Question : Problem: Unable to browse/ping over wireless on laptop, can browse/ping on wired connection

I'm working on a Latitude D531.  AMD TL-56 1GB ram, Windows XP SP2, Uses Cisco VPN client software
Wireless card is Dell 1390.  The driver version installed currently is from 10/12/2006.  The driver on the Dell support site is from 10/20/2006 and a few versions newer.  Thing is, when I download the new driver, the installer says that it can't find a compatible device for the drivers it contains.  Huh?  


Here's what's goin on:
- Can connect to the internet over wired router connection.  
- Cannot browse internet nor ping anything when connected to wireless connection.   <-- main problem
- Can connect to the router and get an IP address from the DHCP server.
- Can /refresh wireless and pull same IP
- Pulls down a different IP address after reinstalling wireless card. (192.168.1.6 instead of .5 etc.)
- Cannot ping router or othe rmachines on network when connected wirelessly.
- All other laptops can browse over both wired and wireless.



The plot thickens:
- Everything worked fine until recently: Verizon Access Manager Software was uninstalled. VZ Access Manager was unfortunately installed to control both WWAN and WiFi connections instead of only WWAN.  It was used over a business trip weekend and the card was returned at the end of the weekend.  The software was uninstalled and the wireless connection no longer worked from that point on.  Worked fine before VZAM, doens't work at all after uninstalling it.



Things I've tried:
- I've uninstalled and reinstalled both wired and wirelss devices many times.
- I've reinstalled TCP/IP stack.
- I've attempted to update the driver for the wireless card.
- I've uninstalled Dell Wireless Config Utility
- I ran Windows Installer Cleanup to make sure everything from VZAM was gone, cleaned out some leftover Pantech drivers
- A deep scan with BitDefender didn't find any threats.
- Did a scan with X-Clean Micro, out of habit.  Found nothing to remove



Finally, for full disclosure and all:
- Every time I uninstall and reinstall wireless card, the unsigned software dialog prompt shows up for Deterministic Network Enhancer Miniport.  This is some sort of VPN connection enhancer?
- When I choose to "Install Software Anyway" for the Deterministic Network Enhancer Miniport, the wired connection stops working as well.
- Cannot connect with Cisco VPN client at all, period.  Over wired nor wireless.  Cisco VPN client launches and throws an error dialog that says "a VPN subsystem is unavailable so you cannot  connect to the VPN server."


What I'm going to do:
- Install XP SP3
- Keep working on updating driver for wireless card
- Run Dell hardware diagnostic when I remember the boot-up key combination... Fn+F11?  Fn+Alt+Ctrl+F5?  I don't remember :(   Praise his noodliness for Google...


What I'm thinkin...:
- Wireless card is going out. I think this because the wireless connection can pull down an IP address but can't communicate with anything.  I also think this because the updated driver software installer doesn't recognize the card as the same card the 1390 driver was previously working for just fine.
- VZ Access Manager somehow FUBARED the wireless connection to the point where reinstalling the TCP/IP stack and the card itself couldn't resolve the issue.  Don't know how this could happen... just guessin at this point.
- Computers hate me <-- most likely.

Just thought I'd throw this out there.  Any thoughts?

Answer : Problem: Unable to browse/ping over wireless on laptop, can browse/ping on wired connection

> Thing is, when I download the new driver, the installer says that it can't find
> a compatible device for the drivers it contains.

That usually just means the card was not originally offered on that model when the driver was packaged, not that it wasn't meant for it and won't work.
There is actually a newer driver package for the DW1390 mini-PCI card: 4.170.25.12, A17.
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?releaseid=R174291&SystemID=LAT_D531&deviceid=9805&libid=5&fileid=236819

But the workaround for the hardware not being recognized problem is this... note the filename of the driver package... using the example above, it will be Dell_multi-device_A17_R174291.exe - When you run that it will self extract to C:\Dell\Drivers\R174291 and then auto-execute the setup file there.
As it's extracting it will say it's for the 1370 card, even though the page it downloads from clearly says 1390. Then you'll probably get the same message received with the 2006 drivers. But the driver file will be there, ready for you.

Go to the Device Manager (Control Panel->System, Hardware tab), drill down into Network Adapters, double-click the 1390 card, which will open its Properties dialog.
On the Driver tab, click the Update Driver... button.
Select No, not this time, and click Next.
Select Install from a list or a specific location (Advanced), and click Next.
Select Don't search. I will choose the driver to install. and click Next.
Click the Have Disk... button.
Browse to C:\Dell\Drivers\R174291\Driver, select the INF file there, and click Open. Click OK.
The Hardware Update Wizard dialog window should now have the Dell 1390 card displayed - select it, and click Next.

Let us know if updating to the latest driver goes ok and helps, please.