I have a Dell Inspiron 5100 Laptop with a built in Dell Truemobile 1300WLAN Mini-PCI wireless card. The computer is about 5 years old.

For the first year or two, I subscribed to two different wireless services. I could zip around the net with now problems. However, for the past 2 years or more, I can no longer connect to anything via my wireless. I have tried several free wireless services at different Hotels - Lodging such as Best Western, Comfort Inn, etc.

I have also tried to connect at other free sites such as Rest Areas along Interstate Highways such as in Iowa. My employer also has free wireless at about 20 different business locations.

The issue is that my laptop will recongize all wireless services within range and I can choose one, then click the connect button. However, I always get to the point that it says "Acquiring IP address" - and there it is stuck. I have let it set for hours and nothing further ever happens. I never get a welcome page, nothing.

I have run the diagnostics and I get a reply saying the wireless card is working properly. I check the status and it shows zero or only a very few packets sent or received. I have run "repair connection" and got no results.

I have even bought and installed a Belkin Plug in wireless and I have had exactly the same problem. Further, I have plugged in an Ethernet Cable available in some lodging locations and had no further luck.

I really would like get my wireless back working. I have even taken my laptop to both Circuit City and Best Buy geeks who tried many different things with no results. Both suggested a master restore, but I know the pain of doing that - I'd rather buy a new laptop.

Please help, Thanks!

Answer by Ron Nutter

Expert's answer n/a