I have recently installed an Intel 2200 Wireless Card into my Toshiba Satellite 1135-S1552.

The computer recognizes the hardware, and all the software and drivers are working fine.

The problem is when I try to Enable my Radio Switch. I need to be able to press Fn + F2, but on my Satellite the Fn + F2 switch accesses the Battery Mode.

Does anyone know how I can re-map my keyboard, or enable my Radio Switch???

Please help.

Ted

Perhaps you don't have to press Fn+F2?

On my IBM the radio is controlled by Fn-F4.

And you don't have to use the Fn+x combination anyway. The WiFi connection software can be used to turn on/off the radio. If you don't have any special software then disabling the wireless connection will effectively turn off the radio.

"Perhaps you don't have to press Fn+F2?"

That is correct. My Fn+F2 is for my Battery Mode. The Fn+F8 is the pre-assigned key for Enabling my Radio Switch, but it does NOTHING when I press it.

Also, the software that came with my Intel 2200 WiFi card is Intel's PROSet Wireless software. It does have an optiong to Enable/Disable the Radio Switch, but when I click on Enable, it says, "You Radio Switch is still Disabled. Press Fn+F2 to Enable it."

Could there be another way to Enable the Radio Switch?

Did your laptop come with no WiFi initially? You might want to install the wireless programs from Toshiba to get all sorts of fancy support for it. ConfigFree is the WiFi program that comes with Toshiba laptops. Download the latest version from Toshiba website.

The problem is with the Radio Switch.

I do not know how to enable it.

The LED light does not come on.

And no, my laptop did not come with a WiFi card inside. I installed it myself. The F8 key does not work. And yes, I have tried Toshiba's programs, and they give me the same message to make sure the Switch is ON, which I don't know how to turn on.

I am thinking about giving up and just using a PCI card, but I would rather have it be internal.

Perhaps they mean the WiFi antenna switch that your laptop has? It is in the rear part of the left side of the machine right after the audio connectors.

The laptop's Antenna Switch is located on the leftside towards the back of the laptop.

IT DOES NOT WORK. The LED light does NOT light up if it is in the ON position.

Likewise, the Fn+F8 does not do anything either.

I have called Toshiba and they will not tell me whether, or not, my laptop is even capable of using an internal WiFi card, yet the laptop has a slot for one.

Toshiba is being very unhelpful.

I have tried installing/unistalling numerous amounts of drivers/software to get it to work and ever time the card is recognized and I am stopped at the Radio Switch.

HOW DO I GET MY RADIO SWITCH TO WORK??

Go into the BIOS, look for a setting called something like "wireless control" this should be set to whatever the key combo is(in this case FN+F8) also make sure any other settings for wireless are enabled.
Also, there may be a utility that needs to be installed in Windows for you to use the key combo(on Dell systems you have to have something called Dell Quickset, not sure on a Toshiba)

Also, if you have no card present, you can't turn its radio off and on. If you do have a card, and have a control utility for it, it should have an option for enabling/disabling the radio

I had the exact same problem with my intel pro 2200bg mini pci card and Toshiba Satellite 1135. I foun a solution that worked for me: (note, you may need to scroll down a bit, the workaround has to do with covering pins 11 and 13 on your m-pci card)

(oops, can i not put a link here?) Since i guess i can't place a link, i'll just write out the solution:

After completing this, the hardware (and Fn key) seem to have no effect on the state of the wireless. (the LED doesn't light up either, so don't get discouraged if you don't see a green glow) at least the card finally does, it seems to have something to do with how Toshiba uses pins 11 and 13, i wonder if there is a jumper inside the laptop that could be switched insead of covering those? Right now i'm just glad it works. Pass this on to as many people as possible, perhaps we can save a few man-hours.

Solution: Cover pins 11 and 13 on your m-pci wireless card (even pins are on the bottom side, the odd are on the top. For orientation, the "top" of the card is where you plug the two antenna in.

While facing the "top" of the card count to pin 11 and 13. (from the "cut" in the card over, don't forget to count the lone pin as well "1,2") cover both pins 11 and 13 with tape (or as suggested in the post, finger nail polish) Place card back, start laptop, and you should be able to configure it from there.

| |||||||||||||~<- (pin 11,13 bold)

hope this helps!

PS Merry Christmas

This solution also worked perfectly for me on a Toshiba P10-304.

Unbelievable how whoever figured that out figured it out. I suppose there must also be a pin to cover which would allow the LED to come on but god knows which one.

I would also assume toshiba have an easier way of doing this (a template or something) - i'll ask them when their 'engineers' get back to me.

And all this just for an excuse to pay toshiba 'engineers' to fit the mini-pci card, as per the manual, for which they probably charge about 100 quid.

Anyway thanks for a great solution.

This solution also worked perfectly for me on a Toshiba 1905-S303.

WOW!!! IT DID WORK!!!

Marturion, thank you so much for finding that fix.

hmmm.... I seem to have the same problem but can't get this to work for me. I believe I have the right pins covered. But when I cover them then the laptop doesn't even detect the card.

I have a Toshiba 2435-S255 and am using a Broadcom Mini PCI BCM94306MP. 802.11b/g.

****

Got it. Wasn't thinking clearly. One one side you count 1,3,5 etc. I was simply counting 1,2,3,4. Anyway, I got the card to work by using a couple tiny slice of scotch tape.

Thanks to all for previous comments. I too have a I have a Toshiba 2435-S255 and had a Belkin PCMCIA WiFi card that refused to work reliably. Finally gave up on that and purchased a OEM Broadcom Mini PCI BCM94306MP. 802.11b/g. Received without any installation manual or SW. On install the system found the card, then windows automatically went on the Net and set up drivers (I was on a wired LAN) However the card would not "turn on". I've simply followed the comments above (counted across pins 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and covered over 11 & 13 with some tape). Bingo it came to life !! I can now sit anywhere in the house and still surf.... Thanks again to everyone. Would NEVER have figured it out otherwise. If anyone does further experimentation and discovers how to enable the external on/of switch or function key would love to hear !! Paul

It isn't just a Toshiba problem. I have an Acer Travelmate C301XCi (Tablet PC) that I just upgraded with an Intel 2200 bg card - kept getting the "radio is off" stuff, and was ready to through it!

I contacted vendor, (An eBay seller), who sent me to this forum.

Did the same thing - Scotch (R) tape over pins 11 and 13, reinstalled and it works just fine. No LAN indicator on the case, but the indicators on screen are good enough.

Just apssing along the info,,,

-Kurt

>While facing the "top" of the card count to pin 11 and 13. (from the "cut" in >the card over, don't forget to count the lone pin as well "1,2") cover both pins >11 and 13 with tape (or as suggested in the post, finger nail polish) Place card >back, start laptop, and you should be able to configure it from there.

>| |||||||||||||~<- (pin 11,13 bold)

Can you send a link to a picture? I have either a dead board or I am being a numptie.

J

Okay, I don't know if I'm doing this right, but....

I scanned my old PCI card, and annotated with the placement of pins 11 and 13.

Hope it works, and I hope it helps.

-Kurt

I have a toshiba satellite laptop and my antenna switch is on the right side under the volume knob.

Okay, I don't know if I'm doing this right, but....

I scanned my old PCI card, and annotated with the placement of pins 11 and 13.

Hope it works, and I hope it helps.

-Kurt

Thanks Kurt. It looks like my card is fubar.

on the topic of pins 11 and 13, i have tried this and it works great but is it possible that the 2 pins could be reversed from the factory? so if you could rewire it so 11 is hooked to 13 and vice versa, would that maybe solve the issues with hardware antenna control?

Hi everyone,

I found this site and thread on google on the same problem. I have a Toshiba Satellite 1135-S125 and recently bought the Intel 2200. I tried covering pins 11 and 13 with finger nail polish, but it still tells me wireless off in the intel pro software. Maybe I have the antennas backwards? There's a brown-ish color wire and a white one, not sure which is main and which is aux. I've tried both ways and it still tells me the hardware switch is off.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks everyone!

Matt

I was just about to chuck a broadcom a/b/g (dell 1450) interface card when I came across the posts. I was installing it in a newer Satellite P25 system and
the same problem listed happened. Covered the pins and bingo, card works
perfect. The only thing I don't understand is that I have a Satellite 5205
that I installed the same card in 6mos ago with out any problems. Works
perfect with no mods and my controls and switches work fine. Oh well...
Thanks again.

Hi everyone,

I found this site and thread on google on the same problem. I have a Toshiba Satellite 1135-S125 and recently bought the Intel 2200. I tried covering pins 11 and 13 with finger nail polish, but it still tells me wireless off in the intel pro software. Maybe I have the antennas backwards? There's a brown-ish color wire and a white one, not sure which is main and which is aux. I've tried both ways and it still tells me the hardware switch is off.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks everyone!

Matt
remember that the pins are even on one side of the card and odd on the other. pins 11 and 13 are next to each other on the odd side of the card, this is covered earlier in the thread.

Hello every body its the first time for me to join to this forum i have the same problem but my toshiba A30 and i Buy It with WIFI built in so i guess my problem is too hard or my laptop need to return to the toshiba warranty i don't know but if any body have any answer please tell me and thanks all

I am using a Toshiba Satellite 5205 and I'm trying to install an MSI MP54G4 minPCI wireless card. Windows picks it up, the radio light is on, but it will not find any networks, including the one sitting right here. It actually picks it up on very low for a short period and then loses it. I covered 11 & 13 and have the same results.

Any ideas? My dlink pcmia card picks up quite a few networks.

sounds like it may be weak signal, is there an internal antenna and is it hooked up to the wireless card?

do you have a lot of metal around in the room or in the walls?
Do you have your computer near a large CD collection?
These items will absorb or reflect signals.

ICUB4UCME, I'm guessing it is an internal antenna. There inside there were two wires underneath a piece of tape. There isn't an abundance of metal or cds around.

bump!

Hoping this wasn't a waste of money.

Do I need to remove the tape?

if you are referring to the shrinkwrap like was on set of antennae then its not a bad idea to remove it before you snap them onto the card. i started with a piece of electrical tape on them to keep them from touching the cover then cut up an anti-static bag and used it on the cover so i wouldn't have to mess with electrical tape every time.

I just wanted to report that this trick work for me too, notebook is Compal barebone with intel i810 chinpset. Wireless card intel 2915 a/b/g. It work on linux and win2k. The led problem is still not solved, hardware wireless switch works (I get a msg window saying, that wireless is on or off depending on switch position), but it doesn't affect a wireless connectivity. Only software turn off or on is working.
I'm eager to play more with my barebone notebook to make wireless fully working. What is the best way to start diging in? is it to try to switch 11 and 13 pins places (dont know how to do that now) or is it searching for notebook switch which could do the trick?

Liutas

http://users.pandora.be/eforum/emoticons4u/happy/1356.gif
This trick work for Toshiba Satellite A30 and Radlink RT2500 series MiniPCI.
Any update for LED and hardware switch?

Not from my side.

I have an uniwill 259 ultra pro and I'm having the same problem with my wireless card. It is an Intel Proset/wireless 2915abg and when I press Fn+F2 nothing happens and I can't switch the radio on. Can anyone help?

report another good experience!
toshiba satellite 1135-s125 works with this pin insulation method. Initially i use nail polish, when i start computer it has connection, i am so happy. but it's gone after 2 mins. I have to open again, i found the insulation is not good, i remove all polish instead of using scotch tape. it works now. make sure the tap cover a little bit edge, so when you insert, the slot will not remove it. thanks a lot!!!

this model computer has two antena ready, also switch on the left side, but it doesn't work as mentioned in previous posts, Fn + F8 doesn't work either. I don't care that much frankly speaking.

I bought the intel 2200 BG from ebay, actually there is "toshiba" text on the label of the card. It can not directly run.

By the way, whoever find this workaround, he/she must be inside person of either Tosiba or Intel. the number of combination by trying is more than combination of mega million jackport.

Another report of success with a Satellite 1135-S125. I have an Intel 2915ABG wireless miniPCI card. Could simply not get it to work, until I covered pins 11 and 13 with tape.
Still no response with the hardware switch or with Fn+F8.
But, it works well with my home wireless router.
Thanks for this info!!

I purchased a Toshiba L25-S1196 the night before Thanksgiving at CompUSA...it was supposed to include integrated wireless but did not. Bought a mini-PCI card from NewEgg and had to do the "pins 11 and 13" trick, but now realize I don't see an ANTENNA anywhere in there...so maybe it's back to the drawing board? I don't know if I'm up for disassembling the whole machine just to drop a couple of wires inside...but without it, there's very little signal.

Any suggestions from the field? Should I just bag it and go back to the PC Card, RMA the mini-PCI and chalk it up to experience?

yeah, probably best to rma the internal card if you aren't comfortable with disassmbly. laptops are typically a pain in the **** to get open anyway. nothing like a scavenger hunt for an unknown number of screws, then keeping them all organized long enough to put them together again.

on another note, i've been working on finding a wireless card from an 1135 (like i've got) which proves to be a very dificult task. i tried a wireless card from one of the A-series of laptops thinking that being its a toshiba branded wireless card from a toshiba laptop it just might have the right pinout to work with the switch but, alas, not even that could be made to function without the 11-13 trick.

Hi All,

I too had a problem when installing an Intel 2200BG wifi card in a Tosh Tecra S1 which did'nt come with wifi. After reading this thread I tried the old "tape over pins 11 and 13" trick which worked. However I was still annoyed that my hardware switch didnt function as it was supposed to. As I had an array of Tosh Tecra S1's available to me, I swapped out the wifi card from one unit that came pre-installed and tried my "new" intel 2200BG card in it. Low and behold it worked quite happily. Which indicated that it was nothing at all to do with the new card I bought. That coupled with the fact that the hardware switch (when it works correctly with a laptop that has wifi installed from the factory) will come on during BIOS boot lead me to the BIOS. So I went to the Tosh website, downloaded the latest BIOS drivers, flashed the BIOS and rebooted the laptop........THE HARDWARE SWITCH NOW WORKS!!!! I think I even vagually remember seeing someone mention the BIOS at the beginning of this thread. Hopefully this might help someone :)

Well gang, I've packaged up the mini-PCI card and am having remorse about that -- I worked so hard, ordered the card, studied, researched, got the tape over pins 11 and 13, had it all working except for no signal, couldn't find any antenna wires.

What is anyone else's experience with the whole internal antenna thing? Would it be really REALLY obvious to me if there was in fact an antenna inside the non-wi-fi laptop? Or would I have to dig for it? I'm just not convinced and I hate to nail the coffin shut if there's maybe still an antenna floating around in there.

Thanks,
KC

9 time out of 10 the antenna wires are extremely obvious when you open the bay that holds the mini-pci slot. typically a black wire and a white wire with little snap-on connectors that attach to the wirless card. if they are not obviously visible then they are most likely not installed.

I have a Toshiba Satellite 2435-S255. I got a 2915ABG mini PCI card for it and installed it, hooked up the antenna wires and installed the software from the CD that came with it but it didn’t work. I took the card out, covered pins #11 and 13 with a tiny piece of tape, but it still won’t work! I keep getting an error message that says: “The Intel/PRO Wireless Network Connection is still disabled. Use your hardware switch to enable it” But the antenna switch on the side of the computer is already “on”!! (Even though I don’t think it works, because the LED next to it is not working.) My card looks a little different from the picture of the card previously posted. Mine says “Made in China” instead of “Made in Malaysia”. Any suggestions?

Great!! I updated my BIOS, downloaded the latest driver from Intel, re-taped pins number 11 and 13 and BINGO! I'm up and running!! Thanks to you guys for coming up with this fix! Well done!!

Just wondering... I have a Toshiba 5205-S503 and I have orderd a mini pci wireless network card. The Toshiba spces say Bluetooth only works with the wireless network card installed. It would be nice to have my computer talk to my cellphone via Blutooth. Does anyone know if Bluetooth works once you put in the wireless network card? Thanks!

It isn't just a Toshiba problem. I have an Acer Travelmate C301XCi (Tablet PC) that I just upgraded with an Intel 2200 bg card - kept getting the "radio is off" stuff, and was ready to through it!

I contacted vendor, (An eBay seller), who sent me to this forum.

Did the same thing - Scotch (R) tape over pins 11 and 13, reinstalled and it works just fine. No LAN indicator on the case, but the indicators on screen are good enough.

Just apssing along the info,,,

-Kurt

Hi everyone

Previous posts put me on the right track after my switch turning on my intel 2200BG card in my Acer Travelmate 290 / 292 (TM44) stopped working after I had to replace the mainboard.

I even tried flashing the new Mobo even despite it had the latest FW, the only thing that got it going was scotch taping the pin 11 & 13 designated (6&7 just counting along edge).

Thanks everyone contributing above you saved alot of headache, sending back Mobo thinking it was "flawed", which in someway it might be. I just wanted a qiuck fix and it sure turned out to be.

:) KISS - Keep it simple stupid (as Chief eng, at Lookheed left us with)

make sure your wireless card is bluetooth and not wireless ethernet if you wish to use bluetooth devices

Just wondering... I have a Toshiba 5205-S503 and I have orderd a mini pci wireless network card. The Toshiba spces say Bluetooth only works with the wireless network card installed. It would be nice to have my computer talk to my cellphone via Blutooth. Does anyone know if Bluetooth works once you put in the wireless network card? Thanks!

I just joined this forum to say "Thanks!" The tape the pins on the 2200BG card worked great on this 1135. I have bought no less than three cards for the laptop in an attempt to prepare it for sale. I am sure who ever buys it won't care that the light for the wireless doesn't work if the laptop is being sold with an upgraded BG card instead of the factory B. I bought this laptop stripped of parts and fixed it up. It is now complete thanks to this forum!
I buy, sell and repair laptops in my spare time and was feeling kind of silly that I couldn't get a wireless card to work in it. Now I feel MUCH better.
Thanks folks! From Canada!

Thanks for this thread for reconfirming this information about masking pins on the card. However I believe you only need to mask PIN 13 as stated on this site:

http://madwifi.org/wiki/UserDocs/MiniPCI

I tried both masking Pin11 and Pin13 together and just Pin13 and both seem to work.

This was for a working Atheros 802.1B/G card taken from a Satellite A50, moved into a Satellite 2430. Worked perfectly fine in the A50, installed and Windows reported as fine in the Satellite 2430 but could not browse to find any wireless networks and wifi indicator light on the laptop remained off.

hello, i have a toshiba l25-s1196. i dont know anything about "pins" where do i find these ppins, and what do i do? email me at reggiesnyder@prodigy.net

Hi,

I happened to Google my problem & came across this site. I changed the Wifi card in my Panasonic Toughbook CF-48 (Centrino 1.4GHZ) with the Intel 2200 & had the same issue. I did all kinds of stuff & nothing worked. Strange thing is I put the old Intel 2100 back in & that wouldn't work either. I read about the fix on this forum & found it insane. Like my lieutenant used to say in Iraq when I used hairball means of fixing Humvees: "What the **** kina hillibilly **** is that!!!??? I taped the 11 & 13 pins. Put it carefully back in as to not tear off the the tape. Connected the antennas & booted up. It went momentarily to looking for the network & instantly logged on. There is peace in the valley tonite. Thanks for the great fix.

Ralph
KB3JQJ