WiFi Disabled because the Hardware Radio Switch is Off

[linehand]

Toshiba Satellite E305-s1990
Windows 7 64 bit OS

ARGH!! Worked fine for over a year.

NOW though, So frustrating!!!

Intel My WiFi Technology says

Disabled because the Hardware Radio Switch is Off!

ARGH! ARGH! ARGH!

This POS WILL NOT LET ME Enable the device to let the wireless work!

I have to connect to the router via a lan cable.

Maybe 1 time out of 40 I can get the
Intel My WiFi Technology Utility to show the enable/disable buttons. The other 39 times they are grayed out.

This seemed to start AFTER I FOOLISHLY Updated the system BIOS...... Yet....

I find NO place in the BIOS setup to enable/disable wireless capability.....

also when the occasional wireless connection Does work... if it goes into sleep mode or reboots it starts ALL OVER AGAIN...

Stays Grayed out WILL NOT let me enable the Hardware Radio Switch!

Is there a way to go back to the previous BIOS? or Maybe a windows update did this? I'm grasping at straws here.....

How do I get out of this wireless hell?

Thanks for ANY ideas.
linehand

 

[Fardringle]

Have you tried pressing the F8 key (may have to press Fn and F8 at the same time) to enable the hardware radio switch?

 

[imagoon]

Have you tried pressing the F8 key (may have to press Fn and F8 at the same time) to enable the hardware radio switch?

Just confirming. That model uses FN-F8 as the wireless switch.

 

[Mir96TA]

All the one's I have worked on they have sliding switch to turn off /On Radio.
Usally at front

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Bios also sometimes has an option

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Had a user with a new laptop - the hardware "switch" was activated by touching the wifi status light on the row of display indicators above the keyboard. No actual indication that there was a "switch" there at all.

 

[Nothinman]

I was working on a Lenovo a few years ago that had the hardware switch on the back of the laptop. I had to download the manual just to find it.

 

[spidey07]

This can happen when you're using both windows and the intel utility to manage wireless. Use one or the other (totally disabling one of them) otherwise they fight for control. Causes all sorts of weirdness.

 

[Emulex]

lenovo got rid of the button for this stupid red -load-bloatware- app. I hate lenovo laptops these days.