Question about Internet drivers

[Ravioli]

I want to format my computer and install Windows 7 again, but the CD i got from my Internet provider (which contains all the drivers) is lost. So my question is, can i still set up and connect to the internet WITHOUT the drivers from that CD? I went to their website, and they dont have any drivers available for me (blame it on the italians).

Well? Is it possible? Can i just connect straight through Windows without additional drivers? Its an ADSL broadband connection to a router.

 

[Sir Phoenixx]

You shouldn't need to install any extra drivers for Windows to recognize and use your internet connection. I have a DSL connection through a Linksys router and Vista recognized and setup the connection instantly after Vista finished installing and restarted, so I didn't need to use the disc that came from my ISP (or do anything else).

 

[Ravioli]

thx. I have asked others, but most of them dont really know. Im thinking it should be ok, but if im wrong, il be without internet for weeks, thats why i need to be 100% sure. Anyone else got any experience with this?

I wanted to partition the HDD to install W7 there and try...but for some reason it wont work to partition, and no third party partition tools work either :/

 

[PimpinPenguin]

Do you have the drivers for your network card? If not make sure you have them just incase Windows doesn't install drivers for it.

 

[Escaep]

I'm not sure if this applies to you but make sure you have your WPA/WEP key written down.

 

[Viperidae]

Is this a laptop or a desktop?

Desktops tend to have the modem drivers come packaged with the mobo drivers. Laptops might have them individually for the network card, especially new/more professional builds where you have a choice of different/swappable cards.

 

[Asus]

The only driver you will need are for your network hardware on your pc. Wireless or wired.
You just need to make sure the settings are set correctly when getting ethernet devices to connect to one another rather than drivers. Drivers are for between the OS and the PC (network card).

That's why business people buy wireless bridges (connect to the pc via ethernet instead of usb or pci) when they are looking for a wifi adapter for their company laptop when using at home and they don't have the permissions to do any installing.