Wireless Not working on M5-581T after dropping laptop

mawmaw
mawmaw Member Posts: 3 New User
in 2013 Archives

My laptop slid off the bed onto carpet but it still broke the charger connection corner. Very flimsy plastic holding power plug in. It pushed it in. I took the back off and repaired it with JB Weld. Fortunately, it was connected by a long wire and not soldiered. Power connecter is fine now. When I turned it on everything worked EXCEPT my wireless will not come on. I have checked FN & F3 and it did not work. Went to Control Panel to no avail. I took it apart again and could find no loose wires.

 

Are the two little modules near the top of the keyboard the wireless parts? If so, looked good. 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge about this problem?

Answers

  • Alan-London
    Alan-London ACE Posts: 793 Pioneer

    The wireless board is located to the right of the left hand hinge. It connects to the edge of the mainboard next to the last USB socket.
    I would confirm that the mainboard connecter is ok with no damage and that all cables in that area are connected and secure. You may need to remove the tape to confirm. Mainboard damage may likely need the board to be removed to confirm.
    There is also an auxiliary antenna located between the fan vent and right hand hinge.

     

  • mawmaw
    mawmaw Member Posts: 3 New User

    Thanks very much for the info. I think I found the Wi-Fi card just under the left edge of the main board. Main board is still intalled.

    I now understand the two module looking things next to the back of the case near the hinges to be the antennas. One has a black wire going to the Wi-Fi card and the other a white one. The black one was "connected", but did not look to be up tight on the connecter like the white one. I pryed it up with a knife and it seemed to pop better into place.

    QUESTION: IF it was touching at all would it have been working?????? I am thinking it would . . .

     

    Everything else I can see looks tightly connected. 

    QUESTION: Is the WF card connected underneath with a plug in cable or another type of connection???

     

    The WF card appears to be riveted to the main board on one corner.

    QUESTION: Does that sound correct???  If so, then it is not replacable . . . . ?

     

     

    Not sure I want to venture the removing of the main board, though I have done it on one or two others in the past.

    I might take it to someone. Got the computer as a refub for about $460, I think. 

    QUESTION: Any ideas on the cost of a used main board if that is needed???

     

    Again, thanks so much for responding.  

     

  • Alan-London
    Alan-London ACE Posts: 793 Pioneer

    The primary antenna is touching the laptop back wall directly behind the WLAN module about a hinge width inboard from the hinge (if that makes any sense!).

     

    The module connects directly to the mainboard via what appears to be a conventional edge connector - no cable present or required.


    No, it's not a rivet. It is the bottom of the fixing screw (screwed in from the other side of the board).


    I can't help with costs I'm afraid.

     

    My gut feeling is, if no obvious physical damage, I would suspect a connection fault somewhere. Although, having said that, I suppose it's not impossible that the shock caused a momentary short somewhere and something has blown.

     

     

  • mawmaw
    mawmaw Member Posts: 3 New User

    I assume by "flat edge connecter" it unplugs. Maybe I could replace it if nothing else is found.

    Think I will take it to a local repair shop.

     

    Concerning the "short" possibility. It gave me an error message something about power failure, in 

    a four word sentence which I can't remember. 

     

    Would that short likely be on the main board or could it just be the WLAN?

     

    Also, it was not wanting to shut down when told to do so, but kept restarting. Had to do a hard 

    shutdown with button held in. 

  • Alan-London
    Alan-London ACE Posts: 793 Pioneer

    Yes it simply unplugs. However, the screw needs to be removed first which means the mainboard needs to come out.


    Have you checked Device Manager to see if all is well there? Is the adapter present and shown as working properly?


    If you can go to the effort of removing the WLAN module you will at least be able to verify whether the mainboard has suffered damage to the connector and also see how the machine runs without the module present. While a long shot, you will also be able to reseat the RAM just in case the jolt has dislodged it slightly.


    I doubt the machine would run at all if a short were still present. Whether a short occurred is nothing more than a possibility. As to where it could have been is impossible for me to say.


    I am also assuming you have SSD. If HDD, check for errors. HDD errors could explain your shutdown problem.

    Thinking about it, check for errors even if you have SSD.

     

     

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