Unstable Wifi 1

[vacunita]

Can't tell if its the Router or the computer, though most other devices like, Android phones, iPhones and iPads, and other computers connected to it work generally fine.

Before details about what is wrong, some details about the computer:

DEll Inspiron 15, 5000 Series, Windows 10 fully updated.
Intel Dual Band Wireless Adapter(AC)
About 15 feet from router, clean line of sight.

Router is an older A/B/G/N Fiber Optic Alcatel Lucent I-240W-Q set to N mode only.

When connected via ethernet, getting around 35 to 40 Mbps and no issues. When connected over Wifi, I get unstable 8 to at most 20Mbps

Wireless connection on the computer keeps disconnecting from the wifi. Getting lots of err_network_changed errors in Chrome, etc...
Pinging google.com results in varying results. Sometimes all 4 packets are successfully sent, other times it fails at one or 2. Or 3. etc...

I'm starting to think the router's Wireless hardware is possibly dying, but other devices seem to operate normally on it.

I've rebooted the router many times, and it may help a little, but eventually its back to being super unstable.

The other possibility is the wireless card on the Dell is dying. However, to test this, I've connected the laptop to a different wireless network, (generated by a Mac Mini), but connected to the same router via ethernet, and so far it seems like its working fine.

I was able to post this, without any errors, so it supports the theory of the wireless failing on the router, as opposed to the wireless failing on the computer.

How can I conclusively tell if the Wireless is actually failing on the router? The Router's control panel, is a bit limited.









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Phil AKA Vacunita
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OS-ception: Running Linux on a Virtual Machine in Windows which itself is running in a Virtual Machine on Mac OSx.

Web & Tech

 

[edfair]

Yes, but I have 3 iPhones, 3 iPads, Android Phones, a Mac Mini, a Blu Ray player, an Apple TV, a Smart TV that work fine on the same wifi router/modem. And it works on the same laptop with a different wifi card.

And why is this interference just now causing issues when it did not before?

Based on stuff I've run across I would turn everything within 20 or so feet off to see if it makes a difference. Just as a check. I've had interference just happen. No reason, no explanation for the sudden failure.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Beilstwh]

The other thing about your current wireless modem is it only supports the 2.4gz band. A new Wi-Fi router will also support the 5Gz band which is much faster and in a spectrum that is much less noisy. For example Microwaves operate in the 2.4gz band and can cause interference and with 2 bands you can put the devices that support 5gz and need higher throughput like your Apple TV and Smart TV and get them off the lower band.

Bill
Lead Application Developer
New York State, USA

 

[goombawaho]

The best and easiest solution is a new access point or router used as an access point that has 5GHz as mentioned. I've seen where two routers were near each other (public wifi for a dorm and private wifi for the dorm office) and one client was 2.4GHz ONLY and 10 feet from the router. Internet speeds were like 5Mbps download. Replaced the wifi card in the client to one that can do 5GHz and speed was 50Mbps.

So, interference either from wifi devices especially using 2.4GHz mode or other sources can really kill range and performance.

Maybe your neighbor just cranked up a new router with a strong 2.4GHz signal or moved his router closer to yours. Who knows. It's easier to take action rather than troubleshoot down to the last drop of blood sometimes.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[audaxviator]

Wireless connection on the computer keeps disconnecting from the wifi.

I suspect the Wi-Fi driver because I had a similar problem with a different brand of laptop, and I wasted too many hours trying to fix it:

At one point I discovered that the OEM had released a bug fix that addressed my "keeps disconnecting" problem, but that this fix had not been released by the laptop maker. The actual problem may have been a bug in Wi-Fi power saving features. I suggest retrieving data about the Wi-Fi controller chipset, then going to the OEM for a matching current driver.. because that is how we all used to make things work in Windows 7 and earlier.

It was working fine, and suddenly this, pretty much out of nowhere.

I seem to recall Windows 10's automagic updates controlling the device drivers, so I changed the OS (which then worked fine, btw). Common marketing strategies encourage configuration battles because each company tries to ship minimally differenced products (doing this prevents consumers from making direct side-by-side comparisons). For example, a slightly thinner board might reduce flexibility in voltage settings, but the specifications presented to consumers appear indistinguishable from the original (provided a tuned driver is installed; hence Dell driver and IBM driver might have a different setting). Consumer pain is to be expected when mixing and matching OEM parts; but occationally this also impacted buyers of poorly supported hardware bundles (i.e. certain laptops).

 

[vacunita]

I suggest retrieving data about the Wi-Fi controller chipset, then going to the OEM for a matching current driver..

Yup. Tried that. Got the drivers from Intel directly, installed a newer version, did not work. Went back to an older version. Did not work.

Updated again to a different version, still has not worked.

THe current drivers seem to be working with other Wifi networks, except the one mentioned. Right now, connected to a Hotel network, and it works fine.

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Phil AKA Vacunita
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OS-ception: Running Linux on a Virtual Machine in Windows which itself is running in a Virtual Machine on Mac OSx.

Web & Tech

 

[audaxviator]

I also observed different behaviours on each network. I still suspect the route cause is a power saving feature in the driver.

I seem to recall confirming that the settings can misbehave on certain networks setups (router settings/features) but my problem laptop was a HP so didn't come across this post on Dell community forums:

Touch and hold or right-click Computer and then click Properties.
Touch or click. Device Manager in the upper left corner.
(If you are prompted to continue by the User Account Control, click Continue).
In the Device Manager window, click the plus <+> sign next to Network Adapters.
Double-tap or double-click the Dell Wireless WLAN Card.
Touch or click. the Advanced tab.
In the Property box, click to highlight AP Compatibility Mode, select Broader Compatibility under Value: from the drop-down menu.
In the Property box, click to highlight Minimum Power Consumption, select Disabled under Value: from the drop-down menu.
Touch or click. OK.

THEN:

Search’ for “Edit power plan” and click the result.

Change advanced settings. Open up the “Wireless Adapter Settings” then click tab that says “Power Saving Mode” and make sure it doesn’t disconnect your wifi to save power by setting to Maximum Performance which should stop it from disconnecting at random. (I also did it for for battery).

Do this for both the Dell wireless and the FE PCI Family Controller >> Uncheck the box “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.

After that go into your network settings. Type “Control panel” select “Network and Internet” and then “Network and Sharing Center” and from there “Change adapter settings” (It’s on the left hand menubar)

Right click your wifi adapter -> click Properties -> click Configure -> click Power Management

Uncheck the box “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.

 

[vacunita]

I did turn off power savings and have been left off on the adapter since before posting here.

The Intel Wireless adapter has no AP Compatibility Option in advanced. It also has no associated FE PCI Family Controller. I only get that when I install the Netgear adapter which works fine.

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Phil AKA Vacunita
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OS-ception: Running Linux on a Virtual Machine in Windows which itself is running in a Virtual Machine on Mac OSx.

Web & Tech