Wireless card seems slow on my XPS 14z

Maze,

While we're waiting for this to be fixed, try reading THIS THREAD.

Rick

@ terry - silence!???

@rick - re: new driver. it's NOT just an 'N' issue - it's the same with a 'G' connection:

1 - slow and interupted connection

2 - very poor range

although issue 1 can be solved with the 'original' 6230 drivers from the intel website (see page 1 above) the range problem persists with the 6230 card installed. i now use an old atheros card that works way better than the intel one. but would love to use the intel one (need wireless display and more speed).

i have a hunch this problem is related to the number & type of routers that are all within range. to me it sort of seems that the signal somehow gets jammed. maybe this is related to the dualband function. keeps polling for a faster connection ???

Hello Peter,

I still have the same problem, after they put in a new Card the 6300. It could be, that you right and the Card is looking for a faster connection. It is hard to explain. I have tested it on 5 different routers. No different results there.

But never just with one router by itself. Will try that next.

When I get about 5 feet to the Router it speeds up to 23MB, but as soon as I get as far as 15 feet it will drop a lot and sometimes disconnects and gets down to 1MB?

Also seems that as soon as it goes through a wall the connection almost is completly gone. Also it is important for that you be on the same level as the router.

If the router is a lever highter, the connection will be poor.

I wonder if two technician who worked on that now, did not see, that the antenna is not working correctly or two week. Those cards have two, but one technicain mentioned three would be better, because of the metal case.

Still waiting to get a call from Dell again?

Good Luck.

Maze

Hello Rick,

I had two technicians to check it out. i do not hope they would miss the antenna connection?

Thanks for the File. I could donload it, but now it telle me to use a intel wirelss installer?

Any idea, how I get one?

Thanks again.

Maze

Maze,

Was reviewing some of your information. I still suspect the antenna wire may have come loose. I se an ip address from the router, so if you're close enough to the router, you probably connect.

I have downloaded drivers using Intel® Driver Update Utility

Intel's website does have the drivers for the 6300 AGN. You can try going HERE and then change the language from English to German. and select the drivers.

You'll need to make a system restore point. Uninstall the 6300, start, control panel, network, 6300, uninstall. Then restart the computer. Install the new driver from Intel's website and you shouldn't get the error message.

It would have been nicer to download the drivers for the 6300 from Dell's website but the problem with drivers and downloads is preventing this and I do not know the exact Rxxxxxx number. The number you mentioned is not the correct number.

Maybe Terry can come up with it, when he returns to work.

Rick

@RICK

you keep suggesting an antenna connector might be loose. i have seen similar suggestions by dell on the 15z thread regarding this issue. do you mean on the card side? this one is easy to check, and in my case it certainly was well connected. is there another connector inside the chassis that may be loose?

peterberger,

I am not certain if there is another connection inside. I have seen on other models, people said they can only connect in the same room and when they checked, the antenna wire cam loose or came off.

On other models, in the device manager, network, your network adapter, advanced, some models have a setting for antenna diversity. Changing the antenna diversity from auto to aux, has also been a solution. I don't think this model has that setting.

I have an Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6200 AGN installed on my current system. Here are my settings, maybe there's a clue there.

Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6200 AGN

802.11n channel width for band 2.4     =     20 MHz only

802.11n channel width for band 5.0     =     auto

802.11n mode                                      =     enabled

Ad Hoc channel 802.11b/g                   =     1

Ad Hic QoS mode                                =      WMM disabled

Fat channel Intolerant                          =     disabled

Mixed mode protection                        =     CTS-to-self Enabled

Preferred Babd                                    =     1. NO Preference

Roaming Aggressiveness                   =     Medium

Transmit power                                   =     5. Highest

Wireless mode                                    =     6. 802.11a/b/g

I used to own an Intel WiFi 5100 AGN adapter and the settings I posted in another thread were

802.11n channel width for band 2.4     =     20mh only

802.11n channel width for band 5.8     =     auto

802.11n mode     =     enabled

Ad Hoc Channel 801.11b/g     =     1

Ad Hoc default wireless mode     =      0.802.11b/g

Ad Hoc power managemet     =     disabled

Ad Hoc QoS Mode     =     WMM disabled

FAT Channel Intolerany      =     disabled

Mixed mode protection     =     CTS to self enabled

Roaming aggressiveness     =     3.Medium

Throughput enhancement     =     disabled

Transmit power     =     5.highest

Wireless mode     =     6.802.11a/b/g

Rick

@Terry.

sorry to mention this, but we're not looking for questions - we're looking for a solution! my connection is OK with at least 10 other devices, including my14z with an Atheros WIFI card installed. so the best route would be to test the 6230 card i took out of my 14z in with my router in another laptop. but hey, are you guys going to pay the bill? i've already spend hours and hours on this, (and many others too) testing all possible settings - without any result. we do have a life you know ..... and our job is not testing dell laptops. we are your costumers and this is your job. sorry to say this, but you keep putting this problem on our plate. in my dictionaire that's only due to possible legal consequences of your employer. it would be nice if you said, "hi guys, yes we're aware there's a problem and we're working our asses off to get it solved." if it is a simple antenna defect or whatever, just come over replace my 14z and it's solved. you know it isn't that simple. i understand this kind of issues can arise, and that it is complex due to all kind of legacy equipment around. but just don't patronize us.  

Terry,

Peter already told you what he thinks about your input here, so I do not want to repeat it.

We all have tried all those things already several times and yes we all do have a real job as well. We are happy to help you here out, but personally I do not think, how I should do that.

I had two technians there ad yes, they might not be a educated as you, they ended up putting in a 6300 Card instead of 6230. I have tested it with 5 different routers just the past weekend.

I get excellent results, if I am 4-5 feet away from the router and as soon as I move away it drops from 30 to 50 MB to 3 and below - even to 1MB and lower and disconnects.

Even so, I think that the two technicians from Dell are clever enough to check for the antennas could it be that there just not there? or not working at all. Because this is my second card?

Terry, is there anybody else in your team, who does not ask questions back, but actually has an idea what is going on?

Also have played with a technician on the phone  - several times and several hours - to play with the Drivers. Little to no success. I have tried it myself and the technician also logged in to my Computer to install them himself.

What else can we do? And why do so many people have the same issue?

I do no think it can be the Card, because I am running now the Centrino Ulimate N-6300 AFN card and even this one is suppose to be a bit more powerful, same results?

Maybe they have forgotten the antennas completely? I can confirm that they connection was checked.

No different between 2.4 and 5 GHZ.

Yes, Terry, we though of phones, microwaves etc. I have tested in 5 different places.

Right now I am writing you from an Hotel, which they alone have 4 different routers and I get a good Signal, as soon as I get very very close.

I have disabled Bluetooth a long time ago.

All the power settings are on high Technicians and I have tried all combinations with the Settings?

one of your colleagues concluded, that because the 6230 or 6300 has two antennas, and this is a metal case, it is simply very week. The signal test comes out as bad. or great it goes in and out?

Could they be something wrong with power of the chip?

Yesterday I used a very powerful router and came up to 50MB about 5 feet away, than again 30 seconds later 10 and so on. It looks like the power goes in and out?

My Inspiron 13Z next to it, does about 5-6 times better with the signal quality and the MB?

At home I got 3MB with XPS 14Z and the Technician wittnesed 18MB on the 13Z.

Also he tried to get the 6230 into the 13z but it did not take it?

And finally how goods a laptop if we can't use it wireless?

Thanks Terry and Rick for all your help. At least you get paid while you looking for a cause, we are not.

Maze

Maze,

Just a little note, I am a Dell user, just like you are. I do not get paid, I am a volunteer trying to help others, when I can, but I have exhausted all my thoughts on this.

There are some tricks I have learned but none of the tricks I learned are working.

Take care and I hope thiong work out for you.

Rick

Agreed! It would be great to know that Dell has acknowledged that something is wrong and are at least investigating the issue. I also have had no problems with a separate, older device. And I have also tried manipulating every setting on my XPS 14Z and on my router - answers like "do you have a lot of cordless phones and other wireless devices in your house?" is extremely patronizing. Why not just tell us to restart our computers?

Thanks for your post.

could not agree more. I am writing from Germany.

The issues was reported by the technician, which I had two so far - to Dell.

According to them, they working on a solution.

Still waiting to hear back. I have by now a different card 6300. Sill the same problems. The same as you described.

Peter, I am sorry to see you go. But I hope by now, that they will take back my XPS 14z.

Rick, sorry I thought you and Terry are from Dell.

Had no idea, that you are just one of us. Sorry to bother you with all those Dell related issues.

Good Luck.

Maze

hi all,

With all due respect for the Dell volunteers on this forum and their thankless task, do you have any 'special' channel to Dell to get a real update on the issue?

As someone mentioned eaerlier, after three months of the issue being reported (and much longer on the 15z forum) Dell is yet to come clean with an official aknowledgement of the problem and a confirmation of being working towards a solution, and an ETA.

I received my third 14z today (second replacement) and the problem is just the same: unstable connection as soon as I step away from the router and very poor signal strenght where other laptops in the house easily get full signal.

What is Dell hoping for by replacing hardware with the same hardware (and the same drivers for what i can tell)? Why do we have to waste more time on the phone and in person with engineers who behave like the problem has never been reported before by others?

How can we get an official statement from Dell ASAP, short of starting a class action?

For sure they are not thinking that some strangers from different part of the world (Australia here) are just making this issue up just to fill up time (and sure I have very little to spare)

I want to make sure that readers on the forums understand that unlike Rick I am a Dell employee.  I am part of Dell's Social Media Outreach team, and the Dell Liaison to the notebook forums.  

I know that engineering has released several versions of drivers for the Intel 6230 cards, most of which has solved some user’s wireless issues.  I know that engineering has captured several 15Z notebooks from the field for testing and may capture some 14z notebooks as well.  This is a very complex issue because not all users are having the problems, and those of you that are having problems aren't always having the same symptoms.  I understand your frustration, and would like nothing better to have an answer for you all, I apologize for not having one at the time being.

Engineering is certainly aware of these threads, and they are certainly working hard to find answers for all of you. I will post any updates that I receive from them as soon as I have them.

TB