Can't connect new Vista Laptop to WLAN

There is a WLAN setup at my network. There are around 4 computers connected on the same. I am using a router with WEP security and Mac filtering. Now there is a new laptop that has Vista. It is a hp product. I can see the laptop on the network but when I try connect it dies not work. Th signal shown in the vista wifi utility is very low. It is the most nearest system to the router so the signal strength must be good. I cannot figure out why it is so low. I had tried to work with the mac address of laptop but I cannot get that also. When I perform ipconfig I got a message saying that media disconnected. What does this means. Is the lan hardware disabled.

I think you must disable all the settings and then check whether it works well or not. Disable all the security settings and then check back. I am sure you will find some working solution. Put the wifi for start on the public settings. Then see whether Vista is getting access or not. Later on you can enable all the settings and then check back. There are chances that the lan hardware in your system is not working well or not detected due to which you are getting that error. You must ensure the connectivity and check that the hardware driver is updated.

There are chances that the wifi hardware is failed or is not appropriate due to which you get that error. You must check in Device Manager. Go in that and see whether the hardware is installed or not. In Device Manager right click on the wifi device and choose properties. See what you can find in that. A number of time it is written that the hardware is working properly. Keep the wifi driver read with you. Right click on the wifi device and choose uninstall. Then restart your system and check back. I am sure this is going to work well and there will be on error at all.

I had faced the same thing on a Sony laptop. It was newly purchased. When I brought that to my home I got the same problem that you are facing. The system was unable to connect. I had shown that to the service center and according to them the wifi chip has gone bad. They replaced it and it is working fine. So to some extent it is a hardware fault and there is nothing you can do. You can simply ask for a replacement. It happens a number of time you get a damaged product but there is nothing to worry as it is covered under warranty.

Just disable the security and check again. Along with that go in your control panel and disable your firewall with any antivirus working. Disable the UAC also. The signal strength if is weak try to turn on and off the wifi. A number of time due to number of different security settings you face this kind of problem. The second option remains is updating drivers as it is mentioned above. You can run a fresh driver update that works well and offer you a valid connection. I think your laptop will also fail at authenticating settings.

There is one more thing you can try. As said above first disable all the security settings. Disable them completely and then go in Control Panel. There you can create one more user account. Create one with full admin access and then try to connect wifi through that. I am sure it will work. You can try to run a completely system restore by running recovery. There will be set of CD/DVD's that offers you instant recovery or you can simply run that through function keys on boot. It is not a complicated job but somehow will help you fixing the issue.

If possible please post your complete hardware information here. The details of network card, the motherboard model, etc. Did you checked the network by connecting the laptop through a patch cord. If not then just test that. If the internet starts working I am sure the problem lies with the wifi adapter. You will have to carry the same to a repair center and get it fixed. Last time when I landed in same kind of trouble I had changed my security settings from WEP to WPA and the problem was solved.