Disabling HP Wireless Button

[CommodoreS]

I have got a batch of HP Laptops which have a Wireless on/off button next to the power switch. Unlike most other laptops which have an on/off switch which can be glued on to prevent the children from switching the wireless off, these buttons cannot.

 

With these being a button it is not possible to glue it, and also not possible to de-solder it or disconnect it.

 

Does anyone have any ideas (software or otherwise) of another option to disable this button?

[Dos_Box]

Often with custom buttons there will be an app/driver that makes them work. Either you can disable it with this, or create a new disk image without including the driver/app. What model is it BTW?

[SYNACK]

Maybe something like this if there is not an option to disable the button in the BIOS:

One thing that you could try is tapeing over the wireless disable pin on the mini pci card. I think that the intel ones are 11 and/or 13. Simple crack the laptop open pull the wifi card and put a little bit of cellotape over the pin. The wireless disable key no longer works given that it is no longer connected all without causing damage to the laptop. The input pins should be standard as otherwise you would be limited to only certain minipci wifi cards in laptops which does not seem to be the case.

 

Toshiba Satellite 1135-S1552 WiFi Networking Problem - TechSpot Troubleshooting

After completing this, the hardware (and Fn key) seem to have no effect on the state of the wireless. (the LED doesn't light up either, so don't get discouraged if you don't see a green glow) at least the card finally does, it seems to have something to do with how Toshiba uses pins 11 and 13, i wonder if there is a jumper inside the laptop that could be switched insead of covering those? Right now i'm just glad it works. Pass this on to as many people as possible, perhaps we can save a few man-hours.

 

Solution: Cover pins 11 and 13 on your m-pci wireless card (even pins are on the bottom side, the odd are on the top. For orientation, the "top" of the card is where you plug the two antenna in.

 

While facing the "top" of the card count to pin 11 and 13. (from the "cut" in the card over, don't forget to count the lone pin as well "1,2") cover both pins 11 and 13 with tape (or as suggested in the post, finger nail polish) Place card back, start laptop, and you should be able to configure it from there.

 

| |||||||||||||~<- (pin 11,13 bold)

[chackett]

We had some HP laptops with the same button this year. Option was in the BIOS (however on one or two the button still worked until I re-enabled it and disable it in the BIOS ... odd).

[CommodoreS]

They are older NC6120 and NC6320 laptops.

 

I'll have a look in the BIOS and see if I can find anything.

 

I have been looking for an app which might do the job, but could not find anything, and I removing the driver will remove the wireless which I don't want. I am using the standard Windows for Wireless Card Configuration (and not a 3rd party tool).

 

I will also see how easy it is to get to the wireless card in these and if there is an option to disable the button on them when I return in the new year.