Wireless trouble

Question

I have an Inspiron 15R that has been giving me nothing but trouble since the moment I got it back from a hard drive replacement under warranty. I had to install the mouse touchpad drivers because the dell technician didn't, and the sound drivers are still screwed up, but I've put that on hold, my main problem at the moment is the wireless.

The computer absolutely refuses to connect normally to any wireless network I have. The network I'm running at the moment currently has 3 computers and at least 2 cellphones on it, all working perfectly. The Dell won't even connect, telling me it has limited connectivity. Not only that, connecting with the Dell to my home network slows down every other device on the network, sometimes causing the network itself to crash.

According to Windows device manager, the driver is the most up to date driver out there. Using Windows troubleshooting doesn't fix the problem, nor does shutting down and restarting the wireless adapter on the laptop OR the wireless network+router at home.

I'm terribly sorry I spent good money on this Dell piece of garbage, but as long as I already have, how can I fix the thing so it will at least work and be worth a fraction of the money and time I've spent on it already?

PudgyOne · Answer

ben9986,

Do you have McAfee installed?

When the techncian installed the hard drive, was the hard driver from Dell? Did the operating system automatically install or was the operating system installed from scratch?

Rick

ben9986 · Answer

No, I don't have Mcafee, I have AVG free. The technician was a Dell technician that brought a hard drive with him from the Dell tech labs. The OS (Windows 7, 64 bit) was already installed on the hard drive when the technician replaced the hard drives.

PudgyOne · Answer

ben9986,   Can you run Finding System Information REMOVE YOUR PRODUCT ID, if using XP, run an ipconfig /all log and post it back here.   Rick

bigross86 · Answer

Host Name: BEN

OS Name: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

OS Version: 6.1.7600 N/A Build 7600

OS Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation

OS Configuration: Standalone Workstation

OS Build Type: Multiprocessor Free

Registered Owner: dell

Registered Organization:

Product ID:

Original Install Date: 22-May-11, 11:19:56 AM

System Boot Time: 06-Sep-12, 1:41:53 PM

System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.

System Model: Inspiron N5110

System Type: x64-based PC

Processor(s): 1 Processor(s) Installed.

[01]: Intel64 Family 6 Model 42 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~792 Mhz

BIOS Version: Dell Inc. A07, 18-Jul-11

Windows Directory: C:\Windows

System Directory: C:\Windows\system32

Boot Device: \Device\HarddiskVolume1

System Locale: en-us;English (United States)

Input Locale: en-us;English (United States)

Time Zone: (UTC+02:00) Jerusalem

Total Physical Memory: 8,098 MB

Available Physical Memory: 5,662 MB

Virtual Memory: Max Size: 16,194 MB

Virtual Memory: Available: 13,653 MB

Virtual Memory: In Use: 2,541 MB

Page File Location(s): C:\pagefile.sys

Domain: WORKGROUP

Logon Server: \\BEN

Hotfix(s): 13 Hotfix(s) Installed.

[01]: KB973751

[02]: KB974476

[03]: KB974560

[04]: KB975500

[05]: KB975599

[06]: KB975617

[07]: KB975741

[08]: KB976781

[09]: KB977178

[10]: KB978258

[11]: KB978535

[12]: KB978977

[13]: KB979538

Network Card(s): 4 NIC(s) Installed.

[01]: Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller

Connection Name: Local Area Connection

Status: Media disconnected

[02]: Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)

Connection Name: Bluetooth Network Connection 2

Status: Media disconnected

[03]: Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 1030

Connection Name: Wireless Network Connection 3

Status: Media disconnected

[04]: Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter

Connection Name: Wireless Network Connection 4

Status: Media disconnected

bigross86 · Answer

For some reason Dell decided to switch user accounts on me, but this is ben9986

PudgyOne · Answer

bigross86,

Try reading...

Intel® WiFi Products — Power Save Polling (PSP) causes connection issues with some access points

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Power Options\Create a Power Plan

Select High performance.

Start, control panel, device manager. Click on Network and then right click on your wireless adapter, left click properties, power management. Uncheck the box, allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

Intel ~ Recommended settings for 802.11n connectivity

Rick

ben9986 · Answer

None of the above has helped... The wireless still doesn't work

PudgyOne · Answer

ben9986,

Places to look to see if your Connection is enabled

Power off your ISP modem/router and your wireless router(if any) for 30 seconds. Then power on the ISP modem/router. Wait 15 seconds, then power on the wireless router(if any)

Restart the computer and try to connect.

What happens?

Go to Drivers & Downloads enter your service tag number, then your operating system. Under network, download the Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 1030 drivers and save them to your desktop.

Make a system restore point.

Start, control panel, device manager, right click on Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 1030 adapter, left click uninstall. Tell it to remove the software, also.

Restart your computer. When you log in, the new hardware wizard may or may not install the adapter. Check in the device manager. If it doesn't install, then use the drivers from the desktop.

Rick

ben9986 · Answer

Way to go. the only option I had available to me was "BT_Intel_W74_A02_Setup-50PWW_ZPE.exe (46MB)"

I downloaded it, uninstalled the old driver, restarted, did everything else, the whole nine yards and now the wireless controller won't reinstall. I've tried installing it three times, with/without restarting the computer in between. Nothing. My 3 year old HP is working better than an 8 month old Dell, and it's a good thing, too, or else I'd really be stuck...

PudgyOne · Answer

ben9986,

Use your system restore point and go bak to befor you tried this. You did make the system restore point, correct?

8 month old system, you should be under warranty, contact Dell Tech Support.

Rick

ben9986 · Answer

I restored the system to the point I created, and I'm back to the wireless still not working. Lovely. I guess I will call customer service/tech support, I was just maybe hoping that something would actually work the way it was meant to with this piece of garbage. Oh well, lesson learned, never buy Dell again.

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Wireless trouble

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