Hey I'm thinking to buy this laptop and I use WiFi a lot.....is the problem fixed?is it a hardware problem any help. How come laptops will have low signal reception this is bad!¡!!
Hello, i also recently purchased the Dell 5000 5447 model. Also with all the same issues as above with the intel 3160 wireless card. I then put my isp modem/router in bridge mode and added a brand new linksys ac router. Now its perfect anywhere in the house, i get the maximum speed anywhere.
Dropping the wireless mode to 802.11g in the advanced tab of the driver properties is the only thing that worked for me. It's been working flawlessly for a month now since I did that. Before I changed it I had to be within 2 feet of the router for the connection to even stay connected. Now the signal works all over my 1400 sq ft house and I get almost full bandwidth of 39mb/s on my cable connection. I'm afraid Dell doesn't care about the problem so I doubt you will get any answer at all from them.
I removed the back of the laptop and it was obvious the wireless chip connections were loose. They plug into the chip. Lousy design. If you can use a hard connection to your network (CAT 5 or CAT 6) and have no problem then, it is probably the loose chip connection.
Dell replaced my new laptop and I have no more problems.
For anyone not under warranty or just not wanting to hassle with the whole warranty process since Dell hasn't seemed to really help those who have tried work with them on the issue...I still recommend picking up a USB Wireless adapter. The TP-Link TL-WN725N Wireless N Nano USB Adapter on Amazon is nice and compact and only costs about $10. Yes it will take up a USB port on your computer, but it took my wireless from unusable (<5 Mbps) to anywhere from 30-60 Mbps throughout my house. I've been using it for 4-5 months now and have not had issues with streaming video or persistent speed problems. Maybe not a true solution but certainly a decent work around. Outside of seeking a complete refund and getting yourself a different laptop, I think it's probably your best bet.
Received Dell Inspiron 3542 (Dell Inspiron 15, 3000 Series) on 4th March 2015. Dell (TM) Wireless 1705/1704 Driver, Dell Wireless-N 170x + bluetooth 4.00. Special offer until April.
Put new laptop in the place we used the old Dell Laptop, 2 weeks previously. Tried to connect to the internet, couldnt. After turning all security off on the router and the OS and the already installed security, no luck. Sometimes we managed to connect then it disconnected within a few seconds.
Took the laptop upstairs and put it next to router, connected no problem and it didnt disconnect. Then took laptop downstairs to normal place it disconnected. Called BT (British Telecom), tech man changed router setting to 2 from 5, we then took the laptop downstairs to normal place it disconnected. After reading all the information online, there are certain tweeks that might be worth looking into but am not happy.
OS is 8.1. We have fibre broadband, a Hub5. My previous laptop was a Dell and we had no problems connecting to the internet in our favourite sitting place with fb and hub5. The previous dell laptop used Windows 7. My husband now uses an Ethernet cable with a booster that plugs into the socket next to him. The internet works perfectly. So he has the power cable and the ethernet cable plugged in, not much of a portable laptop.
Will call Dell support today to see what they suggest but dont hold out much hope, they might well do a diagnostic test which costs due to phone line charges, that certainly will come up with nothing, I am only calling to see if they know a fix to save me time trying a few solutions online. Dell must realise there is a problem by now.
My neighbour has a new HP laptop, was told to put it next to the router as the internet wouldnt work downstairs. So maybe it isnt Dell but the operating system 8.1?????
You have to understand that Dell doesn't make anything, neither does HP. They buy parts made by manufacturers and then design and install these parts then sell to the end user (you). A lot of the big computer sellers use the same parts in their systems. Windows 8.1 has nothing to do with your problem, it's obvious the wireless card has an issue. Many people have issues with the new AC wireless cards, especially if you are using an older router. Good luck getting satisfaction from Dell on this one. Their sole purpose is to sell as many *** computers as they can throw together fully knowing they have a high failure rate and a high customer dissatisfaction rating. It's all about the benjamins to them!
Thanks for your reply. I contacted dell and they tried a few things to help, mainly changing the IP set up to roaming/aggressive and other logical ones. Dell couldnt help. They said that the network cards are now set up for speed and not for distance. My old network card in my now deceased dell laptop would be slower in comparison - BUT IT DID WORK.
Dell offered to reinstall my OS or have the laptop back to change the network card. Both ideas seem pointless as I can get the internet working perfectly next to the router. I can return the laptop for a refund but I doubt I will as other brands appear to also have problems, and I noticed more expensive Dell laptops also have connection problems.
Also the wireless card in mine isnt dual and I have a British Telecom Hub5 which is a month old, BT states that a dual card works best.
I suppose I shall have to buy a dongle or Wifi hotspot thing to plug in. A few have been recommended on Amazon to cure this problem.
I did ask Dell where the wireless antenna was located and he said on the screen the two slits so not hidden underneath as other people have said.
My laptop cost £339.00 and otherwise I am happy with it.
I haven't seen this problem yet in really good companies like ASUS or MSI. Maybe you should start buying a quality laptop from them instead of the junk Dell just mindlessly keeps churning out! :)
I just received my Dell Isnpiron 5542 with the dual band Intel 3160.
Right off the bat I noticed that it had a terrible wifi performance and tried multiple things based on the INTEL and Dell forum suggestions posted by the users and technicians.
It wasn't until I opened the back of the laptop when I realized what the issue was:
The white antenna cable was disconnected!
I have no idea if it was never connected since the beginning or if it got disconnected later on because I had to twist the cable somehow to be able to sit it properly.
Also, initially I wasn't sure if that was an antenna cable that was just lying around.
I downloaded the owner's guide and that helped me realize it was not correct.
After fixing that, the wifi adapter conencted to my wireless router without any issues.
I am posting a picture hoping this will help anyone out there.
Thanks for the information. I dont believe it will apply to my laptop as the wifi does connect if I move 6 foot closer to the router. It is just the exact position we had our laptop in previously that I wanted the wifi. BT did try and help by changing most of the settings on the Hub5 but still no joy. I wouldnt be confident enough to open my laptop up, but good for you for sorting your problem out. Still waiting for the TP-LINK TL-WN725N 150Mbps Wireless-N Nano USB Adapter to see if that works. Someone recommended this on another website.
surajbr
4 Posts
0
February 11th, 2015 05:00
Hey I'm thinking to buy this laptop and I use WiFi a lot.....is the problem fixed?is it a hardware problem any help. How come laptops will have low signal reception this is bad!¡!!
eb1991
3 Posts
0
February 14th, 2015 10:00
I've just installed the a new BIOS, version A06.
Dell states about this update:
Enhancements:
- Improve Wireless performance.
I'm currently unable to tell if there really is any improvement, but if so I will let you know.
DanDG
8 Posts
0
February 15th, 2015 07:00
Hello, i also recently purchased the Dell 5000 5447 model. Also with all the same issues as above with the intel 3160 wireless card. I then put my isp modem/router in bridge mode and added a brand new linksys ac router. Now its perfect anywhere in the house, i get the maximum speed anywhere.
vpupovac
1 Message
0
February 16th, 2015 20:00
I am not sure that any of the accepted answers can be called a solution to this problem.
In any case, I did buy a brand new, industrial grade router, and the problem still remains.
I dropped the card to G mode - nothing.
I tried all the drivers under the sun - no change.
I tried all the suggestions in this thread, and most other internet threads on this subject (and there are many), to no avail.
I really need this problem fixed, and I would really appreciate any new insights into this problem.
I like the computer, but I really cannot sit 3 feet away from the router at all times.
A decent answer from Dell would be very appreciated.
Enkil
6 Posts
0
February 16th, 2015 20:00
Dropping the wireless mode to 802.11g in the advanced tab of the driver properties is the only thing that worked for me. It's been working flawlessly for a month now since I did that. Before I changed it I had to be within 2 feet of the router for the connection to even stay connected. Now the signal works all over my 1400 sq ft house and I get almost full bandwidth of 39mb/s on my cable connection. I'm afraid Dell doesn't care about the problem so I doubt you will get any answer at all from them.
jsoles
2 Posts
0
February 17th, 2015 06:00
OK,
I removed the back of the laptop and it was obvious the wireless chip connections were loose. They plug into the chip. Lousy design. If you can use a hard connection to your network (CAT 5 or CAT 6) and have no problem then, it is probably the loose chip connection.
Dell replaced my new laptop and I have no more problems.
Good luck.
eb1991
3 Posts
0
February 17th, 2015 06:00
So far, no noticable improvements.
mattpsu79
1 Rookie
•
10 Posts
0
February 17th, 2015 08:00
For anyone not under warranty or just not wanting to hassle with the whole warranty process since Dell hasn't seemed to really help those who have tried work with them on the issue...I still recommend picking up a USB Wireless adapter. The TP-Link TL-WN725N Wireless N Nano USB Adapter on Amazon is nice and compact and only costs about $10. Yes it will take up a USB port on your computer, but it took my wireless from unusable (<5 Mbps) to anywhere from 30-60 Mbps throughout my house. I've been using it for 4-5 months now and have not had issues with streaming video or persistent speed problems. Maybe not a true solution but certainly a decent work around. Outside of seeking a complete refund and getting yourself a different laptop, I think it's probably your best bet.
surajbr
4 Posts
0
February 17th, 2015 08:00
Hol5yp
1 Rookie
•
5 Posts
0
March 5th, 2015 01:00
Received Dell Inspiron 3542 (Dell Inspiron 15, 3000 Series) on 4th March 2015. Dell (TM) Wireless 1705/1704 Driver, Dell Wireless-N 170x + bluetooth 4.00. Special offer until April.
Put new laptop in the place we used the old Dell Laptop, 2 weeks previously. Tried to connect to the internet, couldnt. After turning all security off on the router and the OS and the already installed security, no luck. Sometimes we managed to connect then it disconnected within a few seconds.
Took the laptop upstairs and put it next to router, connected no problem and it didnt disconnect. Then took laptop downstairs to normal place it disconnected. Called BT (British Telecom), tech man changed router setting to 2 from 5, we then took the laptop downstairs to normal place it disconnected. After reading all the information online, there are certain tweeks that might be worth looking into but am not happy.
OS is 8.1. We have fibre broadband, a Hub5. My previous laptop was a Dell and we had no problems connecting to the internet in our favourite sitting place with fb and hub5. The previous dell laptop used Windows 7. My husband now uses an Ethernet cable with a booster that plugs into the socket next to him. The internet works perfectly. So he has the power cable and the ethernet cable plugged in, not much of a portable laptop.
Will call Dell support today to see what they suggest but dont hold out much hope, they might well do a diagnostic test which costs due to phone line charges, that certainly will come up with nothing, I am only calling to see if they know a fix to save me time trying a few solutions online. Dell must realise there is a problem by now.
My neighbour has a new HP laptop, was told to put it next to the router as the internet wouldnt work downstairs. So maybe it isnt Dell but the operating system 8.1?????
Enkil
6 Posts
0
March 5th, 2015 07:00
You have to understand that Dell doesn't make anything, neither does HP. They buy parts made by manufacturers and then design and install these parts then sell to the end user (you). A lot of the big computer sellers use the same parts in their systems. Windows 8.1 has nothing to do with your problem, it's obvious the wireless card has an issue. Many people have issues with the new AC wireless cards, especially if you are using an older router. Good luck getting satisfaction from Dell on this one. Their sole purpose is to sell as many *** computers as they can throw together fully knowing they have a high failure rate and a high customer dissatisfaction rating. It's all about the benjamins to them!
Hol5yp
1 Rookie
•
5 Posts
0
March 5th, 2015 08:00
Thanks for your reply. I contacted dell and they tried a few things to help, mainly changing the IP set up to roaming/aggressive and other logical ones. Dell couldnt help. They said that the network cards are now set up for speed and not for distance. My old network card in my now deceased dell laptop would be slower in comparison - BUT IT DID WORK.
Dell offered to reinstall my OS or have the laptop back to change the network card. Both ideas seem pointless as I can get the internet working perfectly next to the router. I can return the laptop for a refund but I doubt I will as other brands appear to also have problems, and I noticed more expensive Dell laptops also have connection problems.
Also the wireless card in mine isnt dual and I have a British Telecom Hub5 which is a month old, BT states that a dual card works best.
I suppose I shall have to buy a dongle or Wifi hotspot thing to plug in. A few have been recommended on Amazon to cure this problem.
I did ask Dell where the wireless antenna was located and he said on the screen the two slits so not hidden underneath as other people have said.
My laptop cost £339.00 and otherwise I am happy with it.
Enkil
6 Posts
0
March 5th, 2015 08:00
I haven't seen this problem yet in really good companies like ASUS or MSI. Maybe you should start buying a quality laptop from them instead of the junk Dell just mindlessly keeps churning out! :)
amduarte24
1 Message
0
March 12th, 2015 14:00
Hello Everyone!
I just received my Dell Isnpiron 5542 with the dual band Intel 3160.
Right off the bat I noticed that it had a terrible wifi performance and tried multiple things based on the INTEL and Dell forum suggestions posted by the users and technicians.
It wasn't until I opened the back of the laptop when I realized what the issue was:
The white antenna cable was disconnected!
I have no idea if it was never connected since the beginning or if it got disconnected later on because I had to twist the cable somehow to be able to sit it properly.
Also, initially I wasn't sure if that was an antenna cable that was just lying around.
I downloaded the owner's guide and that helped me realize it was not correct.
After fixing that, the wifi adapter conencted to my wireless router without any issues.
I am posting a picture hoping this will help anyone out there.
--amilkar
1 Attachment
Capture.JPG
Hol5yp
1 Rookie
•
5 Posts
0
March 13th, 2015 01:00
Thanks for the information. I dont believe it will apply to my laptop as the wifi does connect if I move 6 foot closer to the router. It is just the exact position we had our laptop in previously that I wanted the wifi. BT did try and help by changing most of the settings on the Hub5 but still no joy. I wouldnt be confident enough to open my laptop up, but good for you for sorting your problem out. Still waiting for the TP-LINK TL-WN725N 150Mbps Wireless-N Nano USB Adapter to see if that works. Someone recommended this on another website.