New Router worked for awhile and now network is bad

[Ramza]

We bought a Dlinks A/C Router and it was working very well for about 2 weeks and now the network keeps disconnecting and reconnecting. My laptop and one other computer are on the network and the other computer has had no problems. My laptop is an HP laptop, I have an Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter and have rolled it back and updated it with no effect. I have scanned for everything as well as disc cleaned and defragmented. I have tried changing channels on the router but no difference. The problem in my opinion has to be on the laptop because no other device is having this problem, please help me fix it.

 

[remm]

Are both computers connected via Wifi, or is the other computer that is staying connected using Ethernet?

EDIT: And have you tried connecting the HP using Ethernet just to see if bypassing the wifi fixes the problem? This would narrow down the cause, making the internal wifi card in the latptop suspect. (But first I would look at the config settings on the wifi card repeatedly. )

 

[remm]

Things I would check (and re-check) especially since you've been rolling the driver back and forth... be sure the wifi card is not set to cut power when idle or when using battery. This is under the Power Management tab after clicking the Configure button for the adapter.

Other setting that sometimes can cause signal drop is if the box to "connect even when he network is not broadcasting its name (SSID)" is unchecked. So be sure that's ticked. If you go to Networks and Sharing -> Manage Wireless Networks, then right-click on your Wifi Network -> Properties and you'll see the setting.

 

[Ramza]

I did everything you said and it made no difference, it still disconnects and reconnects. Both computers are wifi

Also I tried to do a speed test and 1/3 times the test times out

 

[PeaB4YouGo]

If we all had unlimited wallets, I'd suggest you find a USB WiFi adapter to test with. Maybe someone you know has one?

 

[Shimshom]

Are there any other wireless devices nearby such as a cordless phone as they can interfere with wifi

 

[remm]

You said you tried changing wifi channels... you might dbl-check if you are on the best channel by using InSSIDer, a free wifi network scanner. It will show you all wifi networks in the area and suggest the best channel.

Assuming you have not added a cordless phone in the last 2 weeks or any other wireless device that might be interfering, and it worked fine for 2 weeks and now is being flakey, and the channel isn't a problem....

You can get a USB wifi adapter cheap (e.g. Edimax or TP-Link, both for about $8 on Amazon and maybe less on eBay). They are micro adapters so they don't stick out. They are a good solution if you don't feel comfortable opening the machine. Or if you think the problem is temporary -- some kind of glitch that will eventually work itself out. But if you want to replace the wifi card inside the machine, that's a cleaner solution.

My wifi adapter for my Acer laptop cost like $11 off eBay. They aren't expensive if purchased used, pulled from another machine of the same model. Just choose an eBay vendor with a high rating who guarantees they have tested the part.

However you did not say if you tried connecting the laptop with Ethernet to make sure the connection still doesn't drop out. If Ethernet works fine, then it has to be the wifi card in the laptop since the other computer is also connected via wifi and not having a problem (which would tend to eliminate the router). But it doesn't necessarily mean the card went bad.... it could be something funky going on with your ports. (Have you tested all other ports on the machine? e.g. PC Card, USB, flash card ports?)

But before I ordered a new wifi card I'd Google the exact model of the HP laptop (not necessarily the wifi card model, but the laptop model)... along with 'intermittent wifi' or similar.... sometimes laptops have eccentric problems with their particular hardware configurations that others have already worked out.

EDIT: Since the router is new to you.... you say the other computer has no problems with the wifi... is it using the same protocol? For example, is the router broadcasting in g only, n only, or g and n; and are both the computers using g -- or both using n? Or is the computer that is staying connected using a different protocol?

 

[Ramza]

ok

• i cant do an ethernet check for reasons (one of which is no ethernet cable)
• the other computer is using the same things i am as far as network and signal type
• i tried plugging in an old usb adapter i had and after it was all updated the network bars were less and then connection still dropped in and out (it was a linksys brand usb adapter)
• i have no cordless phones or any wired phones in my room or near it

i want to try everything i can before i just reset my laptop to "out of the box" where its a clean slate because im at wits end here

 

[remm]

ok

• i cant do an ethernet check for reasons (one of which is no ethernet cable)
• the other computer is using the same things i am as far as network and signal type
• i tried plugging in an old usb adapter i had and after it was all updated the network bars were less and then connection still dropped in and out (it was a linksys brand usb adapter)
• i have no cordless phones or any wired phones in my room or near it

i want to try everything i can before i just reset my laptop to "out of the box" where its a clean slate because im at wits end here

If the wifi card is bad, or if it is another problem, reinstalling Windows won't help anyway. That's not generally how to fix this problem.

You say you tried an 'old USB adapter' and got some signal strength, then fewer bars and a lost signal, which sounds similar to what's happening with the internal card. But you also say it worked fine the first 2 weeks... have you moved further from the router? It sounds like the router isn't close enough to you, or strong enough to reach wherever you are using your computer.

Have you tried sitting right next to the router and testing the wifi? If you are sitting right on it and still getting a broken signal and weak bars, then that would eliminate the possibility you are too far away from it.

 

[Ramza]

i get no problems sitting next to the router and no my location hasnt changed since i got it.

Also it seems that when I get disconnected the bars on the lower right hand of my screen dont go away, like it doesnt show that im being disconnected but i notice cause websites fail to load and when im in chats it says i get disconnected.

 

[remm]

i get no problems sitting next to the router

That answers the question then. Wherever you are using the HP, you are too far away from the router to get a strong signal. The other computer that is not having wifi problems is either located closer to the router or it has a better internal antenna and transmitter on its wifi card that is just stronger than the wifi card in the HP

and no my location hasnt changed since i got it.

For clarity, I wasn't referring to moving homes, but just within the home. If it worked well for the first 2 weeks and then suddenly you started getting a weak signal, either you were located closer to the router for those first 2 weeks, or (far less likely) the internal antenna in your laptop somehow became compromised so that it is not capable of the same level of transmission. This is highly unlikely as if an antenna wire came loose, for example, you would get virtually no signal unless maybe within inches of the router.

So it is more likely that either you started using the HP in a location that was further from the router... OR... the router's location changed within the home... like it got moved from one room to a different room.

IAC the way to fix this is to move the router to a location in the house that is closer to you and your HP.... bearing in mind the other computer might then have problems, but you'll have to see.

You might also consider a wifi booster/extender if moving the router is not desired. However those are not too cheap... like $40 range typically or more. Alternately you could try some DIY extenders by searching for DIY wifi extender on YouTube... here is one example using a beer can which actually received over 3,000 thumbs up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUYGb2JtQYA

Here's another DIY option:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAuWu9DAvk4