Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 issues with Dell XPS 13 (Windows 8 Pro, "Media Disconnected")

I installed myself; however, the issue arose only after I switched to a newer Intel driver for the adapter. The OS has been running fine since upgrade 10/26/2012. The wireless issues began last week.

Joseph Grabau,

Did you install Windows 8 Pro 64-bit on this system or did it come from the factory?

Rick

Joseph Grabau,

Places to look to see if your Connection is enabled

Can you run Finding System Information REMOVE YOUR PRODUCT ID and REGISTERED OWNER and post the information back here.

Rick

Host Name:                 DELL-XPS-13

OS Name:                   Microsoft Windows 8 Pro with Media Center

OS Version:                6.2.9200 N/A Build 9200

OS Manufacturer:           Microsoft Corporation

OS Configuration:          Standalone Workstation

OS Build Type:             Multiprocessor Free

Registered Owner:          *****

Registered Organization:  

Product ID:                *****-*****-*****-*****

Original Install Date:     10/26/2012, 9:19:58 PM

System Boot Time:          1/20/2013, 2:47:04 PM

System Manufacturer:       Dell Inc.        

System Model:              Dell System XPS L321X

System Type:               x64-based PC

Processor(s):              1 Processor(s) Installed.

                          [01]: Intel64 Family 6 Model 42 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~800 Mhz

BIOS Version:              Dell Inc.          A07, 8/14/2012

Windows Directory:         C:\WINDOWS

System Directory:          C:\WINDOWS\system32

Boot Device:               \Device\HarddiskVolume2

System Locale:             en-us;English (United States)

Input Locale:              en-us;English (United States)

Time Zone:                 (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Total Physical Memory:     3,407 MB

Available Physical Memory: 2,059 MB

Virtual Memory: Max Size:  5,583 MB

Virtual Memory: Available: 4,122 MB

Virtual Memory: In Use:    1,461 MB

Page File Location(s):     C:\pagefile.sys

Domain:                    WORKGROUP

Logon Server:              \\MicrosoftAccount

Hotfix(s):                 51 Hotfix(s) Installed.

                          [01]: KB2712101_Microsoft-Windows-CameraCodec-Package

                          [02]: KB2727528

                          [03]: KB2729462

                          [04]: KB2736693

                          [05]: KB2737084

                          [06]: KB2742614

                          [07]: KB2742616

                          [08]: KB2750149

                          [09]: KB2751352

                          [10]: KB2753842

                          [11]: KB2756872

                          [12]: KB2756923

                          [13]: KB2757638

                          [14]: KB2758246

                          [15]: KB2758994

                          [16]: KB2761094

                          [17]: KB2761226

                          [18]: KB2761465

                          [19]: KB2764462

                          [20]: KB2764870

                          [21]: KB2768703

                          [22]: KB2769034

                          [23]: KB2769165

                          [24]: KB2769166

                          [25]: KB2770041

                          [26]: KB2770660

                          [27]: KB2770816

                          [28]: KB2770917

                          [29]: KB2771431

                          [30]: KB2771744

                          [31]: KB2771821

                          [32]: KB2777166

                          [33]: KB2777294

                          [34]: KB2778171

                          [35]: KB2778930

                          [36]: KB2779030

                          [37]: KB2779562

                          [38]: KB2779768

                          [39]: KB2780342

                          [40]: KB2780523

                          [41]: KB2780541

                          [42]: KB2782419

                          [43]: KB2783251

                          [44]: KB2784160

                          [45]: KB2785094

                          [46]: KB2785220

                          [47]: KB2785605

                          [48]: KB2788350

                          [49]: KB2790920

                          [50]: KB2792009

                          [51]: KB2796096

Network Card(s):           3 NIC(s) Installed.

                          [01]: Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6230

                                Connection Name: Wi-Fi

                                Status:          Media disconnected

                          [02]: Anchorfree HSS VPN Adapter

                                Connection Name: Ethernet

                                Status:          Hardware not present

                          [03]: Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)

                                Connection Name: Bluetooth Network Connection 2

                                Status:          Hardware not present

Hyper-V Requirements:      VM Monitor Mode Extensions: Yes

                          Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: Yes

                          Second Level Address Translation: Yes

                          Data Execution Prevention Available: Yes

Joseph Grabau,

Just checking to make sure the chipset drivers were installed first. How to Download and Install Drivers in the Correct Order

What virus program and firewall are you using?

Did you tap F2 quick enough to get into the bios? Is the apapter enabled there?

Did you try system restore to the time before you installed the drivers?

You can try downloading the drivers from Intel® Driver Update Utility and save the drivers to your desktop.

Hit the Windows key and the x keys at the same time, device manager, network adapter, right click on your adapter, left click uninstall. Tell it to remove the drivers and software.

Restart your computer. When you log back in, the new hardware wizard will try to install the adapter but fail. Install the drivers saved to your desktop.

What happens?

Rick

Rick,

Thanks for your help. Here is the information you requested, as I continue to troubleshoot.

I am using Microsoft System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection and Windows firewall.

Unfortunately, the BIOS seems not to have an option to enable/disable any network adapters.

I am trying System Restore now. Thanks for the reminder.

Will look into re-acquiring any necessary drivers from Dell. Thank you for providing that link to the correct order.

Also, worthy of note, Intel openly acknowledges there is a known compatibility issue between Windows 8 and this specific wireless product, the Centrino Advanced-N 6230. For future use, whether you are troubleshooting for someone, or anyone happens to read this thread, Intel recommends not upgrading to their newer driver for Windows users using Windows 8:

Known Issues

Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software fails to install properly after upgrade to Windows 8*

•If your system had Windows 7 and Intel PROSet/Wireless Software installed prior to upgrading to Windows 8, then Intel PROSet/Wireless Software will not install the first time. You need to install Intel PROSet/Wireless Software a second time for it to install correctly.

Version Mismatch

These adapters need version 15.3.50. If you have installed 15.5.6, the driver is not properly updated. This may cause driver instability, resulting in serious issues. You need to uninstall the driver and Intel PROSet/Wireless Software, then install version 15.3.50. •Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 100

•Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 130

•Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000

•Intel® WiFi Link 1000

•Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1030

•Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6230

www.intel.com/.../CS-033845.htm

Because I failed to take note of this, rolling back the driver was insufficient to remedy the situation. Will post back after System Restore completes.

Thanks again,

Joseph

Joseph,

Thanks for sharing that information. I was trying the Intel 6235 adapter is different systems and had no issues, but I honestly don't remember if I tried it on the Windows 8 system I was trying.

If you download the drivers from Drivers & Downloads enter your service tag, then select your operating systems, you can save them to the desktop and then try the procedure, it should install the Dell drivers.

Hit the Windows key and the x keys at the same time, device manager, network adapter, right click on your adapter, left click uninstall. Tell it to remove the drivers and software.

Restart your computer. When you log back in, the new hardware wizard will try to install the adapter but fail. Install the drivers saved to your desktop.

Rick

Joe,

On the system, hold the shift key down and restart the computer. It should bring up a menu. I no longer have a Windows 8 system here to check what the options are. Maybe there is something in the menu that may help.

You tried power cycling the router(s)?

There are some adapters in the device manager, network adapters, advanced. There is a listing for antenna diversity for some adapters but not all. If your adapter has antenna diversity, change it from Auto to Aux. You also have the power management boxes unchecked? The adapter is also enabled in the device manager?

Start, all programs, accessories, right click on command prompt, left click run as administrator. Type

netsh winsock reset catalog

This will reset the winsock catalog

Rick

Will post when I am successful; nothing yet so far.

Thanks for all your help.

Joe,

Does the Intel ~ Recommended settings for 802.11n connectivity help?

Rick

OK, the issue as I see it is resolved. After using System Restore to a time earlier in the day of the complete collapse of the adapter discussed above, initially I had no connectivity. However, running ipconfig in Admin Cmd prompt showed details where previously none existed. I now had a "connected" adapter.

The behavior was funny; it would show connected, then not, alternating back and forth but never achieving connected status. Finally, I put the machine away, and let it sit for two days.

The good news is that now it works. For any readers out there encountering a similar issue, the driver now installed on my working wireless network adapter is Intel's 15.3.50.2 which Intel recommends for this adapter on platforms running Windows 8. Do not attempt to upgrade to any newer version, because this will cause your adapter to fail! Read carefully Intel's warning and advice regarding the move from Windows 7 to Windows 8.

Because I performed this upgrade from 7 to 8 myself, I had to find the appropriate drivers where necessary (though I don't recall any). Lesson learned: in this case, use Intel's recommendation, which as the case may be, could end up being a so-called legacy driver. Obviously users whose machines came pre-installed with Windows 8 will likely not run into those issues, as there should be no need to upgrade, install, or reinstall any of your device drivers.

Thanks, Rick, for troubleshooting. In lieu of the $160.00 Dell would have charged me, I offer you my sincere thanks. God bless.

Take care,

Joseph

Joseph,

Glad you got it working! :emotion-21: Thanks for posting back.

I hope the adapter didn't come loose inside and/or the antenna wire(s)

Take care,

Rick