New build, can't get connected to the internet ? much appreciate your help.

[GreyGoo]

Hi guys I just finished building my first ever rig today that I installed with windows 7. I have a little USB wireless card adapter and it didn't automaticly install the drivers so I can't get it to work, I don't even know which model it is to download the drivers from the site onto a usb from the computer i'm on just now.

So plan B

I reckon if I can get online through the ethernet instead I'll be able to get the drivers sorted for the usb wireless card. So I went to the store and baught an ethernet cable and plugged it in to the computer and the other end into the router modem hybrid thing (virgin media) but it is not showing up as connected at all in the system tray, it makes no differance to the computer if i plug it in or not. IP config is just showing "windows IP configuration" *Note it is not saying "no internet" it's just not recognising the ethernet at all.

So i'm stuck, I don't know how to get this computer connected to the internet, I have a feeling that is something obvious but my brain is fried, I've had a hell of a day after trying to get the computer to dual boot with ubuntu wich went completely wrong and after wasting the day correcting the problem I was just back to where I started this morning which is still better than where I had ended up later in the afternoon not being able to boot into anything but yeh day wasted, sore head, problem after problem....not happy lol

I suppose I've learned new ways to mess up a hard drive and fix it again and at least the computer is actually working but yeh the internet thing is seriously bugging me, I hate not being able to solve a problem and this is the first time i've joined a forum for help so I would greatly appreciate any help you guys could give me.

I hope you guys can understand what I mean but just ask if you need me to try to explain better I'm still quite new to all this.

Also this may sound stupid but I didn't install an internal network card into my build because I assume the USB thing is adequate ? Or is this what the problem is ?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Did you install the Ethernet driver?

 

[Robert17]

△ as above, the ethernet driver should be on the MB disc.

 

[GreyGoo]

No I don't think so, it never came with a CD or anything, I just thought PC's used ethernet cables without drivers, How would I go about doing this ? Thanks for replying btw =)

Ahh Robert17 good thinking, yi know I have the mobo disc but I didn't think I needed it for anything, lots of times I've had products that came with discs and I never needed them, I'll give this a shot, thanks very much for the info man.

 

[redduc900]

Also make sure the on-board LAN controller/NIC is enabled in the BIOS/UEFI.

 

[GreyGoo]

Hey guys just a little update here, I just ended up going to PC world and got a new wireless adapter that came with the drivers so I've managed to get my new rig up and running with the internet now thank god, I installed the drivers last night too that came with the mobo so again thank you robert17 for telling me about that because I didn't even think about that so I'll make sure I don't make a silly mistake like that again lol.

redduc900 that is something else I didn't know I had to do so I'll do that too and thank you for replying to tell me.

I really appreciate all the help guys you have been really helpful, this is a great little community you have here and though I don't know even a percentage of what you guys know I'll be sticking around to learn stuff and have a laugh etc