Laptop and wifi issues...

pugzy

Hi guys,

Not been on for a while but have a bloody annoying internet WiFi issue with my laptop which I hope someone can help me with. Basically...

- last week, WiFi started to be slower than normal and randomly losing signal on my phone, wife's phone and the laptop
- tried doing the usual switching off router box and back on to which it solved the connectivity with our phones (at all points, the correct lights were always on on the router as before)
- now the laptop could only see the network but would not allow me to connect. Sometimes when it did, it was for 10secs then would stop again and search
- checked all network settings, even reverted it back from a WEP to a WPA2 and also an unguarded network at one point to see if it was an issue with the passwords, nothing has changed, although I can briefly get on again but be extremely slow as a WPA2
- did system restore to be in case of corrupt update and done virus checks with AVG but still the same

What do I do?

I spoke to TalkTalk and they said as it as fine on other devices other than the laptop then it wasn't their issue.

Must be a setting of some type but what? It's doing my head in lol :mad:

Thanks in advance

grumpycrab

Verify that internet works via a cable...then , and only when you've verified that the cable connection works...LEAVE THE CABLE PLUGGED IN and

READ FIRST

- Start > run > devmgmt.msc > expand Network Adapters
- determine which adapter is the wireless one (if unsure Start > run > ncpa.cpl to list the adapters) MAKE A NOTE OF ITS NAME
- right-click on the wireless adapter and select 'Uninstall'
- reboot
- re-install drivers (this should happen automatically but you know its name if you have to download them).

Spelunthus

Could be another wireless router (neighbour?) on the same channel.
Have a look at router documentation re changing the channel to another.
Also sometime just moving the router a little, or even just rotating it through 90 degrees can help.

pugzy

It works with the cable fine. Have followed the above, uninstalled the broadcom 802.11n wireless network driver, but now need to reinstall them for the network but where do I get them from? I'm guessing this is he reboot stage but how do I reboot to get these back?

Thanks for your help

pugzy

I've found the network adaptor online at cnet.com, downloaded it, reinstalled and setup the wifi TalkTalk network using their start up CD and it says it's all sorted.

I then remove the LAN cable so I can connect to the wifi and it says that Windows cannot connect to the network. I verified the WPA2 key but it won't let me connect wirelessly.

I plug the LAN back in and immediately it's ok again?

Why can't windows now connect me to wifi?

grumpycrab

At least the cable works(sorry, only joking)...
What does Start > run > ncpa.cpl say for the "broadcom 802.11n wireless" device?
Could try right-mouse-click on it and Connect and/or Diagnose and/or Status?

danthemoneysavingman

it could be a connector on your latptop's wifi module has come off, little connectors, usually accessible through the access hatch in the base. check these if you haven't already, sounds like a hardware issue from what i read above
hth

pugzy

grumpycrab wrote: »

At least the cable works(sorry, only joking)...
What does Start > run > ncpa.cpl say for the "broadcom 802.11n wireless" device?
Could try right-mouse-click on it and Connect and/or Diagnose and/or Status?

Diagnosing it only tries to resolve it and it always comes up with "Investigate access point or router issues", to which it still doesn't work. It just says it can't connect and won't.

Where are these access hatches for the wifi? My laptop is an ACER Aspire 5742 if that helps?

Cheers chaps:beer:

grumpycrab

Hi, one last try - running ncpa.cpl - what does the "status" column say for the broadcom device? Does it just say "not connected"?

Try pressing (both keys together) Fn + F3 (Fn is the Function key; F3 should be the wireless on/off button).

Next options:-
1. as suggested above, check the wireless card (little) connectors are ok
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Acer+Aspire+5742+WLAN+Card/12157/1

2. if you think things are worse (after reinstalling the broadcomm driver) do another system restore (as you said you did in your first post) and check conflicting channels (also as suggested above). If you get back to this ask how to check about conflicting channels.

3. could try a factory restore if desperate (do a data backup first) OR buy a usb wireless adapter (a tenner off Amazon).

danthemoneysavingman

Hi,
here is a fixit guide with pics, showing you what i mean:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing+Acer+Aspire+5742+WLAN+Card/12157/1

easy stuff.
if nothing else it will eliminate loose cables as the cause!
hth

GunJack

more to the point, have you gone into network and sharing centre > manage wireless networks, and deleted your network from the list, then reboot the lappy and try to reconnect ??