hp wireless button changes airplane mode

Anonymous
2012-11-17T03:35:15+00:00

I just upgraded my 64 bit HP Pavilion g7 2010 nr to windows 8. now, whenever i try to use the wireless button (Fn + F12) it changes the airplane mode instead of wifi.

ive updated my wifi card drivers (Ralink RT5390) and and the HP wireless button driver as well

i can use ethernet, but im at school and its not always easy to find a ethernet port

theres no other way to get wifi on because the troubleshooter says to "make sure the switch is turned on"

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-01-04T18:42:47+00:00

    Well it looks like we are on the same page. You are right.. you must have something not normal going on. I suggest you try the folks over at the eightforums http://www.eightforums.com and show them this thread. After they read it all and catch up, they might be able to help you.. it's so far the best windows eight forum on the web. I'm sorry I could not get you working. It would take sitting down in front of your rig and trying lots of stuff to track down the problem.. for me anyway and I'm sure you have done that till your pulling your hair out. I wish you the best of luck. If you find and are able to fix the problem, please post it here.. I'd like to know how it got fixed. Aside from your PC troubles, I hope you have a great weekend Bobby.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-01-04T17:20:44+00:00

    BTW, If I troubleshoot using the Airplane Icon...

    "Turn on wireless capability

    Use the switch on the front or side of the computer, or function keys if available, to enable wireless capability on this computer."

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-01-04T17:13:22+00:00

    My taskbar does not have an airplane with Ethernet plugged in.  However the screenshot you provided of the side taskbar, when expanded... mine looks like that.  It says "Wi-Fi (Off)".

    If I unplug my Ethernet cable and turn ON Airplane mode, the Airplane Icon shows up.  If I click on that, I get the side taskbar and it shows "Wi-Fi (Off)".  If I turn Airplane mode off, the airplane icon disappears and is replaced with the bars and x "not connected-no connections are available."

    If I do a hard shutdown, removing the battery, etc...it may come up with the F12 button working.  Until I do a restart when it reverts to amber and F12 non-functional for turning wireless on and off.  What a pain to go thru that whole sequence every time I use this computer outside of my office in a wireless environment.

    By now you should understand that I appreciate your efforts, but please understand that I have gone thru all these steps many many times and have tried everything someone has suggested.  It is not me that is malfunctioning... it is HP hardware or Windows 8.

    I still say HP wireless F12 button software or BIOS.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-01-04T12:06:24+00:00

    Remember - look for the icon of the Airplane in your taskbar. It should be there. I have tried to find any version of widows 8 that does not have this feature built in and cannot find any. All retail versions of Windows 8 have this feature. It is the same as the Network Connections application that uses the bars icon you would normally see with Wifi turned on.. only they change the icon to an airplane for airplane mode.

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-01-04T09:32:07+00:00

    Yes.. I do understand. Thats why i found this msg base too. When I hit the f12 key it turns off wifi but it also turns off everything wifi enabled/connected. Thats what they call airplane mode.  It turns from white ( looks light blue to me) to amber and hitting it again will not turn on wifi. All the above suggested ways are ways to re-enable wifi - when all you should really have to do is hit the f12 button again - but of course that wont work - it's not set up for that. The easiest and fastest way is using the slider but for some reason, you don't seem to have a slider. I wish i could help you get this slider back.

    If you enlarge the little network connection icon bars in the taskbar.. what exactly do you see? Can you post a screenshot?

    Another option is perhaps it's the version of windows 8 you have thats somehow different. You could go to the above eightforums and sign up for a free account and ask in there to help you get back the airplane slider function.  Otherwise i will try to research this and help you. I'll get back to you.. in the meantime, please see if you can post a screenshot.

    Here is what it looks like on my system. i did notice if the button is amber, you wont see the network bars icon in the taskbar - you will see an icon of an airplane. That's what you want to click. Airplane Mode ON, means wifi is Off. If Airplane Mode is Off, it means wifi is ON. In this screenshot my Airplane mode is On and my wifi is Off. That box next to Airplane mode at the top is a slider. if you have that, drag the white square over to the left. This will turn Airplane Mode Off and wifi back On.

    It's confusing.. i know..

     Look at this screenshot: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/16/airplanemode.png/

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