Solve : MAC/physical address is all zeros?

1.	Solve : MAC/physical address is all zeros?
Answer» I just got my new laptop and my physical address is showing all zeros. I went to add it to my MAC address filter on my wireless ROUTER and I couldn't add it due to the blank address. I temporarily disabled the MAC filter and am now able to access the wireless signal after entering the pass key. I tried the the following at the command prompt: ipconfig/all ipconfig/release ipconfig/renew I tried it while being connected with the ethernet cable and then using the wireless signal. I rebooted the router and restarted my computer after doing the above using each mode of connection. I went to the support chat service for my computer and they told me to delete the driver and then reinstall. I'm afraid if I do that, it may drop my wireless ability altogether! Also, there are 3 different things listed in my network drivers. Under network adapters, it lists: Atheros AR5895 Wireless Network Adapter Broadcom NetLink (TM) Ethernet Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter I tried the "update driver" function on each one first. There was no change on the physical address and yes, I did restart my computer. Do I dare delete and reinstall the drivers? If so, which one, or all? Is there another option here? I don't think I have a faulty network card or it wouldn't allow me to connect to the internet at all, would it? I'd appreciate any help! Thanks! Quote from: Shari on July 29, 2011, 04:01:57 PM 1. I went to add it to my MAC address filter on my wireless router and I couldn't add it due to the blank address. I temporarily disabled the MAC filter and am now able to access the wireless signal after entering the pass key. 2. I went to the support chat service for my computer and they told me to delete the driver and then reinstall. I'm afraid if I do that, it may drop my wireless ability altogether! Also, there are 3 different things listed in my network drivers. 3. Under network adapters, it lists: Atheros AR5895 Wireless Network Adapter Broadcom NetLink (TM) Ethernet Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter 4. I tried the "update driver" function on each one first. There was no change on the physical address and yes, I did restart my computer. 5. Do I dare delete and reinstall the drivers? If so, which one, or all? Is there another option here? 6. I don't think I have a faulty network card or it wouldn't allow me to connect to the internet at all, would it?... 1. MAC address filtering seems like a lot of trouble. Can you use DHCP? 2. If you delete the drivers, Windows will automatically reinstall them upon reboot. 3. Under network adapters, it lists: Atheros AR5895 Wireless Network Adapter - WiFi (Wireless) Broadcom NetLink (TM) Ethernet - Wired Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter - Win7 virtual adapter (I'm not familiar with it) 4. That operation rarely functions. 5. It can't hurt and sometimes does repair them. You're not actually deleting the driver, only the REFERENCE to it. 6. Are you saying it works when wired, but not when wireless? As stated before, you have 2 network cards, wireless & wired. BTW: You can get updated driver for Atheros AR5895 from your computer maker or maybe here: http://www.atheros.cz/atheros-wireless-drivers.php1. MAC address is really not much of a bother. I don't know what DHCP is. 2. Do I delete all three? (referencing that which is listed under point #3) 6. My internet works with both wired and wireless. And thanks for responding to my questions Com.Commando!Only the Atheros, the others are working. Get the REPLACEMENT driver 1st, just in case the existing one doesn't work. Is your existing version different? This one is: Version: 9.2.0.104 http://www.atheros.cz/atheros-wireless-download.php?chipset=30&system=1 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)]The Atheros version I have is 9.2.0.316. Should I just go to the Atheros site and see if I can downoad the same version?No. BTW, what is make & model of laptop?My laptop is an Acer Aspire 5733z-4445. My Toshiba Satellite died after only 2 and half years and I couldn't afford much at this time. It works fine for what I NEED right now. I'm not a gamer so I didn't need the topline processor. So will not having a physical address give me problems down the line, ie: trouble accessing certain websites? My router signal is still password protected so it's secure.Quote from: Shari on July 29, 2011, 08:28:01 PM ...So will not having a physical address give me problems down the line, ie: trouble accessing certain websites? My router signal is still password protected so it's secure. I don't know what you mean by this. I think you are confusing LAN with WAN. Your ISP provides you with a Public IP, yours is shown in my signature. A physical address would be the MAC address, which is unique to every individual network item ever manufactured, i.e. Billions; specifically: 281,474,976,710,656 possible MAC addresses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

Answer»

I just got my new laptop and my physical address is showing all zeros. I went to add it to my MAC address filter on my wireless ROUTER and I couldn't add it due to the blank address. I temporarily disabled the MAC filter and am now able to access the wireless signal after entering the pass key.

I tried the the following at the command prompt:

ipconfig/all
ipconfig/release
ipconfig/renew

I tried it while being connected with the ethernet cable and then using the wireless signal. I rebooted the router and restarted my computer after doing the above using each mode of connection.

I went to the support chat service for my computer and they told me to delete the driver and then reinstall. I'm afraid if I do that, it may drop my wireless ability altogether! Also, there are 3 different things listed in my network drivers.

Under network adapters, it lists:

Atheros AR5895 Wireless Network Adapter
Broadcom NetLink (TM) Ethernet
Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter

I tried the "update driver" function on each one first. There was no change on the physical address and yes, I did restart my computer.

Do I dare delete and reinstall the drivers? If so, which one, or all? Is there another option here?

I don't think I have a faulty network card or it wouldn't allow me to connect to the internet at all, would it?

I'd appreciate any help!

Thanks!

Quote from: Shari on July 29, 2011, 04:01:57 PM

1. I went to add it to my MAC address filter on my wireless router and I couldn't add it due to the blank address. I temporarily disabled the MAC filter and am now able to access the wireless signal after entering the pass key.
2. I went to the support chat service for my computer and they told me to delete the driver and then reinstall. I'm afraid if I do that, it may drop my wireless ability altogether! Also, there are 3 different things listed in my network drivers.
3. Under network adapters, it lists:
Atheros AR5895 Wireless Network Adapter
Broadcom NetLink (TM) Ethernet
Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
4. I tried the "update driver" function on each one first. There was no change on the physical address and yes, I did restart my computer.
5. Do I dare delete and reinstall the drivers? If so, which one, or all? Is there another option here?
6. I don't think I have a faulty network card or it wouldn't allow me to connect to the internet at all, would it?...

1. MAC address filtering seems like a lot of trouble. Can you use DHCP?
2. If you delete the drivers, Windows will automatically reinstall them upon reboot.
3. Under network adapters, it lists:
Atheros AR5895 Wireless Network Adapter - WiFi (Wireless)
Broadcom NetLink (TM) Ethernet - Wired
Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter - Win7 virtual adapter (I'm not familiar with it)
4. That operation rarely functions.
5. It can't hurt and sometimes does repair them. You're not actually deleting the driver, only the REFERENCE to it.
6. Are you saying it works when wired, but not when wireless? As stated before, you have 2 network cards, wireless & wired.

BTW: You can get updated driver for Atheros AR5895 from your computer maker or maybe here: http://www.atheros.cz/atheros-wireless-drivers.php1. MAC address is really not much of a bother. I don't know what DHCP is.

2. Do I delete all three? (referencing that which is listed under point #3)

6. My internet works with both wired and wireless.

And thanks for responding to my questions Com.Commando!Only the Atheros, the others are working. Get the REPLACEMENT driver 1st, just in case the existing one doesn't work.
Is your existing version different?
This one is: Version: 9.2.0.104
http://www.atheros.cz/atheros-wireless-download.php?chipset=30&system=1

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)]The Atheros version I have is 9.2.0.316. Should I just go to the Atheros site and see if I can downoad the same version?No. BTW, what is make & model of laptop?My laptop is an Acer Aspire 5733z-4445. My Toshiba Satellite died after only 2 and half years and I couldn't afford much at this time. It works fine for what I NEED right now. I'm not a gamer so I didn't need the topline processor.

So will not having a physical address give me problems down the line, ie: trouble accessing certain websites? My router signal is still password protected so it's secure.Quote from: Shari on July 29, 2011, 08:28:01 PM

...So will not having a physical address give me problems down the line, ie: trouble accessing certain websites? My router signal is still password protected so it's secure.

I don't know what you mean by this. I think you are confusing LAN with WAN. Your ISP provides you with a Public IP, yours is shown in my signature. A physical address would be the MAC address, which is unique to every individual network item ever manufactured, i.e. Billions; specifically: 281,474,976,710,656 possible MAC addresses
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

Solve : MAC/physical address is all zeros?

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