Wireless taksbar icon missing ..xp pro

Eurorunner

The Wireless icon is missing from the right hand taskbar in windows xp pro. I can't imagine what changes I made to bring this about.
I'm connected wirelessly to my dsl router - no problem with the connection and the wireless card. Wireless zero config. set to automatic under services. I was just using the operating systems wireless service - not the NIC manufacturers software.

How do I get it back?

woolymammoth

is there any chance it's just hidden? or that it's been disabled in the connection properties?

Eurorunner

Its not hidden. Under 'network connections', the only connection showing is the one associated with my ethernet NIC - which i use occasionally. 95% of the time, its the wireless connection i'm using - but thats not listed.

woolymammoth

well, if it's not listed under network connections, then the device has either been disabled, uninstalled, or just plain broken! Have a look under the device manager in Computer Management (Right click My Computer > Manage). look for your wireless adapter!

Eurorunner

woolymammoth wrote: »

well, if it's not listed under network connections, then the device has either been disabled, uninstalled, or just plain broken! Have a look under the device manager in Computer Management (Right click My Computer > Manage). look for your wireless adapter!

Its still an active wireless connection. Just that its not showing up under network connections and the wireless icon is not in the taskbar. Under device manager, the card is listed - with the drivers i installed it with originally - working fine.

ethernet

Try right clicking in the area where it should be [near the clock].

Click on 'Customise Notifications'.

Find the icon in the list. Toggle the behaviour status to 'always show'.

FindingNemo

here you go

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/irda_on_taskbar.mspx?mfr=true

Eurorunner

Thanks for the link findingnemo - but that refers to infrared links - of which this one isnt.

@ethernet: tried that - had multiple listings for the wireless network - i changed to 'always show' but nothing appeared.

Anyone else got any ideas?

JæKæ

What make is the wireless card? It's better to use the Manufacturers management utility rather than Windows. Is it Intel or Dell?

Eurorunner

JæKæ wrote: »

What make is the wireless card? It's better to use the Manufacturers management utility rather than Windows. Is it Intel or Dell?

Its an Atheros card. The point is that it was working consistently for a long time without any trouble (and still is...its just that the wireless icon has dissappeared - and i like to check wireless signal strength - along with availability of other networks).

JæKæ

Try start > run > msconfig
Startup tab, check for any wireless-related process and let me know what you have

Eurorunner

JæKæ wrote: »

Try start > run > msconfig
Startup tab, check for any wireless-related process and let me know what you have

Nothing wireless related - i recognised all entries.
Its not so much that its causing me a great inconvenience (netstumbler works - so i can check availalbe networks) - its just that Its got me confused as to how the hell it went missing and why it doesnt show under network connections...

Capt'n Midnight

try toggling the taskbar properties - the bit about hiding inactive icons - I prefer to have them visible all the time

also in network properties there is a button to show the normal ( non wireless) properties of the link when connected - other wise it's only visibe when you don't connect

woolymammoth

maybe?

[via google]

Eurorunner

woolymammoth wrote: »

maybe?

thats the only thing that makes sense alright - i did allow updates very recently. I can't find out for sure by getting ms to send me the hotfix for obvious reasons.