[joey11]

So I'm experiencing this issue where my laptop, while connected to my home internet, will work for awhile, anywhere from 2-20 minutes, then i will loose the connection.  I'm still connected to the network and SOMETIMES the wifi will say that I have a limited connection.

 

To get it back working I have to disconnect and then reconnect to the network on my laptop.  It will then work for awhile and then stop again.  

 

When its not working I can ping the router, but not an external site.

 

No one else has ever experienced this issue on the network, several other folks use it regularly.  I also can use most other wifi networks with no problem.

 

I've run out of things that I know how to do, so any ideas would be appreciated!

thanks

 

 

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oh i should also say that I'm running windows 8.  

 

I've tried updating the driver (automatically through the device manager) already.

 

And I ran ipconfig and didn't notice any difference in the results between when the connection is working and when it isnt.

Edited by joey11, 19 February 2015 - 04:49 PM.

[joey11]

oh i should also say that I'm running windows 8.  

 

I've tried updating the driver (automatically through the device manager) already.

 

And I ran ipconfig and didn't notice any difference in the results between when the connection is working and when it isnt.

Edited by joey11, 19 February 2015 - 04:49 PM.

[joey11]

****deleted****

thought i had found a fix, turns out i didn't

Edited by joey11, 21 February 2015 - 12:51 PM.

[Fusionbomb]

Hello, joey11... and


I'm glad you were able to "fix" this issue, however I would not recommend keeping WPA as your encryption type.  Security is a pretty big concern in today's world, and there is a significant difference in the amount of protection you receive from WPA2 over WPA.  Someone posted a similar issue they were having here.


If you wish for further assistance, please let us know the following information so we can help troubleshoot your issue:

1) What brand/model laptop are you using?

2) Does this issue persist when using a hard-wired connection?  Or only when using wi-fi?

3) Did it ever work properly?  If so, did anything change right before it quit working? (Updated drivers, hardware/software installation, etc?)

[joey11]

hey there! thanks so much for your help!

 

SO to answer your questions...

 

1. its a dell laptop, but I installed all the drivers myself. so lots of room for error there.

2. no the hardline works fine, its just wifi

3. no it never worked

 

thanks!

[phillpower2]

Excuse the interjection folks 

 

joey11

 

I note that you said you had installed the drivers yourself so can I ask the following;

 

When and why did you install the drivers, did you for example need to reinstall or upgrade Windows.

Are you aware that Dell drivers need to be installed in a specific order so as to avoid such issues, correct order list here

What is the exact model name or number of the Dell notebook.

 

FWIW, as the wireless works when set as WPA the NIC would appear to be good but as previously pointed out by Fusionbomb it is not secure.

 

Off out for an hour or so but will check back asap.

[joey11]

hey there!

 

so i installed the drivers when i got the laptop as a sort of learning exercise(and so that i wouldn't have all Dell's extraneous software), i knew that the order was important and i tried to do it correctly. Seemed like a good idea at the time...

 

its a dell latitude 6430u

 

and turns out the WPA switch didn't actually solve it.  for some reason i got about 3 hours of uninterrupted service when i switched, but then in the morning it was back to the same issue.

 

would it make sense to at this point uninstall and reinstall the drivers in order starting from step 7 on that list?

[phillpower2]

Please uninstall nothing at the moment only answer the question and follow the steps that you can below.

so i installed the drivers when i got the laptop as a sort of learning exercise(and so that i wouldn't have all Dell's extraneous software), 

 

 

Does the above mean that you formatted the hard drive to get rid of the pre installed Dell software and then re installed Windows and the Dell drivers.

 

and turns out the WPA switch didn't actually solve it.  for some reason i got about 3 hours of uninterrupted service when i switched, but then in the morning it was back to the same issue.

 

 

Check to see if any updates that could have knocked out the wireless have been installed while the wireless connection was working ok.

 

See if you have a system restore point from when the wireless was working ok, see below;

 

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, then tap Search.

(If you're using a mouse, point to the top-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, then click Search.)

 

Enter Control Panel in the search box, then tap or click Control Panel.

 

Enter Recovery in the Control Panel search box, then tap or click Recovery.

 

Tap or click Open System Restore, then follow the instructions.

 

 

 

Lastly run the Complete Dell test, details here

[joey11]

okay, 

 

so to answer your questions... no i got the laptop with almost nothing on it.  I think only the operating system was installed and I did everything else.

 

No updates in that time window

 

and I ran Dell's diagnostic.  It recommended a number of updates, including an ethernet controller driver update, which i have done.

the only update which was unsuccessful was for the "Intel Management Engine Interface Driver"

 

problem isn't fixed yet

[phillpower2]

 i got the laptop with almost nothing on it.  I think only the operating system was installed and I did everything else.

 

 

Sounds like a right mish mash so I would suggest that you start afresh so that you know what exactly is on the HDD.

 

Did you try the following?

 

 

See if you have a system restore point from when the wireless was working ok, see below;

 

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, then tap Search.

(If you're using a mouse, point to the top-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, then click Search.)

 

Enter Control Panel in the search box, then tap or click Control Panel.

 

Enter Recovery in the Control Panel search box, then tap or click Recovery.

 

Tap or click Open System Restore, then follow the instructions.

 

[Fusionbomb]

phillpower2,

    I don't know if the restore point idea will work for him.
 

...
3) Did it ever work properly?  If so, did anything change right before it quit working? (Updated drivers, hardware/software installation, etc?)

 

...

3. no it never worked

So, reformatting may be the best option. 

[joey11]

hey guys

 

sorry for the break in replies. I had a friend visiting who is more computer savy than me.  Still haven't fixed the issue, but here's some more information.

 

first off there isn't a system restore point where it works.

 

When the internet isnt working the nslookup command works, but you cant ping the site

he went looking at the routing and tried deleting all the routes and then adding back in just the basics (one to the router and one to the outside, i think).  that didn't help 

 

so then we went into the router settings and he tried giving me a static ip, which also didn't help

 

so he suggested i try updating the router firmware, which i'm gonna try today.  If that doesn't work i think I'll try reformating, unless anyone has other suggestions!

 

thanks for your help! 

[HolyCowZ]

Please excuse the interruption but how many firewalls do you have on your PC?

[GooSeSmith]

Update?