Wireless network card keeps disconnecting

Go to the Control Panel.  Double click Network Connections.  Right click Wireless Network Connection and select properties.  Click Wireless Networks tab.  Under Preferred Networks, click Properties button.  Click Authentication tab.  Make sure "Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network" is not checked.  If it is checked, click on check box to uncheck.

Also double click System in the Control Panel.  Click the Hardware Tab.  Click the Device Manager button.  Under Network adapters, right click on the wireless network adapter and select Properties.  Click on the Power Management tab.  Make sure "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" is not checked.  If checked click on check box to uncheck.

Cliff

Is your wireless setup a 2.4GHZ setup? Are there any 2.4GHZ cordless phones around?

My netgear wireless router is on a table that has a Belkin 4 port KVM and a a monitor and two computers. I have no problems...

Also make sure you are using the latest drivers for your wireless router and wireless network card.

Cliff

Keep an eye on the signal strength of the connection.   Keep that status window open on your desktop that shows the status.  When you lose the connection, look at that to see if the signal strength is still there despite the communication being lost.

Some drivers allow logging.  I think the Centrino has this feature.  Perhaps you can enable the logging for yours as well and then take a look at your log for more insight as to why the comm stopped.

And try a different channel.

Your manual covers this.  Change the router (when you are wired to it), then your wireless card.

how do you change channels?

I've tried changing channels and reinstalling the drivers for the TrueMobile 1300 but that doesn't seem to help...

When the connection is dropped the signal strength is usually on about 40% - there's no poor connection.

I also have a Belkin wireless USB network adaptor, I've tried using that on my laptop, and the connection doesn't get dropped at all.

Could there be a fault in the TM 1300 card?

Read on the Inspiron - Network for a long history of driver problems with the 1300.

John,

I found the info regarding changing the channel on my AP but try as I might I couldn't find how to change the channel on the wireless mini-card 1300.

How do u do that?

Go to Windows Control Panel/Network Connections.  Right click on Wireless Network Connection and select Properties.  On the General tab click the Configure button.  Click the Advanced tab.  Click on the IBSS Channel Number and change the value.

Strangely when I change the channel on my Microsoft wireless router the channel my TM1300 uses is automatically changed to match.  Note that I do have "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings" enabled.

Cliff

Thanks Cliff ,

Heres an odd setting, under IBSS Mode the setting is 802.11b instead of Normal and I'm running a purely 802.11g network (no 802.11b devices at all), do u think I should change that to normal?

What does IBSS mean?

Thanks

OK, found out that IBSS Mode has to do w/ Ad Hoc and infrastructure connections. If its in 802.11b setting that means that your pc won't connect to Ad Hoc connections unless u specify it specifically which is what you want your pc todo since Ad Hoc connections are pc to pc and ofcourse not encrypted. Plus (and I'm not too sure about this, need to do some more digging ) but it seems that other users in Ad Hoc networks have access to your files  but theres aprobably a way to safe gaurd against that.