Atheros AR5B95 WLAN won't connect

[Sam Harrison]

Hello, hope someone can help with this!

I've just installed from fresh Windows 7 Professional (32 bit) on an eMachines 355. It previously had Windows 7 Starter edition installed and everything worked okay. However, now I'm having problems getting the wireless adaptor working.

It has an Atheros AR5B95 adapter in it and I've tried pretty much every version of the driver I can find online, with varying degrees of success. The best I've got is with the latest 10.0.0.285 version, which lets me connect wirelessly the first time the computer is switched on, but then hangs up after around 5 minutes and won't let me connect again.

All wireless networks available are display correctly, but on clicking on the one I want it (very quickly) pops up with "Windows was unable to connect...".

The only trend I can see for when it will connect is when the computer is at its coldest it lets me connect for longest. I.e., first thing this morning after it had been off all night, it connect for about 5 minutes. After leaving it for 2 hours, it connected for about 1 minute. If I've been using it and then restart it, it won't connect or if it does will only be for a few seconds. This makes me question whether it's an overheating problem (though I just cleaned the fan and then didn't help at all).

Any help greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Sam

 

[maxie]

Hi Sam .. Welcome to Seven Forums ..You should see if your Wired Lan connection is working proper .. If so that would rule out any other issues you might have ..

 

[Sam Harrison]

Hi maxie, my wired LAN connection is working fine, it's just the wireless that's causing the problems...

 

[maxie]

It is not an over heating issue then .. And as it was working well before your Clean Install ..

Would imagine it has to be a Driver issue ..


Which Driver did you use before the Re-Install ? ...


Was it one from the Manufactures Website ? ...

 

[Sam Harrison]

It was version 9.1.0.209 before the reinstall (same as on the manufacturer's website). Now if I install version 9.1.0.209 it won't even recognise any wireless networks, never mind connect to any.

 

[maxie]

When you did the Clean Install did you run Windows Updates ?

 

[Sam Harrison]

Yeah I did and the OS is all up to date.

 

[maxie]

Try Uninstalling the Driver and the Adapter ...


Then Reboot and see if Windows will detect the Card ...

 

[Sam Harrison]

Hi Maxie,

When I do that, Windows recognises that there's a device there but isn't sure what it is; it puts it in the "Other devices" section of the Device Manager and calls it "Network Controller". It fails when it tries to automatically search for drivers.

A similar thing happened this morning when I switched it on after it was off overnight: It connected for about 5 minutes before kicking me off and now won't let me connect again.

 

[maxie]

Did you Install any other Drivers from the Manufactures Website ?

 

[Sam Harrison]

I did: Intel chipset, Atheros LAN ethernet and Intel VGA drivers. All on this page (if you search for the product model "355"): Download Center ( ALL Products )

 

[maxie]

Not sure if this will help or not .. But the Chipset Version is pretty old ..

Check the Link down below ...


Chipset Software — Utility to identify your Intel® Chipset

 

[Sam Harrison]

Tried running that tool but it keeps saying it can't figure out what my chipset is...

Incidentally, I've tried without and without those drivers installed and it didn't seem to have any effect on the wifi.

 

[maxie]

I am beginning to think the Adapter may be faulty ... I know it worked when you had the OS .. But there is not much of a change that should cause it not to be working now .. At first i thought it might be Driver related but it does not seem to matter which Driver you Install ...

I am not giving up just thinking what the issue could be if it is not a fault with the Hardware ..

 

[Sam Harrison]

Yeah I'm beginning to think that myself..! Maybe it's time for a new adaptor...

 

[maxie]

May i suggest if you are going to get a new Adapter ..That you get a USB One ..


If you are thinking of an Internal one ... Please let us know in Advance ...