Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Back in February I bought a new desktop. It is a Dell, and up until now, I have never had a problem with any of the other 5 computers we have bought from them. With this one, I keep losing my internet connection. It has been going on pretty much since I got it and it is really annoying. At first I thought maybe I had it set up in a bad spot, I had it sitting in the corner of my room, so I moved my desk so nothing is blocking it. Then after that didn't work, I decided to go out and buy a new router, which works great for the rest of the computers in the house, but still didn't solve my problem with this one. Finally I decided to call Dell and get help...I spent an hour on the phone with them last Thursday trying to figure this out. Seems like all they want to do is read directions from a book, then they told me to call the router manufacturer, then they called back today to follow up, and told me to call my cable company (who we get the internet through). At this point I am just PO'ed. I am just figuring it is a bad wireless card they put in, and I'm sure they know it to. I'm not sure how anything else can be the problem since the 4 laptops, one desktop (all from Dell), my phone, my ipad, and my game systems ALL connect to the internet just fine. So what do you think it is? Is it my wireless card? This is really becoming a headache and if I have to, I'll just go out and buy a USB wireless adapter to use instead of the card (since the add on was only $10 or $15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I'm no expert, but I would guess that replacing your router won't make a difference. First make sure you are not dealing with a placement issue by setting up the pc in a place you know it should work. I would think that possibly another device is kicking your pc off. What kind of router are you using? A friend of mine had to go to a gaming router because of the same issue and his kids playing on their toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Try taking the wireless card out of one of your other laptops and then putting it into the one that is not working so well. Then vice versus with the suspected bad wireless card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gzilla45 Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I don't think it is a router issue either since your laptops are working fine. If you get connection on a laptop near the desktop then there should be plenty of signal there. It sounds like an issue with the wireless card to me. When you get kicked off of your internet connection, what do you have to do to get back on? Do you need to reboot, wait a while, or can you get connected again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 If the new laptop has Vista or Windows 7 as the operating system updating the firmware in you router might help. I had the same issue with my wife's laptop until I updated the firmware in the router. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted May 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I'm no expert, but I would guess that replacing your router won't make a difference. The router we had was a cheap Netgear, and it had to be replaced anyways, it was kicking my laptop off all the time so I upgraded to a Belkin Wireless N router, which solved that problem and the rest of the computers in the house work great with it. First make sure you are not dealing with a placement issue by setting up the pc in a place you know it should work. This is one of the first things I checked. When I first set it up, I had it sitting on top of my desk, but it was stuck back in the corner. Since then I have moved my desk around and now have the PC on the floor, but aimed towards my door, so there shouldn't be anything blocking it. Distance shouldn't be an issue since My laptop is being used in the same room and it works just fine. I would think that possibly another device is kicking your pc off.We do have quite a few machines that use wireless. We have my moms laptop, my sisters laptop, and my laptop, plus an older one that gets used every once in a while, then I have my iphone and ipad connected, and my ps3 also uses wireless. But there are very few times that all of these are running at the same time. For instance, I was trying to use the computer this morning, and I am the only one in the house and the desktop was the only thing on, but it still kept kicking me off. I use my ps3 a lot (movies and games), but when I am on that I hardly use my desktop. What kind of router are you using? A friend of mine had to go to a gaming router because of the same issue and his kids playing on their toys.It is a Belkin wireless N. Try taking the wireless card out of one of your other laptops and then putting it into the one that is not working so well. Then vice versus with the suspected bad wireless card. This is a desktop that I am having trouble with. Let me add to what this is doing. I can turn the computer on, and right away it will find the signal from the network. After a while, it will go out, then when I click on the icon in the notification area, I either have to click connect, or sometimes as soon as I click the icon it will automatically start connecting again. There are even times when I click to reconnect, and it just shows the bars with the blue circle over it (like it is searching or trying to connect) and it will just keep doing that, but I can use the internet just fine. I have tried everything that Dell wanted me to as far as the troubleshooting that they read out of their book. I have checked for updates to the wireless software on their sight, I have made sure it wasn't my anti-virus/spyware programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted May 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 If the new laptop has Vista or Windows 7 as the operating system updating the firmware in you router might help. I had the same issue with my wife's laptop until I updated the firmware in the router. This is a desktop, but I am going to try this to see if it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 This is a desktop, but I am going to try this to see if it helps. You will also want to update the driver on the wireless card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jokostel Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 Sounds like you could play with the wireless "channels".. but since all your other devices function, Id suggest just getting a better wifi device for the desktop. the new usb cards are pretty decent... fighting driver issues is simply not worth it. Just buy a new one and save the headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted May 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 Well I have done the firmware update on the router, and did the driver update for the wireless card...so far so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted May 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 Well i did the firmware update for the router and the driver update for the wireless card and it still is messing up. After another hour long phone call the lady wanted me to call back after hauling the pc downstairs and hooking it straight up to the cable, I told her how much of a pain it was going to be and that I was tired of all the phone calls. She said ok and went ahead and ordered a new wireless card for me. Should be here in about three days, hopefully it solves me problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted May 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2010 Well I got the new wireless card in earlier today, fast shipping, they shipped it yesterday. The bad part, it still didn't work!! It would come in, but have a really low signal, then go out again. It went out about 5-6 times withing the first half hour. I decided to call my cousin up and had him bring over the USB wireless adapter to see how that would work, it worked perfectly for the hour or so I had in connected, so I went out and bought one. Now I have a full signal, and it has not gone out yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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