Wireless laptop keeps losing Internet connection??

[Searcher22]

Increasing the Lease time and ensuring that the system clock is sync'd may help and as you are running a XP machine, the CMOS battery could becoming a little tired ?

I have the Power Management box unchecked in mine, but this can default to being checked although I've never nailed that down as to why, unless it occurred after updating the drivers.

Had a look at the MS linked pages and this one http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811259 the symptoms I get are not as reported, the other linked page I note is fault specific (so to speak).

Now re DHCP lease times, I did as mentioned initially have the laptop on an static IP i.e. outside the DCHP lease table......though oddly(?) even on a static IP it still showed on the lease table and that I do not recall seeing on my old Netgear router.

In respect of the command instructions you listed are there any negative impacts likely that I should be aware of especially as I say the laptop exhibits none of the symptoms noted in the MS page mentioned above. As mentioned if use the ipconfig -release I do not even have to use the -renew switch because within seconds it auto renews.

Talking of Lease Times, it is by default set at 24hours. Is there a setting to make that infinite???

Re the CMOS, I have not noticed any time slippage on the laptops clock but will double check

[Tomken]

While I just have the 7800N, I think the DHCP Table shows the lease times for all connected devices although not using it at the moment to check if it would show my printer, which I had assigned a static IP outside of the DHCP range.

Running those cmds from the cmd prompt shouldn't have any adverse effects but as you have a connection, there's no need to run them although they are worth making a note of should any of your computers individually fail to connect.

I think there's another setting in the router (but can't remember what it is at the moment) which is set at 3600 seconds which equates to 1hr and increasing that may have an effect.

[Searcher22]

While I just have the 7800N, I think the DHCP Table shows the lease times for all connected devices although not using it at the moment to check if it would show my printer, which I had assigned a static IP outside of the DHCP range.

Running those cmds from the cmd prompt shouldn't have any adverse effects but as you have a connection, there's no need to run them although they are worth making a note of should any of your computers individually fail to connect.

I think there's another setting in the router (but can't remember what it is at the moment) which is set at 3600 seconds which equates to 1hr and increasing that may have an effect.

Re the 3600 figure I have found that under Wireless>Security>WPA Group Rekey Interval
Now as you say in seconds that is 1 hour and that is indeed the approx. time cycle I see of the disconnection,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,so maybe worth doubling that number. But that of itself does readily explain why the connection to the Router seems sound but it is the Internet that is lost I suppose a confirmatory test would be to make say the value for 10mins and see what happens??? Quicker than waiting 2 hours

[Tomken]

Yes I remember now, it's the Group Key Renewal - just needed a reminder

Came across one fix that may work and that is to uncheck IPv6 in the router but if I remember correctly, that is already default unchecked in my 7800N and may also be for the DX, but also unchecking it in the adapter's Properties may help as that option being checked can cause actual connectivity problems.

I'm not sure if setting it to 0 as you would for some router's Time out, so that it's always on as opposed to their default 30mins would improve matters ?

Perhaps a straight forward factory reset will be all it needs ?

And I agree, 10mins is a lot better than 2hrs

Edit - Just been having another look around on this and setting it to 0 will work but it means it could leave your router vulnerable, as the Group Key would never be renewed.

An alternative to this is to change it to 24hrs (86400 secs) but it would mean turning the router off each night - perhaps the factory reset may be the better option if it works.

Did you get around to updating the drivers ?

[Searcher22]

Hi Tomken

I updated the driver late last night but have yet to give it the acid test....................that will not be until Monday. I do that test before any next steps because all being well ~ sorted well you never know I could be lucky

I will update once done

[Tomken]

So has updating the driver initially appeared to have sorted it ?

[Searcher22]

So has updating the driver initially appeared to have sorted it ?

Sorry for not making my last post clear

I managed to find the updated Toshiba driver..........not easy as for the model of laptop it seemed to list the wrong NIC, found the right one eventually and installed/updated it. Other than to check that I still had the wireless NIC functioning I have not tried it properly under the current settings i.e. no changes to the Router or other changes to the laptop.

I will all being well do a "proper in use test" tomorrow Monday and will report back with the findings

[Tomken]

One of my Toshiba laptops uses a RTL8191SE which isn't listed as such at Realtek, but the 8192SE covers it.

Sometimes in msinfo32/Components/Network/Adapter for the adapters, it will give a generic Service Name RTL number which is in a range of others covered by a given adapter.

[Searcher22]

Sorry for the delay in getting back with an update.

Firstly, the driver concerned was an Atheros one, the Realtek for that Toshiba is the Ethernet one.

The driver update did not fix the problem > I have since reboot the router, oddly before the reboot & after the reboot on the Wireless status "Associated Stations" the laptop was showing as Associated but not Authorised.............rechecked and re inputted the password on the laptop.....but that has not cured it even though the status now says Authorised. So all very odd as that laptop is the only device to lose the Internet connection although still an active connection to the router and as noted it used to be OK so still a mystery as to why it is apparently still wireless linked but Internet drops approx. every hour!!!!

Oh, I also changed the control sideband to "lower" but no help

[Tomken]

These Atheros drivers are pretty good as they are all WHQL and have resolved a number of no connection problems but you don't have that problem.

http://www.atheros.cz/atheros-wireless-drivers.php

Did you try increasing or setting the Group Key renewal time to zero to see if it had any effect on the frequency of the disconnects ?

Whatever you are doing on the computer, is it practical for you to do this in Safe Mode with Networking to cover the period to which it disconnects to see if they continue ?

Have you upgraded the router firmware yet viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2409