If Your Wireless Connection Keeps Dropping

Luckily it can only be two things, either the router or your computer

The easiest way to pinpoint wireless connection dropping issues is by having more than one computer connecting wirelessly to your router, this way if both computers lose connection it points towards a router problem, but if only one loses the connection then it’s a computer issue.

Of course not everyone has the luxury of more than one computer, so if this is the case when the connection fails look at the router, use the lights on the front to diagnose the problem.

If the DSL/Internet light and the wireless light are both constantly on again this points towards a computer problem.



Diagnosing a Router Problem
If however the wifi light is off for a few seconds, before coming back on this indicates that the router has reset itself, generally when this happens if could be an overheating issue, try making sure it has plenty of ventilation on all sides.

One check worth doing is making sure your wireless router is set to never drop its internet connection; you need to go into the routers admin console and set the routers connection timeout to Zero, which should disable this.

The next thing is to check on the router manufacturer’s website and see if there is a firmware update available for it.

The hard reset
By performing this you will lose all of the routers settings, as everything will be set back to its original default settings, you will need to setup the router again from scratch so make sure you have the connection details to hand.

To actually perform the hard reset you need to just look on the back of the router, you will see a small hole with reset written around it, by pressing a pen or pencil into this you will be pressing a reset switch, by pressing for a second it will simply soft reset it, but by pressing and holding for around 20-30 seconds it will perform a hard reset.

If all of this makes no difference, it could be time to replace the router, I personally have to replace at least one router a month for clients after all of the above fixes fail, if you Google your router and search for wireless connection dropping you might find it to be a common issue amongst your router, if this is the case the manufacturer may well swap the router for you, even if it’s not under warranty; it’s all down to the router manufacturers description.

Diagnosing a Computer Problem
if a computers wireless connection keeps dropping follow the list below, this will hopefully enable you to resolve the problem.

Get properties from your network card by right click on My Network Places – Selecting Properties – Configure the Wireless Network Card – Power Management Tab – and un-tick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

Again from the network card properties – select the Advanced Tab – there will be a power saving or management settings - choose this and then make sure power saving is set to off or performance.

Go to device manager by right clicking on my computer and selecting manage – then device manager – find your wifi network card – right click on it and select Uninstall – Once uninstalled – right click on the Network adapters option – now Scan for hardware changes, this will reinstall your network from scratch and set it up from scratch, you will need to find your wireless network and then re-enter the network key if you have network protection.

Our final fix requires you to remove you wireless card, this is normally just under a small panel on the bottom of your laptop, which normally just has one or two screws holding it in place, just make sure the laptop is not plugged into the mains power and the battery is removed, also make sure your earthed to reduce the risk to static damage to your laptop.

Once you have removed the small panel you just need to remove the wifi card, and its two aerial connections, and then just reseat them and replace the card, this will create a good connection across the cards mini PCI connector and aerial, both of which are common causes when a wireless connection keeps dropping.

Wireless connection keeps dropping – for more on wireless problems

If you still have wireless connection dropping issues, contact us at the forum.

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