Dell Venue 8 Pro WiFi Issue

Hi Guys

Thank you for your replies.  I did update to Bios 4.

The symptom is that if I turn either the wifi off, or airplane mode on, then set it to sleep for a few minutes, the wifi does not toggle back on.  Airplane can be turned off, but the wifi stays off unless, like Lou mentioned earlier, I disable then enable the device, or restart the tablet.

Argghh.  It's not a huge issue in the greater scheme of things, but it is an energy saving convenience that should be elementary in any device these days.

1st-off, Venue tabs are different from others; they can/will completely drain their batteries rather quickly during sleep, when moved out-of-range from their WiFi connection; once flattened, the battery will require several minutes (~ half-hour) before it re-acquires sufficient beans to boot again. Even worse, some Venue owners have reported  their batteries won't accept a charge after being run-flat.

2nd, every rechargable battery has a finite number of charges built into its design; even user-replaceable Li-ion batteries like used in the Venue 11, are very expensive &  all batteries consume increasing amounts of electricity to recharge them, as they approach end-of-life.

So, why be wasteful — even if you can afford to be? Shame on Dell, for not employing easy tweaks to make their tablets 'greener' and not fixing the 'green' tweaks (like ambient light sensor) which have to be disabled by users because they still don't work properly...

Yeah, I'm with Lou on this one.  Were all here to optimize our devices.  But I wouldn't even call this optimization - it seems so basic.  Having wifi when you need it.  Not having it when you don't.

Dell?

Microsoft?

Anyone out there?

I have been reading the issues. I do NOT work for Dell.

If memory serves me correctly, there were issues a long time ago on another system. Can someone also provide me with the adapter used. Can someone try this?

How to start Wireless Zero Configuration using Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8

I'd prefer if only 1 person volunteered to try this and post back their results. There were either Audio or Video drivers(pretty sure it was Audio) that caused connection problems.

Download the Audio drivers and save them to your desktop.

Make a system restore point.

Uninstall the Realtek drivers, then restart the system.

Can you connect? Is the connection stable?

Check for any Windows updates?

Then make another restore point.

Install the Realtek Audio drivers. Can you connect? Is the connection stable?

Rick

If this information does not work, I will edit my thread to remove this information.

Here is how I now have a solid and fast connection after going through 3 tablets (to see if was a hardware version issue):

1. Took care of the MS KB Updates
2. Used a 5GHz WiFi connection to my Netgear WNDR3800 router (2.4 sucked!)
   • Now had local network access
3. Enabled HomeGroup access to my laptop (to push updates to the tablet)
4. Installed all firmware, software updates from Dell
   
   • Still no Internet
5. Disabled Windows firewall and installed Norton Security instead (other flavors available)
   
   • Now had intermittent Internet access
6. Enabled the Atheros connection settings in Wireless properties but with the roaming setting off
   
   • Now had consistent Internet access at a very slow rate

So after all that I was only able to get 2Mbps down and 150Kb up -- not great but at least it was consistent.  So, I pulled out my older router (Netgear WNDR3300) and connected it to the existing router, configured a new gateway address and turned on the 5GHz WiFi (only) for the old box.  Bingo.  I am now getting 30Mbps down and 10Mbps Up (wired I am 50/15 down/up).

This one is now a keeper. 

Hope this helps -

lol...

sorry...glad you figured it out...but no thanks.

Is it a Dell or a Windows problem?  When I had the same problem I deleted Office to get enough disk space to do a Partial System Recovery.  It then was fixed.  I don't know if the two items were related (low disk space)?

So I was able to solve my network disconnect issue, which I thought was a driver problem, by connecting my tablet to several other wireless networks - one at a time - as a test. It turns out that the majority of my connection problems were because of my wireless router - even though none of my other computers or devices were having issues. Since replacing the router with a (much newer) wireless access point, I haven't had a single problem. My router was 7 years old, and I bought it right as wireless N was coming out.

Are people from DELL even reading here? Anyway... wanted to share my frustration. To sum it up short: my Venue 8 PRO mostly always had bsod and reboots coming back from standby and also WIFI problems all the time. To fix this I had to deinstall both KB2887595 and KB2903939 and do NOT reinstall them, like people always suggested (because they were installed in the wrong order). The moment the two updates were gone, enerything worked again, no bsods anymore. The moment I installed them again, everything broke up in disaster.

Still: I cant get n mode to work with the Venue 8 Pro. I have to use 802.11bg, otherwise the connection becomes unstable or inactive after a short periode. I have a Netgear WNDR3800 too, and it's not a router issue, it is a driver issue on the client. My ASUS Zenbook UX31A had the same problems with it's INTEL WIFI card, and Intel never was able to solve them. The only solution to this problem was using the Microsoft driver, which works great. Sadly there are no Microsoft drivers for the Dell WIFI card being used in the Venue 8 Pro...

...To fix this I had to deinstall both KB2887595 and KB2903939 and do NOT reinstall them, like people always suggested (because they were installed in the wrong order). The moment the two updates were gone, enerything worked again, no bsods anymore. The moment I installed them again, everything broke up in disaster..

You left a step out (or a least you didn't mention that you did it).

Before reinstalling KB2887595 and KB2903939, you need to install KB 2883200

Also restart after installing each update.

I bought my tablet after Microsoft fixed the problem, so I didn't have any issues after the updates were automatically installed.

Reference: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-networking/dell-venue-pro-loses-wireless-connection-after/bc8a1426-fdb8-466d-b074-c80a06e70d76

Nope. I didnt. Removed KB2883200 and installed it too, doesnt change anything. The moment KB2887595 and KB2903939 are installed, the Venue is unusable anymore (bsod out of standbys and wifi connectivity).

"I bought my tablet after Microsoft fixed the problem, so I didn't have any issues after the updates were automatically installed."

I bought mine just a few days ago (11.01.2014), and the """fix""" was made mid December to the "update store", so I would have been good with the updates like you, right? Wrong.

Hi Folks;

Remember that today is Patch Tuesday so these problems may be made better or worse when you update.

I have some WiFi issues on my Surface Pro (1) with specific access points, but it works 100% with others.

On a different topic - be careful charging your Dell Venue Pro's - one wrong connection and it can break.  Check out http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/mobile-devices/f/4586/p/19533276/20500887.aspx#20500887 for peoples comments.