Hi,

I have been having the same problem and it's driving me crazy. Sometimes it's fine for days and sometimes I keep losing the connection. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason. Sometimes if I disable and enable the network adapter or turn the switch on and off or disconnect from my wireless connection and reconnect I can get it back otherwise if I restart the computer it comes back. 

I have a Dell inspiron 1520 with Vista.

If anyone can shed some light on this I would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

I have a new Dell laptop. Every time it's the same. Every freaking time. Unable to connect to the wireless network. Seriously? Again? I'm them prompted to run the troubleshooting app. Every freaking time. It then says it has "reset the wireless adapter" - joy! why not do that before trying to connect???? and then it connects. Every freaking time. My iPad, on the other hand, connects every time flawlessly. every time. every freaking time. If you lose your mind and call help desk you reach India. Indians help you re-install drivers. The Indians love replaciing the drivers. Takes hours. Doesn't help. Doesn't freaking help.

Sfarns,

Can you run an ipconfig /all log and post it back here.

Rick

C:\Users\Scott>ipconfig/all Windows IP Configuration Host
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Scott-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . :
Hybrid IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . :
No WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . :
No DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : covad.net
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom Virtual Wireless Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 1C-65-9D-7A-04-17
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection: Connection-specific
DNS Suffix . : covad.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : DW1501 Wireless-N WLAN Half-Mini Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 1C-65-9D-7A-04-17
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::ad11:60ce:a12b:8bb0%13(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.7(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, April 19, 2012 2:23:55 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, April 19, 2012 3:23:56 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 236742045
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-14-59-0F-48-F0-4D-A2-A4-6A-A0
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 64.105.132.250 64.105.166.122
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled Tunnel adapter isatap.{0BBBA5A5-21B0-479B-83E2-44053166091E}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific
DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.covad.net:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : covad.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . :
Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface: Connection-specific
DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration
Enabled . . . . : Yes IPv6
Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:147f:38a8:3f57:fff8(Pref erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::147f:38a8:3f57:fff8%15(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : :: NetBIOS over
Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Users\Scott>

Sfarns,

Make and model of your computer and opertaing system is helpful. 32-bit or 64-bit?

Can you connect if you're right next to the wireless router?

Rick

Sfarns,

Start, control panel, network and sharing center, click on your connection, click on properties.

Look for TCP/IPv4 and TCP/IPv6 and click on each, then properties. Have your settings match mine.

Rick

It is a Dell Inspiron N5010 that is a little more than a year old. It always connects - frustrating thing is that it connects EVENTUALLY. On the first try after turning on (every time) it's almost like it didn't get fully warmed up properly before it tried to connect. Like something needed to run first that didn't. Dunno. I'm just guessing. But if you try to connect / have it fail / then run the troubleshooter routine / have the troubleshooter "reset the wireless adapter" etc. then it eventually gets there and works just fine... So it's not so much a signal issue / proximity to source; I can be sitting right next to the wifi unit and it still does this. Greatly appreciate any thoughts you might have.

I bought the new XPS 15 Touch and, yes, the wireless adapter is not working. I paid over $2700 for a laptop that has not worked a single day. The screen randomly freezes, the machine overheats, there is a whining loud fan noise, the signal drops randomly and, at times, it does not even show the wifi is even installed, bluetooth is not working, and AC adapter is falling apart in less than a month since I bought it. 

I chose to get prime warranty but now they are telling me they will not send anyone at home because there are too many issues. Really? Isn't this what I paid for?

Every one of the 4 XPS that I bought in the last 7 years had the same issues and the Dell support has been anything but helpful.  

im5,

I doubt if this is a new model that it has a Dell Wireless 1395 adapter.

On the computer, can you run an ipconfig /all log and post it back here?

Rick