Wireless connections keeps dropping

[Michael Brown]

Hey All,

I¹ve got a Dell Inspiron 4150, WinXP SP2 that loses connection to our
wireless networks several times a day (and its seemingly random). We have
several other computers using this same wireless network with no trouble.
Connection signal is very good 90+% of the time.

The results are the same when using either our Linksys WAP54G (default) or
our Belkin F5D7130 (backup) wireless access points.

The Dell is connecting to the wireless network with its Linksys Wireless-G
card, WPC54G, latest drivers.

The first event in the log when this machine loses its connections is this:
----------
Event ID: 14103

QoS [Adapter {C766...D48}]:
The netcard driver failed the query for OID_GEN_LINK_SPEED

For more information.....
----------
(and the link doesn¹t provide any additional info)


After this event, several other occur, all, I believe, are directly related
to this (please let me know if I¹m wrong).

I¹ve been searching online, but haven¹t found much, except about disabling
802.1x authentication on the wireless card (done!)

Please post reply if you know any additional troubleshooting I can do or if
you know what may be causing this error.

Thank you!

-Michael

 

[zigipha]

I have had sporadic drops on some laptops at home. I have found the
following to help
1. change the type of access point
2. change the type of card (1 and 2 could have been due to bad hardward
or simply lack of total interoperability between vendors).
3. moving away from the access point (being too close, like a couple of
feet)
4. changing location. even though the signal is "strong", multipath
effects can cause a strong poor quality signal. try reducing the
maximum rate that the laptop transmit/receives to 1 mbps and see if
things improve
5. 802.11b and 802.11g, althogh designed to be compatible, have
different interframe timers that could cause transient losses of
packets (see comment on #2 regarding interoperability. Are all the
computers running the same letter (B or G)?
6. other access points. your laptop maybe in line with other access
points that the other computers dont see. interference on the same
channel from other access points will still give you a strong signal
from the desired access point but can cause connection failure.

 

[Michael Brown]

Thanks for the post!

I've tried using another card and putting the wireless network on other
channels and get the same results.

All users are set for 'G'.

Unfortunately, I am unable to move the laptop, then employee that uses it
need to remain at their desk today.

-M

 

[Michael Brown]

Anyone have any additional thoughts/troubleshooting tips on this?

-M