D620 Crashes my WiFi network!!

Question

I just got a new Latitude D620, and when I try to connect to my home network, it either can't connect at all, or connects for about 5mins and then loses it. After it fails, or disconnects, all of my other computers on the network also lose the connection, and I have to restart my wireless router!

I've never had this problem before. I regularly have guests over at my house that bring their laptops and connect without any problems. Our company bought 5 D620s, and 3 of them have this same problem.

Help!!

TadN · Answer

Do you know if your laptop has a dell wireless card or an intel one? Example Dell Wireless 1300 or Intel 2200BG, etc.

jimbethesda · Answer

It's the Intel 3945ABG. I've already installed the lastest drivers. Here is another weird symptom: When connected wireless OR by ethernet cable at home, the Start button 'freezes' up for about 45-secs. This does not happen on my work network. Could this be a general networking problem, and not just a wireless issue?

TadN · Answer

hmm, Dell Indicates you can use either windows or Intel to manage the connection: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&docid=1B9B83E4F85856D2E0401E0A551702B6&journalid=BC50966C27EA11DB96E995E8363E7F84   I always use proset 10.5 for my 2200bg: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?journalid=D7FFABA55F2411DB98E2F5129F5A3539&docid=294827 As opposed to the windows method: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?journalid=E693A0495F2311DBBB2A6D0F7F6D4872&docid=123276   Here's where I got the intel software: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/scripts-df-external/Detail_Desc.aspx?&DwnldID=11852&ProductID=2259   Message Edited by TadN on 10-18-2006 10:59 PM

n4ziq · Answer

I have the same problem with my D620 and 1390 mini card. The moment I connect with the WiFI, the computer seems to hang. It eventually comes back, but it runs very slowly. I see nothing running in the Task Manager that would indicate CPU usage. The computer just sits there. If I connect to my company VPN, it is unusable. I updated the BIOS and all the drivers, and it did not fix the problem. I called my company IT department, and they started investigating. Another co-worker with the same computer is experiencing the problem too.   Joe

TadN · Answer

Interesting that it appears to happen with both Broadcom and Intel cards. That would point away from a driver issue from Intel or truemobile cards; but you never know...   For jimbethesda I would recommend updating to the latest BIOS rev, I see its up to A05 and I see a note about fixing a wifi issue in this release, though I don't think it's directly related.... http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&releaseid=R137096&SystemID=LATITUDE%20D620&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=10109&devlib=0&typecnt=1&vercnt=4&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=183176   Joe, thanks for your post.  Since you're on the latest BIOS rev, i'd love to see what dell support would say.  Since you guys have latitudes you'll get business support; not consumer. I've found the response there much better via IM than my relatives that buy via the consumer site.    It sounds like this is happening to multiple folks so maybe they have a suggested fix. (Yeah, I'm still an optimist :) )   I'll try to do some research and repost If I find anything.

Gina Q · Answer

Try removing the Google Tool Bar and Google Desktop from Add/Remove Programs. See if this helps.

n4ziq · Answer

Just an update on what I found. I now have my 1390 card working well.

I did another update on the 1390 driver. For some reason the first update didn't take. That corrected the slow response and sluggish behavior of the computer. Now I could get WiFi working, but the moment I activated the VPN client, I could connect to the VPN server and then nothing. Although, the WiFi worked fine when VPN was not active. If I hard wired the computer to the router, my VPN would work just fine. This was really confusing when troubleshooting. I then started focusing on the Linksys router. I found that my 1390 card with Cisco VPN client and Linksys WRT54GS V4 did not work. I tried a Dlink Wifi Router and it worked fine. I also found my other WiFi router Linksys WRT54GS V2.1 worked just fine with WiFi and VPN. So, I purchased a Linksys WRT300N, and that didn't work with WiFi and VPN either. Then I got another WRT54GS V5 and that worked great! Finally! Yes, I had the latest firmware for my routers.

To sum it up this is what I know.

WRT54GS V2.1 works well with VPN Wifi
WRT54GS V5 is good
WRT54GS V4 no good for WiFi VPN. VPN works only when hardwired to router.
WRT300N V1 no good for WiFi VPN
Dlink Router worked well, but not sure of model or version.

Joe

TadN · Answer

Excellent!

Thanks for posting the resolution. Note you might want to try updating to alternate firmware for the router that did not work.

Take a look at http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
or
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=si_wireless&message.id=27485

n4ziq · Answer

I did try Hyperwrt firmware, but that did not help my VPN issue on the WRT54GS V4 router. I suspect they have some sort of chipset problem. The senior tech from Linksys informed me they know about some of the VPN issues, and advised me to get a WRT54GS V5 or 6. He said he has had no VPN complaints on those models. What a learning experience for me... The more I know, the more I realize I don't know.     Joe

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

D620 Crashes my WiFi network!!

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