# Problem Getting Desktop to Recognize New Wireless Modem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-getting-desktop-to-recognize-new-wireless-modem/675330>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 3, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-getting-desktop-to-recognize-new-wireless-modem/675330 "2013-12-03T01:22:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-getting-desktop-to-recognize-new-wireless-modem/675330/1 "2013-12-03T01:22:29Z")

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I just upgraded from an ATT wired DSL connection to wireless UVerse.

My tablet (Android) and laptop (Vista) found my new network just fine, but my desktop (a Inspiron running Windows 7 HP) can’t find the new device.

Nothing in Control Panel seems to make the machine recognize the new modem, and the Network & Sharing Center won’t set up the new network without recognition of the new modem.

I can’t find any way to delete the old connection’s set-up so that I can start fresh.

Anyone here have any ideas?

Thank you!

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-getting-desktop-to-recognize-new-wireless-modem/675330/2 "2013-12-03T14:53:50Z")

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Might be a silly question but start at the beginning…is your desktop wired or wireless? If it’s wired, did you plug in the wire?

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**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-getting-desktop-to-recognize-new-wireless-modem/675330/3 "2013-12-03T23:24:41Z")

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> [@ZipperJJ](#):
>
> … start at the beginning …

I did everything exactly as prescribed in the instructions and in the “Help” files.

What finally did the trick (at the suggestion of a Microsoft phone tech, who retraced all my steps first) was to bring up Internet Explorer (I’m a Firefox user), select “Internet Options” from the “Tools” menu, click on “Connections”, and click on “Setup”.

Apparently there are some things that Windows 7 will only do for close relatives …