Ben,

Can you run Network Interface and post the information back here.

Rick

Thanks Rick (very quick reply!). I've run this and I get:

There is 1 interface on the system:

Name : Wireless Network Connection
Description : Dell Wireless 1701 802.11b/g/n
GUID : 0289dce2-ab9d-4ce6-8fea-07cd74d59847
Physical address : e4:d5:3d:f0:a6:d9
State : disconnected

Hosted network status : Not started

Ben

Did not help it was disconnected from your network.

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

 

What virus program and firewall are you using? (McAfee)

 

 

Rick

Hi Rick

Using McAfee firewall and anti-virus
Sorry about being off network when I ran Network Interface before. I really wasn't sure whether the results would be more relevant from being cabled in or failing on wireless.
Posting a second run of interface (when connected wirelessly as it had finally connected):

There is 1 interface on the system:


Name : Wireless Network Connection
Description : Dell Wireless 1701 802.11b/g/n
GUID : 0289dce2-ab9d-4ce6-8fea-07cd74d59847
Physical address : e4:d5:3d:f0:a6:d9
State : connected
SSID : Wif23
BSSID : 00:23:cd:16:e3:e0
Network type : Infrastructure
Radio type : 802.11g
Authentication : Open
Cipher : WEP
Connection mode : Auto Connect
Channel : 1
Receive rate (Mbps) : 1
Transmit rate (Mbps) : 1
Signal : 97%
Profile : Wif23

Hosted network status : Not started

Also results of systinfo:
Host Name: N5050-LAPTOP
OS Name: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
OS Version: 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
OS Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration: Standalone Workstation
OS Build Type: Multiprocessor Free
Registered Organization:
Original Install Date: 25/05/2012, 20:32:52
System Boot Time: 07/04/2014, 01:58:56
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Inspiron N5050
System Type: x64-based PC
Processor(s): 1 Processor(s) Installed.
[01]: Intel64 Family 6 Model 42 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~2300 Mhz
BIOS Version: Dell Inc. A05, 03/08/2012
Windows Directory: C:\windows
System Directory: C:\windows\system32
Boot Device: \Device\HarddiskVolume2
System Locale: en-gb;English (United Kingdom)
Input Locale: en-gb;English (United Kingdom)
Time Zone: (UTC) Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London
Total Physical Memory: 4,004 MB
Available Physical Memory: 1,979 MB
Virtual Memory: Max Size: 8,007 MB
Virtual Memory: Available: 4,844 MB
Virtual Memory: In Use: 3,163 MB
Page File Location(s): C:\pagefile.sys
Domain: WORKGROUP
Logon Server: \\N5050-LAPTOP
Hotfix(s): 251 Hotfix(s) Installed.
[01]: KB2849697
[02]: KB2849696
[03]: KB2841134
[04]: KB2670838
[05]: KB971033
[06]: KB2393802
[07]: KB2397190
[08]: KB2425227
[09]: KB2459268
[10]: KB2475792
[11]: KB2479943
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[24]: KB2506928
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[246]
Network Card(s): 3 NIC(s) Installed.
[01]: Dell Wireless 1701 802.11b/g/n
Connection Name: Wireless Network Connection
DHCP Enabled: Yes
DHCP Server: 192.168.1.1
IP address(es)
[01]: 192.168.1.102
[02]: Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller
Connection Name: Local Area Connection
DHCP Enabled: Yes
DHCP Server: 192.168.1.1
IP address(es)
[01]: 192.168.1.100
[03]: Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Connection Name: Wireless Network Connection 2
Status: Media disconnected

sandforb,

Your wireless router settings are the problem. You can use these  Recommended Wireless Router Settings, I use channel 11. I would make a new SSID to make connecting easier. You can also use WPA2 Security(Personal) or WPA2 Security(both) Some wireless devices will not connect to WPA2-AES(business). If you need, here is a setup with pictures. Setting up/Troubleshooting a Wireless Network Just go down to the words, stop here.

On the computer...

Start, control panel, device manager. Click on Network and then right click on your network adapter, left click properties, power management. Uncheck the box, allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

Go to the power options, and changed the Wireless Adapter Setting, from Maximum Power Setting to Maximum Performance.

 

 

Rick

Thanks Rick

There's actually not much change to my setup in those recommended settings. I've used WPA before, I'd been experimenting with others to see if it made a difference. But the channel wasn't set to 11... and it has come up and connected first time so all good so far!

So, if those settings have done the trick then thanks very much! Am I right in thinking that there was no single smoking gun that was plain wrong, more a question of using all the recommended settings and it's likely to be more resilient?

Thanks very much anyway - I'll mark this as solved if it keeps working for two more days!
Ben

Ben,

Keep me posted.

Rick

Hi

I'm afraid to say it's gone flaky again today.

It seems to follow a pattern of connection becoming less and less reliable until eventually it will only work if initially cabled in. Today so far it's typically taken 2-3 times of using the Windows repair connection after failure. Last time I tried three times and failed. Then ten minutes later I came back and it worked that time.

Are there any other programs that might change the settings? Should I check they're all still as I made them yesterday?

thanks
Ben

Ben,

Try this and see if it helps

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

Hi Rick

I tried that, it prompts for a reboot but doesn't connect any more easily either before the reboot or after.

Thanks for keeping going with this!
Ben

Ben,

Glad things are working better than before. :emotion-21: Thanks for posting back.

Take care,

Rick

Hi Rick Sorry to have been so long before confirming that this seems to be resolved. To be honest I can't now remember whether it was anything in your last post (although probably not as I haven't removed McAfee) or whether I reapplied earlier advice but it's been pretty solid for a month now. It's still slightly more reluctant to connect automatically than the other laptop, I have to request it to connect sometimes but I only seem to have to ask once generally and I can live with that compared to how it was before! Many thanks for all your advice! Ben