WiFi keeps dying, diagnose & repair is useless

[google]

Hello,
I have a brand new Lenovo laptop running Vista Business.
It frequently loses connectivity to the wireless router. Usually, it
starts with the icon changing from "local and Internet" to "local
only" and then sometimes it disconnects altogether.
"Diagnose and repair" does not fix the problem. It claims "the modem
or router is not available."
Except I know the problem isn't with the router. It's a Netgear
FVG318, located just 2 feet away from my laptop, with no interference
on its channel. Every other (non-Vista) computer in the house,
including 2 floors down, stays connected reliably. So did my previous
Windows XP laptop.
I also know it's not a failure of the WiFi adapter on my laptop,
because I'm still able to detect other networks in range.
Also, there's an easy fix to the problem: I turn the WiFi radio on my
laptop off and back on, then it reconnects just fine.
So why does it keep losing connection and why is "diagnose & repair"
unable to fix it when power-cycling the radio fixes it?
I'm convinced it's a Windows Vista bug, or is it perhaps caused by the
Lenovo ThinkVantage software?

 

[LAB Enterprises]

I don't know what causes it, but my sisters laptop does the same thing
now and then. We both have HP Pavilions but hers has the 64 bit
Vista Ultimate while mine has Home Premium, so I'm assuming its
something to do with the ultimate version?

Lori

 

[DarkSentinel]

Hello,
I have a brand new Lenovo laptop running Vista Business.
It frequently loses connectivity to the wireless router. Usually, it
starts with the icon changing from "local and Internet" to "local
only" and then sometimes it disconnects altogether.
"Diagnose and repair" does not fix the problem. It claims "the modem
or router is not available."
Except I know the problem isn't with the router. It's a Netgear
FVG318, located just 2 feet away from my laptop, with no interference
on its channel. Every other (non-Vista) computer in the house,
including 2 floors down, stays connected reliably. So did my previous
Windows XP laptop.
I also know it's not a failure of the WiFi adapter on my laptop,
because I'm still able to detect other networks in range.
Also, there's an easy fix to the problem: I turn the WiFi radio on my
laptop off and back on, then it reconnects just fine.
So why does it keep losing connection and why is "diagnose & repair"
unable to fix it when power-cycling the radio fixes it?
I'm convinced it's a Windows Vista bug, or is it perhaps caused by the
Lenovo ThinkVantage software?

Are you using WEP or WPA?

 

[google]

I'm using WEP and would rather not change (because one of my roommates
has an older computer whose OS wouldn't support WPA.)
And to answer Lori, I'm using Viste Business 32-bit.
I've read that Vista doesn't work well with some wireless routers, so
I'm about to upgrade the firmware on the router. I'll keep you posted.
Thank you!

 

[google]

Well, I upgraded the firmware on my router and killed it! Great. It
apparently hung during the upgrade. Fortunately it's under warranty.
So meanhwile, I got my old router (D-Link DI-614+) out of the attic,
plugged it in, downloaded the latest firmware, and guess what...
My Vista PC still loses wireless access several times per hour, when
none of the other computers in the house have any problem.
So in any case, that rules out the router.
I've noticed that, even though "diagnose & repair" fails to restore
the connection, going into the "Lenovo access connections" utility and
reconnecting to the WLAN works, though often it takes 2 attempts.
I have also made sure to install all the latest driver and software
updates from Lenovo and Windows.

 

[Curt]

Check and see what type of connection it negotiates
for Vista. You may have to tell it the modulation type.

Also, check and see if the signal strength and network are ok. Plus
make certain that there are no other networks that may be interfering.
Otherwsie, you have to set it so that it doesn't search for new networks.

Curt

 

[google]

I figured it out...
Turns out, even though Windows was set to automatically download and
install updates, I had to perform a manual update and then it
installed a new network driver (the wireless adapter is made by
Atheros.)
This has definitely fixed the problem, I've been connected for 36+
hours straight without a single loss of connection.
Thanks everyone for the advice.