WN311T Vista

[Omaha2002]

I can't get the WN311T rangemax next adapter working under Vista. I've tried everything:
- Installing CD drivers, installing card, booting..
- installing 4.0 / 4.1 drivers, installing card, booting..
- installing drivers while card is inserted
- tried to install Yukon drivers.
- let windows update find drivers (found none)
- WN311T different slots, changed IRQ, assigned exclusive IRQ to card..

All actions result in a Device not starting code 10.

Although I find it strange that you have to install drivers first before installing a PCI device I can live with that but this is getting really annoying.

Anyone has a working solution for me?

[parkplatzrocker]

Hello Omaha2002,

you could try an installation in "windows xp sp2-compatibility mode". right click on the setup file - properties - compatibility - start program in c.mode and as admin.

[Omaha2002]

parkplatzrocker, thanx for the suggestion but it doesn't work. :-(

But you gave me inspiration to spend another evening trying to get the !#@#!!@# card working and it works now, well at least it is being recognised and detects A network, not the WNR854T but my Linksys 54G wireless router.

What did I do? I''ve installed the marvell 1.0.2.0 drivers and the card was being recognised straight away without first unplugging card, installing drivers, plugging card in pci slot...etc etc.. the way pci slots should work actually.

Now on to the next problem, trying to get it recognise my WNR854T...

btw drivers i installed are from the gateway support site..not sure if the link works but: http://support.gateway.com/support/d...&uid=178554258

[Omaha2002]

Ok, to complete the WN311T installation strugle, the card works. Because of all the pluging and unpluging of the card I forgot to plugin the antenna cables..duh..

Strange thing is that the netgear wizard also works now and I was able to select a my N-network and get pretty good wireless results, I haven't seen 300mbit but 270mbit as the max, maybe a marvell driver max?

I really think netgear should get their act together with this driver issue as I've seen a lot of people having the same issues with their cards.

now moving on to performance issues with a netgear readynas NV+ on 1Gbit..

[Orbital]

You're saying the people are having the same problem?

Did they forget to install the antenna too?

I think a lot of the reason the driver problem occurs is because the Windows vista driver isn't included on the CD usually you have to download it..

People will install the cards and use the CD, or let windows install the driver automatically.

Using the Windows XP drivers on vista is a NO NO, Letting windows search for the best appropriate driver is usually safer, a lot of times it will install a generic driver for the chipset the wireless adapter has. ( Like Atheros, Broadcom, Prism, Etc. )

Windows will automatically install the driver for the adapter if you used a XP because the files are copied over to the windows INF folder.

You will want to Remove all the OEM.inf/pnf files.

[parkplatzrocker]

Hi Omaha2002,

i'm glad to hear that you got it. Very good working solution, but shame on NETGEAR.

[Omaha2002]

@orbital, I can assure you I do have some knowledge about ICT products, not gonna list my education but maybe you'll just believe me that I do...

facts:

- The drivers on the CD, 4.0 and 4.1 downloaded from the netgear site DON'T WORK on my Vista Ultimate PC (a HP XW4200 Workstation) and I've tried every combination possible with or without card installed before/after/during installation
- I think it's really stupid that you should first install drivers, power down the PC, install the card and power up the machine.
- I pick the marvell (maker of the chipset) driver and voila, the card is being recognized instantly and working without rebooting.
- the Marvel driver is not one but I think 40 versions more recent than the Netgear one.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to bash Netgear products, I do have several of them, but my experience with the NETGEAR drivers for the WN311T are really bad.

googling with keywords "WN311T code 10 Vista" will indeed reveal a lot of people having the same problem.

[Orbital]

Yeah Omaha2002, You shouldn't need to jump through a bunch of hoops to install a wireless driver - you're right usually the chipset manufacture has more current drivers.

And you said you even reserved an IRQ for the card - Strange that it still gave you a CODE 10 error.


- I tested 4.1 on an older computer I use for testing many wireless adapters.

Its custom built - has Vista Home and Ultimate for testing.

• ASUSTeK P5PE-VM
• Intel Pentium 4 640
• Prescott
• 2x 512MB DDR PC3200

[levinson911]

I too have been having quite a time getting the wn311t to be recognized by my system.
I am running Vista x64, and I have spend an embarrassing amount of time trying to get this thing to work. i have just about given up. The netgear drivers are thoroughly worthless and the card is not recognised.

I am trying omaha2002 advice about the marvell driver. Fingers crossed.

[BTBadger]

im getting the same code 10 error that you were, but i checked my antennas and stuff and everything looks good. Ive even tried shutting down my computer and taking the card out and and putting it back in, but it still doesnt work. If anyone has a solution for this, that would be great.