

After attaching antennas I can now see all the networks. Still can't connect to the Internet due to some BS network setting issues but at least I know it's not a hardware problem.

Thanks