Windows wifi - how to turn on

[modelamac]

Neighbor has a Toshiba Satellite laptop running W 7 (or Xp SP3), can't remember which. The PC is about 4yrs old, and runs reasonably well. Has Kapersky running.

I set up a router for him between his Comcast modem and his PC, as he wanted wifi. His iPad was able to connect straight away. My MBP found and connected to the router wifi with no problem, but the Toshiba runs me in a circle, telling me the wifi/radio switch is turned off. It does not tell me where it is or how to turn it on. The built-in Toshiba utility software confirms the wifi system is turned off but stops there. Doesn't say how to turn it on.

The Toshiba works fine wired.

There are a series of lit icons just above the F keys, one of which is an antenna with waves emanating from it. This would appear to be the wifi indicator, but it is lit. How can that be lit and not allow wifi connections?

I downloaded the User manual from the Toshiba website. It tells me to hold the fn key and hit F8. A window should appear , but does not.

Anyone have any help on this. Neighbor says the laptop was working at home on wifi, but down here in FL it somehow got turned off.

[Jack D.]

My friends Toshiba actually has a very small external switch that turns the wi-fi on and off. I say dumb idea but finding it (his was on the front edge right) and turning it ON fixed his problem.

[cbelt3]

Start / control panel / networks ?

[TheTominator]

Like Jack D. said, I'd look for an external switch.

I've seen it on some laptops.

[modelamac]

cbelt3 wrote:
Start / control panel / networks ?

That's part of the circle that I've been traveling. The switch doesn't seem to be in the software.

I looked for that hardware switch mentioned before the fn-F8 option, but will look again. It's existence would explain an inadvertent turning wifi off.

[A-Polly]

My work laptop (Dell, not Toshiba) also has a physical on-off switch as Jack D. said, located on the right front edge. I used the thing for months without knowing the switch was there.

[lost in space]

...tune in and drop out?

Somebody had to do it.

Where's Newton1200