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Inspiron mini 10V (1011) wireless 1510, dropping connection
I have a new Inspiron 10V that can not stay connected to a network. It will connect for between a minutes and maybe 5 minutes at most. Then the connection will drop. It will then reconnect to the network only to repeat the process. In between being dropped the connection seems pretty slow as well.
I have tried this on 8 seperate access points of all different configurations with the same results througout.
One access point is my home, it is a D Link DI 524. I have 2 other Dell laptops that use this point on a regular basis for years with no issue.
One access point is where I work, this is the point that I have the best luck on, but the connection still drops and resets every 10 to 15 minutes
I contacted Dell support and they tell me it is not the laptop, rather it is the access points. I find it very hard to believe that 8 access points in a row, one of them I can verify works fine with 2 other laptops, are the problem and the laptop is fine.
I have disabled "Allow the computer to turn off this device" and removed IE 8, neither of those seems to help.
I ran the Dell wireless update utility and it tells me everything is up to date
Software version 5.10.38.30
Driver Version 5.10.38.26
Supplicant version 5.10.38.30
board Dell Wireless 1510 Wireless-N WLAN mini-Card Rev 4.02
Chipset BCM432b/BCM32056000
garydenn
6 Posts
1
September 23rd, 2009 12:00
Well after I posted my "fix" I started thinking, why did I get an N card if I can't use N, and at some hotspots I would still have problems with channel 6. So I talked to a real PC support person who suggested I download the latest drivers for the WIFI card from the manufacturer rather than Dell. I got the newest driver from Broadcoms website and installed it and since then everything has worked wonderfully.
Why does Dell not distribute this driver? I guess they are too busy not listening to customers when they call for support.
Rosetta9
2 Posts
1
October 9th, 2009 22:00
I tried everything to fix the channel 6 issue on the Mini 10V, updated drivers from Dell, Broadcom, and HP but without success. Then I found the following link and installed the driver for the Studio 1909 desktop as described.
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19280712.aspx
Since then connection has worked with channel 6 (and other channels) without any problems. It's listed as a Vista driver but it worked on XP.
Rosetta9
2 Posts
1
October 17th, 2009 06:00
I copied the driver files into a new folder on the net book (this was c:windows\system32\drivers\dell, but of course can be anything you choose)
The downloaded folder was named R211551, this may change as the driver is updated but perhaps useful as a check.
I then used device manger to manually update the driver (let me know if you're not familiar with this and I'll give you the steps).
I selected "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)"
Then ticked the box for a specific location, and selected the copied folder (R211551) and down a level to the "DRIVER_US" folder.
The driver then installed successfully and I haven't had a problem since.
Hope this helps.
garydenn
6 Posts
0
August 17th, 2009 23:00
Rick,
thank you for your input, I am using WEP 128 on the D Link, I WAS using channel 6 and the only other wireless devices are Inspirons.
Now I did some trouble shooting, at this point have been to 14 separate hot spots. 3 of the 14 WIFI worked just fine , the other 11 I kept having the same problem. Those 11 were all Channel 6 the other 3 were 7 or 11.
So I came home switched my D Link from 6 to 11 and everything works just fine!
At first I assumed this was surely an issue with the firmware or hardware itself. So I re-contact Dell Support and tell them my findings, thinking they will have newer firmware or offer to send a new card to try. NO! They tell me there is no problem on their side. It is the problem of the routers using channel 6.
Are you kidding me? Its like if I were to buy a new car and then find out it only turns right, I take it back to the dealer and they say that there is no issue with the car, the issue is with the roads that expect me to turn left.
At my University all access points are Channel 6, so this is not acceptable to me to not be able to use Channel 6. I bought the 1011 specifically to use at University!
What can be done? Is this an issue with every 1510? I can not determine if it is hardware or firmware, but either way I consider this a problem even if Dell does not. It renders my 1011 useless to me 80% of the time.
PudgyOne
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30.3K Posts
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August 17th, 2009 23:00
garydenn,
You may not want to hear this but WEP can be hacked. See Video.
How to login to your wireless router
I suggest you first Update the firmware in your wireless router(from manufacturers website)
Broadcast SSID (I would change this to make it easier to connect)
Use WPA-PSK(TKIP) Security (Personal) (Most wireless devices work best with this type of security)
Use channels 1, 6 or 11. I use channel 11. (Most wireless devices work best on these channels)
I use mixed mode as I use a wireless print server.
Save and exit. Power ISP Modem/router off and Wireless router off for 30 seconds. Power on ISP Modem/router forst, the wireless router.
Restart your computer(s). Now try to connect. Everything should connect.
Rick
PudgyOne
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30.3K Posts
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August 17th, 2009 23:00
garydenn,
What type of security are you using oon the D-link?
What challel are you using?
Are you using any wireless devices like print servers, usb adapters, xBox, etc...?
Rick
garydenn
6 Posts
0
August 18th, 2009 07:00
Thank you again for your input Rick.
Router was already up today
SSID was already on
WPA-PSK not an option at home (WPA-PSK can be hacked pretty quickly as well)
Channel 6 was the problem to being with................
Everything has been rebooted mutiple times.
If your advise were to work at home I would still not be able to use Channel 6 anywhere else. Namely University, which is where this laptop is intended for.
problem is with either the card or the firmware only being able to successfully connect to routers usinig channel 7 or 11.
PudgyOne
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August 18th, 2009 09:00
garydenn,
WPA-PSK(TKIP) Security (Personal) can be hacked, yes that is correct, but not as quickly as WEP. The longer the password is, the longer it takes to hack. I have been using WPA-PSK(TKIP) Security(Personal) since 2004 and never had an issue with this.
Does the University have your Mac address? Some Universities use Mac Address Filtering as well, to keep the leaches out. Since you mentioned a University, I would suggest you contact them about connecting to their network as there is probably a way they can do this.
Did you try connecting at A WiFi Location?
Rick
garydenn
6 Posts
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August 18th, 2009 10:00
Yes I have tried 14 differnet locations. 4 work, channels 7 and 11. 10 do not work, all of them are on channel 6, all at differnt locations (library, University, restraunts, friends homes, etc).
This is not a security (WEP, WPA, Mac Filtering etc) issue. The issue is that on access points using channel 6 I connect and have a connection for a few minutes and then the connection drops and reconnects and drops and reconnects and drops and on and on.
It is not an issue with the routers as Dell suggests, it is an issue that for some reson my network card can not keep a decent connection using Channel 6.
I was a System administrator/Network Engineer at a very large corporation for 8 years up until 6 months ago. I am very familiar with hardware/software configuration as well as firmware updates. All of the basic troubleshooting has been done.
garydenn
6 Posts
0
August 18th, 2009 16:00
I finally reached someone in support who would listen to what I was saying.
He then stated that, yes this is a known problem to Dell. Channel 6 is a very poor channel due to other electronics interfering.
He then directed to me to 2 Advanced settings in the NIC configuraton. I changed them as he directed me and all is well. I can connect to Channel 6 like a champ.
I have omited how to get to the settings on purpose. Let Dell support direct you if you have this problem as playing around with settings if you don't know what you are doing can be very bad.
If you are technical then you can figure out how to get there yourself
Configure > Advanced tab
IBSS Mode to 802.11 a/b/g Auto
WZC IBSS Channel Number to 11(20MHz)
B est of luck to you
PudgyOne
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August 18th, 2009 16:00
garydenn,
GREAT JOB!:emotion-21: Thanks for posting back. Could you mark the verify answer, and yes you can mark your own answer as the verified solution. That way if anyonbe else searches the forums, they can see what you did to get it working.
Take care,
Rick
easylife
1 Message
0
September 23rd, 2009 11:00
I am using mini 10v with the 1510 wireless card, Windows XP. My router is Linksys WRT54G.
If I set the router to channel 11, everything works perfect.
But If I set the router to channel 6, then I still can not connect to the router and internet. Anyone else got success???
Randasc
2 Posts
0
October 11th, 2009 09:00
How did you install Vista driver on XP machine? My Mini 10v won't let me install the Vista driver for the 1909.
QuavUVA
4 Posts
0
December 15th, 2009 09:00
Will try Rosetta's fix on my XP mini10v this afternoon, hopefully it fixes!
I can't believe I bought a netbook that can't connect to public networks. You can't expect me to walk up to the barista at my coffeeshop and say "excuse me, could you please broadcast your router on something other than 6?"
QuavUVA
4 Posts
0
December 15th, 2009 10:00
Just did the following steps:
Device Manager
Network Adapters
Dell Wireless 1510 Wireless-N WLAN Mini-Card
Update Driver
Install from a list or specific location (advanced)
Don't search, I will choose the driver to install
Have Disk
Browse
C:\\windows\system32\drivers\dell\driver_us
it selects bcmwl6.inf
Open
Ok
Will take my mini10v XP sp3 to the coffeeshop and try it out!