Wifi Network Adapter drops out at random times (Windows 7)

Slartybart said:

Let me chew on the other questions for a while.

until then, take a break with this video. inSSIDder shows you where bottlenecks might occur - in the video the narrator says "change your channel number...." but that is done on your router, not with inSSIDer

The vidoes shows you how to Pin your network - I'm pretty sure, it's the one shown on the r-hand side of the windows when you start inSSIDer. You can also click on the network icon in the system tray which shpuld have the network name up top.

1) How can I tell which channel my network is on? (I see it on multiple channels)
Look at the columns for Channel and look at the rows for your network (if you pin your network, it will be at the top)

2) How can I change from one channel to another?
Configure your router for a different channel

3) Does the network automatically change from one channel to another when necessary?
Some routers do, not all though.

4) When I experience a dropout (as described above), will I even see my router on inssider?
Good question. No. Although you should still see your router using inSSIDer on another machne. That is a good test, but any other device connected to the router would suffice. If both devices get fropped, the router might be the culprit. If only your box get dropped, it's more likely your box.

the main purpose of using inSSIDer was to see if a different channel might benefit you.
Launch it and sorrt by channel. Lots of strong signals on the same channel as your router?
Change from channel 1 to channel 6 or 11

If you want to post a screen shot of inSSIDer I can take a quick look

Please see https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html for the preferred method of posting files and images on Sevenforums

then get back to more trouble shooting.

Now I see. inSSIDer says I'm using channel 1. The only channels with several networks are 1, 6 & 11. Almost all of the others have either zero or one networks. Yet my router (Netgear WNR1000v3) doesn't appear have a way for me to change channels. If it did, I can't imagine using channel 6 or 11 would make sense, as those are just as busy as channel 1. But what about other channels such as 2, 3, 7 or perhaps 10. Or perhaps a 5 GHz channel such as 40 or 44?

I already tried a side by side test with two laptops. The Sony VAIO experienced a dropout while the other laptop did not. I'm tempted to install inSSIDer on the other laptop and see if it is also on channel 1. If not, then that might suggest a fix to the problem. However, it would then suggest that the channel is set by the computer and not the router.

I'm wondering more about the N USB adapter. I'm guessing it works by bypassing the wifi card and uses a USB port instead. However, if the problem lies upstream of the point at which the wifi routes to the USB rather than the wifi card, then a N USB adapter won't function as a workaround. If the problem lies between the aforementioned point and the wifi antenna, then it it seems the N USB adapter would work.

Do you know how I can change the channel on the Netgear WNR1000v3?

Next time I experience the dropout, rather than perform the Windows troubleshoot/repair, I'm going to power cycle the router and see if the signal comes back. I'm not quite sure what that will tell me if it repairs the dropout vs. doesn't repair the dropout.

Update: I power cycled the router and it came back up on channel 11. (I gather the Netgear WNR1000v3 doesn't allow the user to select the channel, but auto selects it). I'll leave it powered on (channel 11) and see if it continues to have dropouts.

Saginaw said:

The wifi dropped out again. So that rules out the suggested fixes of Slartybart and DMHolt57. So I'll try the suggestions of theveterans and run inssider. I just updated the drivers at Device Manager/Network Adapters. There were three: Realtek, Microsoft and Atheros. Windows was able to find the current drivers for Realtek and Microsoft and updated those. But Atheros. What's that?

Could this potentially be a registry issue?

Someone else here suggested doing a system restore. If I recall, a system restore will only restore to specific dates. Doesn't it also wipe out any new applications installed between then and now? If what Slartybart and DMHolt57 suggested doesn't fix the problem, then why would a system restore likely fix the problem? Could it possibly be a registry issue?

Yes. System restore will take your pc settings back to a specific date. It will affect apps installed since then to this date, data will not be affected.
Does this network drop outs happen when you login on safe mode with networking?

Slartybart said:

Network issues are just a pain. There is no magic bullet, you have to make sure things are setup correctly (much easier these days), then when things go off, you have to sniff them out. In your case, there are only tow devices - the router and the adapter in your machine. I think your side-by-side test ruled out the router, but not completely.

Atheros is your wireless card, Realtek is your Ethernet card - not sure about MS, it might only be a filter. Good thinking on your part.

Not likely a registry issue.

Saginaw said:

..... I just updated the drivers at Device Manager/Network Adapters. There were three: Realtek, Microsoft and Atheros. Windows was able to find the current drivers for Realtek and Microsoft and updated those. But Atheros. What's that?

Could this potentially be a registry issue?

After leaving the computer on overnight, I noticed the network dropout again this morning. I tried the following steps:
1) Took a look at inSSIDer (I left it running overnight). It displayed my network in the Networks tab, but it did not show that any traffic was running. Almost as if inSSIDer had frozen its screen.
2) Power cycled my router
3) Hooked up my 2nd laptop and made sure the network was up and running
4) Observed that the network had not come back up on the Sony VAIO
5) Checked the Atheros AR9285 in Device Manager and it said it was working properly
6) Rebooted the Sony VAIO and observed that the network did come back up
7) Updated the Atheros AR9285 from 9.1.0.334 to 9.2.0.316 (I don't think this is going to do anything)

The next step I'm going to try is to leave it in Safe Mode overnight.

A) If the network doesn't drop out in Safe Mode, what does that tell me?
B) If the network does drop out in Safe Mode, what does that tell me?

In which of those two cases (A or B), would it warrant the next step to try a N-USB adapter? And in which of those two cases, would it warrant the next step to be a system restore?

Ccasarguedas said:

Saginaw said:

The wifi dropped out again. So that rules out the suggested fixes of Slartybart and DMHolt57. So I'll try the suggestions of theveterans and run inssider. I just updated the drivers at Device Manager/Network Adapters. There were three: Realtek, Microsoft and Atheros. Windows was able to find the current drivers for Realtek and Microsoft and updated those. But Atheros. What's that?

Could this potentially be a registry issue?

Someone else here suggested doing a system restore. If I recall, a system restore will only restore to specific dates. Doesn't it also wipe out any new applications installed between then and now? If what Slartybart and DMHolt57 suggested doesn't fix the problem, then why would a system restore likely fix the problem? Could it possibly be a registry issue?

Yes. System restore will take your pc settings back to a specific date. It will affect apps installed since then to this date, data will not be affected.
Does this network drop outs happen when you login on safe mode with networking?

If I do a system restore and it doesn't resolve the problem, can I revert back to the system status as of the day I do the system restore?

If system restore does resolve the problem, how do I find the culprit application? I'll want to reinstall all the applications that system restore wipes out. But I don't want to have to do one, then check a day or two for network dropouts, then do another and check a day or two for network dropouts. Any suggestions?

I will start by leaving it in safe mode overnight overnight.

A) If the network doesn't drop out in Safe Mode, what does that tell me?
B) If the network does drop out in Safe Mode, what does that tell me?

In which of those two cases (A or B), would it warrant the next step to try a N-USB adapter? And in which of those two cases, would it warrant the next step to be a system restore?

I guess I could just buy the N-USB adapter and see if the network dropouts stop occurring.
If it does, then where does that suggest the problem lies?
If it doesn't, then where does that suggest the problem lies?

I am wondering if you've been able to solve this issue? I noticed the same behavior with my Vayo recently and it drives me nuts. I tried many things but nothing solved the issue so I am not trying to figure out if getting a USB adapter might help.