D830 with Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG troubles

You don't mention what OS you have.  If XP SP2 then this patch may help:  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

 

You should try downloading the most recent drivers for your card directly from intel.com (they're often newer than what dell has listed).  You have noticed that either ProSet or windows can control the wireless connection.  If you are using ProSet, try uninstalling it and just letting windows control the wireless connection.

 

Make sure the firmware on your accesspoint / router is the most up to date

NemesisDB, thanks very much for the ideas. Unfortunately none of them worked.

I am running XP SP2 and downloaded and installed the patch you referred to. It didn't help.

The machine had the latest version 11.5.0 of the Intel ProSet/Wireless driver from Dell's website. Intel's website had the same version.

So I uninstalled the Intel ProSet/Wireless driver and let Windows manage the wireless connection and the problem remains - it connects for a few minutes and then disconnects.

Argh. Maybe the Intel hardware just doesn't work right (not surprising coming from them).

About all I can suggest in that case is making sure the firmware on the router is up to date.  And to try the wireless card on different networks (maybe try a coffeeshop hotspot).

I also had trouble staying connected with Version 11.

 

Went back to version 10.5

 

 

Problem went away.

 

 

Thanks, PudgyOne. That version does work better, but alas, it too fades out. It does stay connected a lot longer than the 11.5.0 version though.

I have no control over these access points and the IT department swears that they are running the latest firmware. But other Dells in the building are having similar problems so they'll have to find the solution. It doesn't help that the IT department is in another state. Corporate madness!

Thanks, but I've tried deleting the Intel Pro/Wireless completely and set up the connection to let Windows manage the connection and it didn't help at all. Same problem, the connection works for awhile but eventually disconnects.

if you're using WinXP sp2; you can try to bypass the INTEL PRO Wireless utility.. try to use the default windows wireless utility.
HOW?
- goto network connections
- right click on the WLAN, left click properties
- then click wireless tab
- put a check on "USE WINDOWS to CONFIGURE MY WIRELESS NETWORK SETTINGS"
- then click ok, ok

Could you pls try to connect to the router directly...
and observe if you get a disconnection in the same specified timeframe re the original issue.

im thinking that it could be location and interference problem...

if the problem doesnt persist

try to connect again using your access point router and change the channel...

decoder101, thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately the router is locked in a closet and they won't
allow me to access it or tweak any settings. They also will not work on my laptop since it's not a
company owned machine.

However, I disabled the Intel 3945ABG and plugged in an ancient Netgear WAG511 Cardbus wireless
card and it is able to connect and maintain a connection just fine so I'm up and running.

Something is "not right" with the Intel 3945ABG setup. Is there another built-in solution for a Dell D830
that can directly replace the 3945ABG and do a better job?

I'm having exactly the same problem.  After some random length of time I lose the connection and when I try to reconnect I get the same profile error message.  I usually have to restart the computer to restore the connection.  I've reloaded the drivers for just about everything on the computer. I did not have this problem the first year I owned the computer, so I assume it is some software issue.  I use this computer mostly at home, but have had this problem at other wireless hotspots , so I think the issue is on my side.

If anyone has any ideas or finds more about this problem, I'd appreciate it.

 

Inspiron E1705, XP pro, Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (recently replaced motherboard, harddrive, keyboard, LCD screen, graphics card and kitchen sink)

Hi kwschumm,


pls try to run the diagnostics for the intel pro wireless VIA the INTEL wireless (R) troubleshooter... click tools and click run diagnostics

Hi decoder101,

The Intel Pro Wireless troubleshooter is giving erroneous information. It says that everything is working but the event log shows clearly that the connection is disabled. When enabled it connects, stays connected for awhile, then again disables itself. All the while the wireless troubleshooter thinks everything is fine.

To make matters worse, every time the Intel PRO/Wireless stuff is uninstalled it runs for a long time and never exits. After 15 minutes or so I do a hard reset, uninstall again, and the machine runs very slow. After rebooting a second time the machine starts working correctly. It does this every time PRO/Wireless is uninstalled (I've done it four times now).

I appreciate your help but I'm dumping the Intel PRO/Wireless stuff for good. Between poor connectivity and poor software it isn't worth spending hours troubleshooting when I have a perfectly good Netgear card that works fine. The card is less convenient but it's a heck of a lot less trouble.

Hi

I do have the very same problem with this wireless card.

System:
Windows XP SP2
dell 9400
Wireless: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
Driver Version: 11.5.0.32

Sometimes i can connect, sometimes not.
I tried to install the older driver, and i also installed the microsoft patch for wpa2, but it didn't help.

Let me know if somebody has a solution or need more information.

cheers

Yeah. I have the same problem : http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=netwkint&thread.id=27514

 

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Edited...

 

It's ok for 24 hours now...

 

try this:

 

volcano11 (Steve),

 

Thanks for the idea.  It's been ok for more that 24 hours now without any problem. What I did is, in the properties, I "Configure" it from "Advanged" tab the "Property:" Power Management "Value:" adjusted the slider to "Hightest" which logically full power as you mentioned.

 

 

Thanks again. I'm still observing it. I hope the wireless will not suddenly disconnect anymore after certain period of time as it used to be.

hi there,

Just in case anyone else gets this problem on Vista, I had this but without the error message, the laptop would just suddenly not see any wireless networks and the dreaded yellow triange would appear over the network connections icon (also when right clicking on the icon it would take a few minutes to bring up the menu).

I downloaded the latest driver from the intel site and *touch wood* it's now been working fine for a few days.