Inspiron 15r Connection Problems

Question

I just bought the inspiron 15r laptop and everything was good about it except for the network connection problems. It keeps on losing connection. My old dell laptop worked fine with the connections, it was always working, yet the 15r always have 4 bars of connection instead of 5.

This problem is really frustrating as I am at risk of losing work due to the connection problems.

Please help me in any way possible,

Thank You.

DELL-Saurabh A · Accepted Answer

Hi konomi2468,

Intermittent wireless connectivity may be fixed by optimizing the settings of wireless card or by updating its drivers. You may try running 'Windows 7 Network Troubleshooter' in this case to resolve this issue. To run it, you may perform the steps below:

Click the Start button , click Control Panel‌, and then, in the search box, type network. In the list of results, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Troubleshoot problems.

After diagnosing a problem, the Network troubleshooter will suggest ways for fixing it. The Network troubleshooter can also detect whether a computer's wireless networking capability is turned on or off. Therefore, with the Network troubleshooter, you can fix this problem yourself.

Click on 'Check to see if the problem is fixed'.

If the issue is still not fixed, you can check the wireless card settings of your computer from 'Device Manager'. The options may vary depending on the model of your wireless card. Images mentioned below are generic snapshots. Based on the type of wireless card installed, the options may vary.
- Open Device Manager by clicking Start/Windows logo on desktop --> ‘Control Panel’ --> ‘System and Maintenance’ --> ‘Device Manager’
Note: If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
- Click on arrow in front of Network adapter and check for the correct wireless card.
- Right click on it, then properties and click on Advance tab.

- Click on roaming aggressiveness and from drop down menu select it to maximum

If you still face the same issue, you can update the drivers for the network card from the link below:
http://dell.to/TE7Rgx
- Enter the Service Tag of your computer or select the system model
- Select the 'Operating System' and Category 'Network' from the drop down menu
- Select the wireless card and download the appropriate driver

Steps to download drivers:
- Click 'Download' to download the list to a folder you will designate
- Click 'Save'. Then designate the folder you would like to save the files to
- Once you have designated the folder you would like to save your files to, Click 'OK'
- Selected downloads will automatically start downloading.
- You can Pause , Stop , or Continue downloading the items you have selected. Once the download is complete you will have a green check mark. Next is Installation
- To start installation, Click Open folder. Right-click a downloaded file and select the option to ‘Run as administrator’
- A small window will appear with 'Continue' and 'Exit' buttons, click 'Continue'
- In the Select the folder where you want to unzip the files to window, click OK
- If a message appears asking to create a folder, click 'Yes'. If a message appears asking to overwrite the folder, click 'Yes to All'
- In the All files were successfully unzipped window, click OK
- A new window will appear, follow the prompts that appear to finish the installation
- Restart your computer and re-check

If the issue still persists, please provide more information in regards to the issue. That may help us with the resolution. Information on the following points will be useful:
- When does the wireless disconnect? Does it disconnect while moving away from the wireless router?
- How far is the laptop placed from the wireless router?
- How frequently does the wireless disconnect itself?
- Have you tried connecting the internet through an Ethernet cable?
- Is there any other laptop at home that exhibits perfect connectivity?
- Please provide the 'Internet Service Provider's' name
- Is your internet connection a DSL or a Cable?
- Please tell the name and model number of the wireless router
- Has the wireless ever worked consistently on this laptop so far?
- Which anti-virus software is installed in the laptop?

Do reply if you have any further questions. I would be glad to assist.

aslam585 · Answer

i purchased also that model before 2 days its really  a not good model for wifi network and tried the options by dellnot working what to do and its quickly heated and only 5 hours battery life i totally lost my money and time.

DELL-Saurabh A · Answer

Hi aslam585,

Wireless cards shipped with the laptop are technically efficient and we can improve the wireless performance by optimizing the card settings. Could you provide more information in regards to the wireless issues that you are facing? It will help me get a better understanding.

Please provide answers to these queries so that I can provide you with troubleshooting steps for improving the wireless performance.
- What type of wireless issue are you experiencing? Is wireless not connecting? Or is it intermittently disconnecting? Or is the wireless signal weak?
- If it is weak, how far is the laptop placed from the wireless router?
- If wireless disconnects itself intermittently, does it disconnect when moved away from the wireless router?
- What all troubleshooting steps have you performed already?
- Have you tried connecting the internet through an Ethernet cable?
- Is there any other laptop at home that exhibits perfect connectivity?
- Which anti-virus software is installed in the laptop?
- Inspiron 15r comes in three different formats. Please provide the exact system model type and the operating system that is installed

You also referred to the laptop heating up quickly. Please follow the steps listed below to find out more about the issue:
1. Remove the computer from Docking Stations or Port Replicators (If any) and check again
2. Verify that the environment is not causing the problem. (The laptop is not used in very hot room or environment, and that it has enough space for air ventilation, hence it cannot be places on bedding, carpets, pillows, but only on flat and solid surface)
3. Does the computer shuts down randomly?
4. Try updating the system BIOS. You may find the following steps useful:
Note: Before flashing the BIOS please check the following:-
- Battery should have 10% or greater charge
- Adapter should be connected
- No external devices should be connected
- All other programs should be closed and documents saved

Click on link to download and update the system BIOS: http://dell.to/Qnizfs
- Enter 'Service Tag' in the empty field to access the drivers of your laptop
- Select the correct operating system installed
- Expand BIOS related driver (latest) and click it
- Click on “Get driver”
- Save the BIOS on your desktop
- Right click on it and select “Run as administrator”
- Follow the prompts on screen to install BIOS (System may produce beep sounds and may restart)

5. I also recommend you to run hardware diagnostics on the laptop to check its hardware. It checks the hardware functionality and confirms that there is no issue. Please follow the steps listed below:

Drain out the residual power:
- Power off your computer
- Please remove the AC adapter and battery of your computer
- Press and hold the power button of your computer for 10-15 seconds to drain out the residual power
- Release the power button
- Insert the battery in and connect the AC adapter
- Try powering on the computer and re-check

To ensure that system hardware is working correctly, please run a diagnostic test:
- Please restart the system
- As soon as you see the blue Dell logo, repeatedly tap ‘F12’ key

Note: If you wait too long and the Microsoft Windows appears, then continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Now shutdown your computer and try again
- After you tap ‘F12’ key, a new window would appear. Use the 'Down' arrow key to highlight the option “Diagnostics” and hit Enter to initiate diagnostics
- Please capture the error code and report

Hope this helps. Do reply with the findings. I would be glad to assist.

bluskywishes · Answer

I have also changed the roaming agressiveness to maximum.

bluskywishes · Answer

Our Inspiron 15 N5040 with Intel Core i3-390M is only about 5 months old. This is a work laptop that connects wirelessly to a network that every other computer in the building uses. Up until yesterday, everthing ran smoothly. However, now we are experiencing problems with internet connection speed just for this one laptop (every other computer connected to the network operates at top speeds). The laptop shows it is fully connected (5 bars) and it will load pages, but at an extremely slow speed - sometimes more than 5 minutes. The same problems occured when we used it at another location on a different wireless network; the pages just would not load correctly. As this computer is used primarily to conduct workshops for paying customers, time is of the essence and waiting for this amount of time to switch from page to page is not acceptable.

*I have already changed the settings on the wireless and unchecked the box saying "allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" .

*I have attempted to update the driver for the DW1503 Wireless card, to which the system says the driver is up to date.

* We have run both a quick & full virus scan using Microsoft Security Essentials and there was no spyware or other virus found.

DELL-Saurabh A · Answer

Hi bluskywishes,

It appears to be a 'software conflict' rather than an 'internet issue'. Good that you've performed the basic troubleshooting steps. Would like to know if you've tried using any alternate browser. If not, please install (Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome) and check results.

If the issue persists, please try the following steps:

1. Try using the system in 'Safe Mode with Networking' to see if the 'internet performance' improves. To enter 'Safe Mode with networking', power off the laptop > Power it back on > At 'Dell splash screen, repeatedly tap 'F8 key' > Use 'Down arrow key' on the keyboard to highlight 'Safe mode with Networking' and tap 'Enter'

2. If the system works fine in the 'diagnostic mode' you may try to perform a 'clean boot' to isolate the 'application' causing trouble: http://bit.ly/TAWZ9x

Hope this helps. Do reply with the findings; would be glad to assist.

DELL-Saurabh A · Answer

Hi quickguide01,

I request you to provide me more information in regards to the wireless issue. It will help me get an in-depth understanding:

- When did the wireless issue occur?
- Did you make any software or hardware changes to the laptop just before the issue occurred?
- Which anti-virus is installed on the laptop?
- Please share the name and model number of the modem (if present)
- Do you use a 'security key' to connect to the wireless; or is it an unsecured connection?
- If it is a secure wireless connection, do you know the wireless network security key?
- Is the 'Internet connection' a 'Cable' or 'DSL'?
- Please share the name of the 'Internet Service Provider'
- What is the distance between the laptop and the router?

It is likely that the type, range and functional ability of two different wireless cards installed in any two given machines may vary. Please share the make/model of the 'Inspiron 15r' laptop that you are using. Also confirm name of the 'wireless card' installed. Is it an 'Intel based card, Atheros or Dell branded'? To check it, you may open 'Device Manager' > Expand 'Network Adapters' category > Capture the details of 'wireless card' installed in the machine.

You may also try the following steps to see if they work in the mean while:
1. Try 'Safe Mode with Networking': Please try to start the laptop in the diagnostic mode to see if we get the internet access. A corrupt firewall setting or any other third party software application may be blocking the 'Internet access'. Please follow these steps:
- Power off the laptop
- Power it back on and repeatedly tap (If Windows logo appears, please restart your laptop and repeat the steps)
- Use arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight 'Safe Mode with Networking' option (Mouse is not functional on this screen)
- Tap
- Desktop screen appears (Icons may look bigger as laptop functions only with the basic drivers)
- Check the wireless internet access and report

2. Try to disable the firewall of anti-virus that is installed in the computer and check the result. This laptop is generally shipped with mcafee anti-virus. If Mcafee is installed on your laptop, please follow the steps listed below to disable the mcafee firewall temporarily:
- Locate the 'McAfee' icon on the taskbar. This is located in the lower right-hand side of your screen next to the clock
- Right click 'Mcafee' icon and go to 'Settings'
- Click 'Firewall' (Following screen appears)

- Click 'Settings'
- Turn off the 'Mcafee firewall' (Select 15 minutes)
- Click 'Done'
- Re-check the 'internet access'
- If 'Internet works, repeat the same steps to launch Mcafee firewall' interface
- Click 'Turn On' (following screen appears)

- Click 'Restore Defaults' and re-check the Internet access

3. If 'Internet' does not work on disabling Mcafee firewall, you may try removing the 'wireless profile'. This issue also occurs when the profile goes corrupt. Please follow the steps listed below:
- Open the Network and Sharing Center. There, on the left side column, click on "Manage wireless networks" (Following screen appears)

- In the 'Manage Wireless Networks' window, you can see the profiles of all the wireless networks which were connected in the past.
- Select the network with which you are facing trouble, and click 'Remove'

- Confirm that you want to remove the network profile. The profile of the wireless network is now deleted. Windows will detect that network as if it was a new discovery and you will be able to enter all the details again and connect to it.

4. Maximize the performance of 'Wireless Card' installed in the laptop:
Note: Different wireless cards are shipped with Dell laptops. Please use the following steps to access and change card settings:
- Right-click the 'Computer' icon on the desktop or from the 'Start menu'
- Click 'Manage'
- Click 'Device Manager'
- Click the + sign to expand the 'Network Adapters' entry
- Right-click the wireless adapter (Intel wireless or Dell wireless) and click 'Properties''
- Click the 'Advanced' tab to configure the advanced settings
- Select Power Management, uncheck Default / Auto, and move the slider to Highest / Maximum Performance.
Note: If the slider is already at Highest / Maximum Performance, move the slider to another setting and then back to Highest / Maximum Performance.

Use this step if Intel Wireless card is installed:
- The following adapter settings can be found under the Advanced menu. Please match the settings with the values given below:

Property	Value
802.11n channel width for band 2.4	Auto (not in 20 MHz only)
802.11n channel width for band 5.2	Auto (not in 20 MHz only)
802.11n mode	Enabled
Fat channel intolerant	Disabled
Roaming aggressiveness	Highest
Throughput enhancement	Disabled
Transmit power	Highest
Wireless mode	802.11a/b/g

- Click 'Ok' to save settings and re-check the wireless performance

Use this step if Dell Wireless card is installed:
- Bluetooth Collaboration is set as 'Enabled' by default. Please 'Disable' it.
- Set value of 'Roam Tendency' as 'Aggressive'
- Save the settings and re-check wireless performance.

5. Also configure 'power options' to maximize the performance of 'wireless adapter'
- Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options
- In 'Dell power plan' click 'Change plan settings'
- Click 'advanced power settings'
- Expand option 'Wireless adapter settings' (Refer to the image below)

- Set 'Wireless Adapter' to 'Maximum Performance'
- Click 'Apply' and 'OK'

Hope this helps. Do reply with the findings; would be glad to assist.

To know more about Dell’s products, services and drivers & downloads, please go to http://dell.to/QjjZDA

quickguide01 · Answer

Does anyone else have this problem with the inspiron 15r?  The wireless is horrible for it at a room that is far away from my linksys wrt54 router but my other computer which is a different brand works fine far away from the router...

VCWaikato · Answer

I had the same problem, (Inspiron 15R special edition). I was also having problems with McAfee interfering with my web development system.

I have removed McAfee and installed Norton 360.

My development problems have gone away, and so has the wireless problem.

Since removing McAfee, my laptop has never lost the wireless connection.

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Inspiron 15r Connection Problems

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