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4 Posts
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264887
Wifi erratically turning on and off
The wifi/bluetooth on my Dell XPS M1530 with an Intel 4965AGN wifi adapter erratically blinks off and on, flashing the status on the screen. This began happening about a year ago, but eventually stopped doing it. Now it's begun again. Flashing on and off is intermittent, but it's been happening more and more frequently--5-10 times/hr now. Sometimes it just flashes on and off once, sometimes, more rarely, 10-15 times.
This happens in Vista, Vista safe mode, as well as Ubuntu run from a USB key. That leads me to believe that it's a problem with the hardware. If I turn the wifi switch on the side of the computer off, it does shut the wifi off; turning the switch back on turns wifi on, but sometimes as soon as it's on, the wifi/bluetooth will start blinking on and off on screen. I have tried taking the adapter out and putting it back in a couple times. This didn't seem to change anything.
I've noticed that the svchost.exe (Dcomlaunch) process begins consuming a lot of processing power when the wifi is flashing on and off and the computer lags for a second.
Any ideas?
Earthlark
4 Posts
1
October 15th, 2012 20:00
Awesome Vman! So far that seems to have done the trick. (It's been about four days without any problems.)
I didn't think it was the switch because when I turned the switch off, wifi would go off. Then when I turned it back on, it would come back on (even if it flickered on and off intermittently.) However, the switch does indeed appear to be the problem. After doing as you suggested, all's well. (I unchecked Bluetooth as well so that it stays on.) Glad I didn't try getting another NIC card. (I used a dongle my brother had sitting around for a while.)
If anyone with the same problem sees this and wonders how, then, to turn off their wireless, they should be able to do it (e.g., in vista) under Network and Sharing>Manage Wireless Connections. Right click your wireless network and click disable or enable.
Manage wireless connectionsDELL-Harish R
677 Posts
0
July 30th, 2012 15:00
Hi Earthlark,
Welcome to the community
We apologise for the inconvinence caused. We can try updating the driver for the WIFI which could fix the issue. Please find the link below to find the necessary driver for the laptop and install it.
http://dell.to/LVYdTb
Let us know the progress
Thanks & Regards
Dell_Harish_R
Dell Social Media Responder
https://twitter.com/DellCares
http://www.facebook.com/Dell
Earthlark
4 Posts
0
August 1st, 2012 02:00
Yeah, I've tried a few different drivers already: the one you linked to, which is from 2007, as well as an updated 2010 driver from Intel. None of the drivers changed the situation. As mentioned before, I also tested the system in safe mode and with Ubuntu to make sure other software was interfering with the adapter.
Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I guess I'll have to see if I can find another network card to test whether it's the card or something else.
DELL-Satya P
803 Posts
0
August 1st, 2012 10:00
Hi Earthlark,
Now that you have already updated the wireless drivers I would request you to please try these steps:
1. Put the wireless adapter into Continuously Aware Mode using the following steps:
Click Start > Settings > Control Panel. Double-click Network Connections.
Right-click the wireless connection and click Properties.
Click Configure.
Click the Advanced tab.
Select the Power Management setting, 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.
2. Other workaround is to change the Wireless adapter settings in power options, to ‘Maximum Performance’ on Battery Mode. Check this image:
Please run the custom scan on the wireless card using PC Check up from the Dell Support Center. If you need to install Dell Support Center please use this link:
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/services/en/dsc_home?c=us&l=en&s=gen
Please reply with the results.
Earthlark
4 Posts
0
August 4th, 2012 14:00
I tried both 1 and 2, but still having the same problem.
I also scanned the network card using the Dell Support Center, and all tests passed.
vman24601
1 Message
0
October 11th, 2012 15:00
Hey Earthlark,
I just had that same erratic WIFI problem with my XPS m1530 for the past year. It is super annoying and I didn't know how to fix it. I ordered a usb WIFI dongle because I didn't think I could fix it.
But I think I found a solution that just worked for me.
While your WiFi is still working and connected to the internet (before the whole erratic behavior starts), go to the tray icons on the lower right hand corner of your screen and find the one for the Dell QuickSet (if it's not there, try to find it through the start menu). Open that up, it should be on the Networking tab when you open it. Go to WiFi Catcher/Radio Control options--->Advanced settings-->Radio Control options. Then disable the WiFi option and hit Apply.
This will make the switch (the apparent source of my problem) on the right side of your computer unable to control the WiFi. I just put it in the off position but my WiFi is still on (of course Bluetooth and Mobile Broadband are off) .After I did that, no more erratic behavior and haven't had a disconnect since!
I hope this helps!
Leone28
1 Message
0
January 10th, 2021 02:00
I am having the same problem discussed here on a LATITUDE E6430 with windows 10 installed, the problem is that aparently Dell QuickSet is not compatible with my laptop.
Does anyone knows of a way to disable the physical switch in my laptop?
thank you