Connection Problems

john · Apr 13, 2008, 22:57:56

I've recently started to have connection problems on my laptop.

I usually leave it logged in but in 'hibernate' mode. When I start up and log back in again a message pops up to report it has not connected and to click for details. When I do this it opens the support window (general window also shown):

When I click on 'Details' it just shows the 'general' tab.

If I reboot the machine it's okay again.

This has only happened since I bought a laptop for my daughter too and she has experienced the same problem once or twice.

Anybody got any ideas ?

Simon · Apr 13, 2008, 23:03:39

Funnily enough, someone has posted a similar problem on my forum, with a D-Link USB wireless set up, so I'll be interested to hear the answer to this, and will obviously pass on the info if it gets to PC Pals first.

john · Apr 13, 2008, 23:07:47

Thanks Simon,

By the way clicking on the repair button doesn't find any networks.

Ted · Apr 13, 2008, 23:08:18

john, try assigning a static ip address for the laptop in the router.

Simon · Apr 13, 2008, 23:11:24

My only thought was to try changing the channel on the router.

Sebby · Apr 13, 2008, 23:21:52

I don't think assigning a static IP will help; often in these situations, if the computer can't get an address via DHCP, static IPs don't help.

If this is happening when the computer comes out of hibernation, it sounds like a driver issue, or possibly the router's firmware. I'd try updating the wireless adaptor driver first.

What make/model of wireless adaptor is it, John?

john · Apr 13, 2008, 23:41:57

Thanks for all the replies.

Hi Sebby, the network adaptor in my own laptop is an Intel ProWireless, the details are :

I'm not sure what's in my daughters laptop but she only got it less than two weeks ago so would expect the driver to be okay.

The router is a Netgear DG834G v3.

The thing is that up until a few days ago there hasn't been a problem.

Sebby · Apr 13, 2008, 23:44:43

Here are the latest drivers for that card. Try updating them and seeing if that helps.

john · Apr 13, 2008, 23:54:21

Thanks Sebby, it's getting a bit late now but I'll try it tomorrow.

Note when I unzipped the file there are three applications :

Iprodifix.EXE
DPInst.EXE
DPInst64.EXE

I presume the latter is for 64 bit machines so is it the 'DPInst.EXE' I need to run ?

Sebby · Apr 14, 2008, 00:01:49

What I would do is right-click on the Intel wireless adaptor in device manager and choose update driver, then just point it at the unzipped folder.

john · Apr 14, 2008, 17:54:30

Hi Sebby,

I've installed the driver, rebooted, connected ok, put it into hibernate and then logged back in again okay so I'll see how it goes as it was intermittent before. However so far so good.

Thanks very much for your advice and the updated driver.

Rik · Apr 14, 2008, 17:58:51

Pesky drivers.

Sebby · Apr 14, 2008, 18:18:32

Fingers crossed.

john · Apr 14, 2008, 18:27:06

Sorry Guys, I spoke too soon.

I was logged in as an administrator to update the driver and test if it worked. However I've since logged out and logged back in with my normal account and got the same problem.

I've managed to connect by letting Windows manage the network adaptor. I don't know yet if I'll experience the same problems with this yet.

Rik · Apr 14, 2008, 18:33:23

Could it be that the driver needs more permissions than it has?

john · Apr 14, 2008, 18:36:23

Quote from: Rik on Apr 14, 2008, 18:33:23
Could it be that the driver needs more permissions than it has?

I don't think that's the problem Rik as I've just switched back to let the Intel ProSet/Wireless manage the adaptor and connected okay again.

Rik · Apr 14, 2008, 18:36:42

I hate wireless.

john · Apr 14, 2008, 18:41:46

Quote from: Rik on Apr 14, 2008, 18:36:42
I hate wireless.

Alas, a necessary evil Rik

Rik · Apr 14, 2008, 18:44:18

There's always powerplugs.

Sebby · Apr 14, 2008, 18:46:54

Quote from: john on Apr 14, 2008, 18:27:06
Sorry Guys, I spoke too soon.

I was logged in as an administrator to update the driver and test if it worked. However I've since logged out and logged back in with my normal account and got the same problem.

I've managed to connect by letting Windows manage the network adaptor. I don't know yet if I'll experience the same problems with this yet.

In that case, I would update the router firmware, but do it over a wired connection and not wireless.

http://kbserver.netgear.com/release_notes/d103272.asp

Rik · Apr 14, 2008, 18:52:57

Quote# Fixed a problem on the Router Status>Show Statistics page where a negative noise margin would be incorrectly displayed as a large positive number.
# Fixed an issue where email received from the router had a date one month in advance of the actual date.

Tow very old bugs sorted - I bet they didn't fix the u/s attenuation reporting half the correct value.

Sebby · Apr 14, 2008, 18:58:47

Or the negative noise margin reporting.

john · Apr 14, 2008, 23:38:16

Quote from: Sebby on Apr 14, 2008, 18:46:54
In that case, I would update the router firmware, but do it over a wired connection and not wireless.

http://kbserver.netgear.com/release_notes/d103272.asp

It's worth a try Sebby but it might be a few days before I get round to doing that as I'll have to find the cable in the loft.

In the meantime I've found an event viewer for wireless networks (it's just re-connected after disconnecting) :

It doesn't mean much to me but the utility that displayed it had a manual diagnostic tool which gave the following results :

Of course this was run when it has connected okay but I'll try running it again when there's a problem.

Sebby · Apr 14, 2008, 23:40:24

It doesn't say a great deal, John. Basically, it can't get an address from the DHCP server for some reason. Usually that indicates a driver problem if it's happening when the computer is woken, but as updating that didn't help I can only think it's the router's firmware. It's worth a try anyway - apparently it's got a better ADSL driver, even if it doesn't fix the wireless.

I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it one way or another.

Gary · Apr 14, 2008, 23:43:18

Quote from: Sebby on Apr 14, 2008, 18:58:47
Or the negative noise margin reporting.

think that was the negative noise margin shown as a large number bug, which was fixed Sebby, so many things can interfere with wifi its untrue, must admit I never had issues with the V3 and wireless, but it depends on what you have in your home, as you know a wireless phone and even bluetooth can effect it, I still prefer wires myself, but sometimes you have no choice, maybe changing the wireless channel on the router may help.