Wireless Connection keeps dropping with VISTA

Hi, i've got a BT Homehub Wireless network set up which my Desktop PC
(Windows XP) has quite happily connected to and works flawlessly with. The
problem i've got is that my Dell laptop has Vista installed, and although the
BT helpdesk has been through the setup and config a number of times now, i
cannot get the laptop to stay connected Wirelessly for more than 5 minutes.
Everytime i connect it to the wireless network it works fine for approx 5
minutes then the same thing happens, all of a sudden the status icon changes
to limited connectivity and i lose the Wireless internet connection. I then
have to connect by the ethernet to get onto the internet, unless i reboot the
laptop and go through the whole set up process again.. which will give me
another 5 minutes wireless connection only!!

Can anybody help?
thanks

Off hand I would check to see if you wireless hardware has any power save
function that you could disable

The Vista 64bit beta F5D7000 V6 driver did it for me. (even though my
card is the first version of the F5D7000)
Combined with completely(!) shutting down DHCP on router and Vista and
setting WPA2.

Ignoring either one of these conditions killed internet on my Vista.

I am glad you posted this problem, I am having very similar problems with a
brand new notebook as well.

I hope someone gives us an answer to our problem soon. It is a hassle to
keep reconnecting and or rebooting all the time.

Are you sure that your wireless Router is Vista compatible.
Some old Routers has a DHCP problem with Vista.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233

I have a similar problem. I have a dsl router with a xp pro box connected
with cat 5 and a vista laptop connected with wireless. Transferring large
files results in a dropped connected, after about 5 mins. The interesting
part is this does not happen if both machines are connected with cat 5, only
when the vista machine is connected with wireless.
I will investigate further and follow this thread.

Maximus,

I'm sorry you're experiencing problems. If you're still experiencing
intermittent connectivity, there are a number of possibilities. First check
that there isn't a mismatch between the security settings on your machine,
and the wireless AP. Typically, this results in a disconnect every 3 minutes.

The problem might also be an improperly functioning or outdated wireless
network adapter driver. To remedy this, obtain and install the most recent
version of the wireless network adapter driver.

Finally, the problem might be an issue with your wireless AP. Look at the
trace logs for unexpected disconnects.

Hi thanks for the reply.

Im not too sure what you mean, how do i check if there's a security mismatch?
I am experiencing disconnects about every 3 minutes, the icon changes to
Limited Connectivity every time and i end up with Local access only and no
internet.

Ive tried updating the driver for my wireless adaptor and it says Windows
has decided it's got the latest version already.. details:

Dell Inspiron 6400 Laptop
Intel Pro Wireless 3945 ABG Network Connection
Driver: 10.6.0.29 (30/10/2006)

Anymore ideas and where do i find the trace logs?

maximus,

For diagnostics, first run Diagnose on your wireless adapter. Do this by
right-clicking on your network icon in the system tray. Then select Network
and Sharing Center. From there, click on Manage network connections in the
left-hand navigation bar. Then, right click on your wireless connection and
choose Diagnose. The results should indicate if you have a security mismatch
with your AP.

Please post back with your results.

As you asked, to generate wireless diagnostics logs, click Start, right
click Computer, click Manage. Click Reliability and Performance, click Data
Collector sets, click System, right click Wireless Diagnostics, and then
click Start to run the wireless diagnostic tracing.

Attempt to reproduce the connect/disconnect error condition.

In the same Computer Management console, in Reliability and Performance/Data
Collector set/System, right click Wireless Diagnostics, and then click Stop
to stop the tracing (it's a performance hit to keep it running).

Click Reports, then click System, click Wireless Diagnostics, and then click
Wireless to open the top level of the report.

[Badger_234]

I just bought a new vista laptop. I have 3 xp machines connecting to my wireless router without any problem.
This vista machine loses connection after a few minutes. then only a reboot will fix it.
Sometimes i reboot and it will not connect at all.

Well, I got connected through much swearing and hair-pulling.
I kept on going into the adapter configure and changing settings, like disabling ipv6, setting some of the other settings to auto, like one wanted to use a 20 mhz channel and I set it too auto.
I tried so many things i am not really sure which combo gave me the answer.
One thing I noticed is that my router uses channel 9 and the default in the setup was like 10, so I changed that.
But it shouldn't have ever connected with the wrong channel so who knows.
Still, it takes a long time to connect on boot-up, and drops periodically. but a diagnose and repair seems to fix it for now.
Over all, I think Vista is a piece of crap.
I have a seven year old xp machine with less than a gig of memory and it boots up faster and has less problems than this 4 gig memory 64-bit 1400.00 machine.
I really wish now I would have put xp on this thing.
Good luck and if you have any questions, I will try and help you out.
I am not sure I am out of the woods yet though with the connection problems.

Thanks, if i have problems in the future, I may try to disable qos packet and ipv6.

Also, I just lost connection after the machine went into sleep mode. ( or hibernation ).
so I went into the adapter settings and went to power management tab and unchecked "Allow computer to turn off this device".
I hope it helps.

yes, it just went nto sleep mode and woke up successfully.

I did see that article.
I was going to go over that as a last resort, as I have 3 xp machines that connect to my wireless Linksys WRT54G, and I didn't want to mess them up.
For now it is connecting if you read my other posts.
Still, it is slow to connect on boot-up. And when it sleeps ( hibernates ) it would drop wireless connection. I had to go into power management tab and fix that.

I am getting internet connection now, but here is info on my latest problem: ( I posted this on Lenovos board, that is why I have added info I have already included above)

Hello, I am having a problem also, but a little different then yours.
I have a new lenovo laptop W500.
Adapter is: Intel wifi link 5100 agn wireless
Operating system is Vista Business 64 bit
Router is: Linksys WRT54G
WEP( I know I should go WPA)
Mac filtering ( I have the correct mac adress in there)
I am using the windows wireless Network connection to Connect.
I have 2 laptops and a workstation that all connect wirelessly with no problem.
All 3 are running Windows XP Pro.But with this new laptop, everytime I boot-up, I have to go into the adapter properties and change a setting on the adapter to get internet connection.
For Instance, I may disable IPv6, or enable it again if the last time I connected I disabled it.
Other settings work also, like qos packet scheduler, disabling or re-enabling it.
Within a few seconds of hitting the ok button after I make a change to an adapter setting, I am connected through my router to the internet.

I called support again and updated ac, driver for wireless adapter, power manager, and hot key.

Well after doing all that, my connection seems not to drop anymore while I am using the laptop.
But, coming out of sleep mode, it still either doesn't connect or connects for about a minute and then loses connection.
Usually, AC Connections and Window thinks they are still connected. But no websites will load.
I have not had to re-boot to fix the connection, but I do have to go into Access Connections and disconnect and re-connect.
I will call support again tomorrow and see if they have anything to say.

I updated the wireless Adapter driver by going to intels site and that fixed it for me.

Hi
Try to get the Wireless card out of all sleep loop.
Vista advance power management let you take the Network card out of the
sleep loop.
Also look if there is a Sleep control installed by the vendor.
By taking the Network card out of the Sleep loop, it might stay connected
when the Laptop goes to sleep.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)

[naumoff]

hi guys
I guess smb. just even lucky to get a 5 minute wi-fi connection, unless like me i can't even establish this connection at all with my host stationary 64bit VISTA and laptop 32bit VISTA. The connection just won't establish at all. I wounder if it has something to do with operation systems bits?
I've created wireless network with WPA security phrase and gave it a name etc. After the connection is established between machines, i get only local connection and no internet. Driving almost nuts... Any suggestion pls...?

[joystick_23]

I had the same problem, I fixed it by changing the wireless security on my router to WPA instead of WEP and it worked. Make sure you change the settings on your wireless card also to match the router settings

[Shelia]

I am having a similar problem but not quite the same as everyone else. We just got a new desktop with Windows 7. We already have a laptop with Vista and another desktop with XP. All are connected to a Linksys wireless router that is only about 6 months old. When the XP computer is off, the Vista laptop connects to the network just fine. When the XP computer is on, the Vista laptop's wireless connection goes on and off to the point that you can't even pull up a web page. The Windows 7 computer doesn't seem to affect it whether it's on or off but this seems to have just started right after we got the Windows 7. We have tried lots of stuff but nothing seems to work. All Windows updates and driver updates have been done. Anyone else with this issue?