internet connection drops every 2 minutes

[geengeen]

Internet drops every 2 minutes for laptop running windows7. Yellow triangle and exclamation mark appear on task bar. Resetting BT homehub cures problem for about 2 mins and then warning triangle returns. Hub shows all three lights on. Other laptops can connect. Impossible to reinstall software or use any internet tools to diagnose anything on this laptop as there is insufficient time. Ideas?

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to ExTS

 

I suggest that you try an ethernet cable direct from the laptop to the router.

If this gives you a constant connection we can take it from there.

[geengeen]

Hi and welcome to ExTS

 

I suggest that you try an ethernet cable direct from the laptop to the router.

If this gives you a constant connection we can take it from there.

 

Thanks Ken. Computer works perfectly with ethernet cable connected. I've seen this same problem described on various internet sites but no effective solution seems to be described. Another laptop (also windows 7) can connect without problems. Seems to be a problem specific to this laptop.

[KenB]

Hi,

 

I am not a Win7 user so hope this works:

 

Start > type in .....devmgmt.msc ......Enter

Click the > next to "Network Adapters"

 

What is listed?

Are there any yellow exclamation marks?

[RandyL]

It works the same way on 7 Ken.

[KenB]

Thank Randy - I wasn't sure.

[geengeen]

Hi Ken,

No exclamation marks.

I see 'Dell wireless 1397 WLAN minicard' and 'Realtek PCIe GBE familat controller'

Double clicked on both things, devices said to be 'working properly'

Home hub says it is connected, signal strength excellent. Web pages just say 'loading' for a minute or two and then time out.

Still have pefect connection from another laptop, very frustrating!!!

[KenB]

Hi,

 

Your wireless network card could be failing.

The drivers for it are here:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R206848&SystemID=INSPIRON1545&servicetag=&os=WLH%20%20&osl=en&deviceid=16118&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=2&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=0&libid=5&typeid=-1&dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=289450

 

d/l with ethernet cable attached.

 

You could try uninstalling the drivers from Device Manager. ( Right click on 1397WLAN )

Restart.

Windows will find new hardware.

Install the new drivers.

[geengeen]

Hi Ken,

 

Uninstalled driver as suggested, resinstalled, but problem remains.

[KenB]

I would be inclined to try a USB Wireless Adapter.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002LC25LC/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0002LHX8O&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=19M39FSAGNTKBJ5T8J6Z

You can get them quite cheaply.

Right click on the present wireless adapter in Device Manager and disable.

Install the USB Adapter as per instructions.

 

If this works then your internal Wireless Card is faulty.

[geengeen]

Hi Ken,

 

Thanks for the suggestion. It could be a faulty card, though with an intermittent fault perhaps, as the laptop has suddenly started to connect again! I did try something, and it may be a complete coincidence, I'm not sure. I looked for downloads that occurred around the time that the problem started and I noticed a windows update on the same day. (and there have been a couple of other updates since). I uninstalled them, switched off the auto-update setting, and restarted. The computer started working immediately! Do you think this is a coincidence or just a faulty wireless card that is likely to turn on/off again without warning? Thanks.

[RandyL]

Ken is away for one week so can't reply. I have seen updates do some strange things so it is possible. Installing updates manually one by one is a way you can check that theory.

[geengeen]

Hi Ken,

In case you are still viewing this thread, the dreaded problem has returned. No amount of uninstalling or stsem restoring is working this time. THe internet is flooded with this same problem and there are no good solutions. Hope you can help. thx

[KenB]

Hi,

 

Yes - still following the thread :)

 

Connect to the internet wirelessly.

Start ...type in ......cmd ( do not hit enter yet )

Right click on the "cmd" that appears at the top of the box.

Run as Administrator.

 

At the command prompt carefully type the following:

 

ping 8.8.8.8 -t -l 1

 

There is a space after g / 8 / t / l ( the l is a lower case L ........the 1 is a number )

 

Click the - ( top right ) to shrink this - do not close it.

 

This will constantly send 1 packet of data - hopefully your connectionwill not drop.

[geengeen]

hi ken. Ping certainly pings data but it does not stop the connection from dropping after two minutes or so. Initially the ping reports "Reply from 8.8.8.8 bytes=1.." etc etc, then after 2-3 minutes I get "request timed out". If I reboot the hub the ping continues to report "Request timed out" for a while, then it changes to "destination host is unreachable" and as soon as all lights are back on the hub I get "Reply from 8.8.8.8.." again, which continues until the next interruption after 2-3 mins. So the only way to go on thre internet is to reset the hub repeatedly, which itself takes about 2 min.

 

Now, here is the interesting thing. I have two laptops 'A' & 'B' on win 7 and a desktop 'C' with XP.

 

A is working perfectly in wireless mode

B will only work if hardwired to the hub (except for 2 min if the hub is reset)

C won't work whether wireless or hardwired (except for 2 min if the hub is reset)

 

When I first started this trail laptop A wouldn't work at all (except after a hub reset). So, the same basic problem affects three different PCs with two different operating systems at different times. So far I have never had all three down simultaneously, but that really would spell trouble.

 

Recently I've run malwarebytes on all three machines and on the desktop I've even done combofix (I'm getting desperate). The problem remains. I hope this helps to identify a source of the problem. thanks.

[geengeen]

Hi Ken,

 

Another thig that may be significant. On the laptop that is currently working I blocked automatic downloads. The other two both fell down (but to different degrees) in the last week. Unfortunately I was away so i don't know if they went down at identical times.

[geengeen]

exclamation mark again!!!

 

Not sure if any of you good people are still around to help with this problem, but after a long spell without issues the dreaded triangle and exclamation mark have returned. Similar profile to the original thread. Several devices can connect to bt home hub, but one laptop can't (well, it's connected, allegedly,but there is a yellow triangle and exclamation mark) and you cannot get any websites. Hardwiring does the trick. This problem still seems to be affecting many people but still no obvious solution. Any thoughts anyone? Restting hub, rebotting etc etc all done to no avail.

[KenB]

Hi again,

 

Firstly an apology ....... I obviously missed your last 2 posts from 2011

 

the dreaded triangle and exclamation mark have returned.

I suggested in a previous post that you try a USB Wireless Adapter - did you try this ?

They are not expensive and would rule out the internal wireless adapter.

 

I was thinking at the time that the wireless adapter could be faulty.

[Synapse]

A possible solution....

 

Log in to your hub and find the wireless settings.

 

I'm assuming your hub is set to choose a wireless channel automatically - change to manual and select a channel - say channel 6.

 

Save the settings, reboot your hub and see how your wireless connection behaves.

[KenB]

Also ........... adding to what Synapse has said....

If the wireless channel is set already to ( say ) 6 try changing it to either 1 or 11

It could be wireless interference causing your problem.