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General discussion

Poor wireless on PC while laptop in same room is ok

by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 18, 2013 5:49PM PDT

Hi

Recently I built a new desktop computer for playing games that my laptop can't run.

The problem is that the wireless connection on the new PC is weak and drops often while in the same room my laptop's wireless connection is alright and drops less often.

My wireless router is DSL-2730B. http://www.dlink.com.au/products/?pid=804

My laptop is a Samsung R580 JS02AU http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/pc-peripherals/notebook-pc/archive/NP-R580-JS02AU-spec

On my laptop I dualboot Windows 7 Ultimate and Ubuntu Linux 12.10.

Recently I built a new desktop computer for playing games that my laptop can't run.

For the wireless network adapter I chose TP-LINK TL-WN781ND http://www.tp-link.com.au/products/details/?model=TL-WN781ND.

I setup Windows 8 and Ubuntu Linux 12.10 dualboot on the new computer.

The TL-WN781ND doesn't come with Windows 8 drivers on its CD but the TP-LINK website says it is compatible with Windows 8.

On Windows 8 the wireless adapter is detected and it lists my wireless network.

But when I connect to my wireless network it says the connection is limited and hovering over the wireless icon in the system tray shows "Unidentified network, no internet access", and when I open Firefox it says server not found.

This is while on my laptop in the same room the wireless connection is good and I can watch videos on Youtube.

On my laptop's Windows Device Manager it says the wireless network adapter is Atheros AR9285Wireless Network Adapter.

On my laptop this is what Speccy says http://pastebin.com/rb6AaADy


On my new PC's Windows Device Manager it says the wireless network adapter is Qualcomm Atheros AR9485 Wireless Network Adapter.

This is what Speccy says on the new PC
http://pastebin.com/YeMnfXp4

I hope this is not a hardware fault.

If you need any more information please ask.

I will be highly grateful for your help.

Discussion is locked

17 Posts
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Re: limited connection
by Kees_B Forum moderator Mar 18, 2013 6:06PM PDT

Usually, that's a settings error. if the wireless password isn't correct, the PC won't get an IP-address from the router. That's a limited connection. But there might be other settings also.

What does IPCONFIG tell you?

Kees

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ipconfig
by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 18, 2013 6:35PM PDT

Hi

This is what ipconfig says:


Windows IP Configuration


Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::e0ce:8e8b:2854:7d28%12
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.125.40
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{C8D972C7-CDDB-4D60-959A-4647F8F15020}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

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I looked at the TL-WN781ND
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 19, 2013 4:40AM PDT

And see the usual rubber duck antenna so be sure it's installed and try it with a CLEAR LINE OF SIGHT from the antenna to the router.

Looking at the report I see things I would change.

1. TKIP and WPA. I move to WPA2 AES after I get a WiFi network working.
2. The DNS. I see the router is the DNS so let's try the DNS of 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for a test run.
Bob

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Poor wireless on PC while laptop in same room is ok
by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 19, 2013 7:21AM PDT

I removed Windows 8 and installed Windows 7 Ultimate.

I installed the drivers and configuration utility from the CD that came with the wireless adapter.

I used the TP-LINK Wireless Configuration Utility instead of the Windows wireless configuration tool.

Internet drops less frequently than on Windows 8 but it still drops more often than the wireless connection on my laptop in the same room.

The antenna is installed and has a clear line of sight to the router.

I'll change my wireless network to WPA2 AES after I get the wireless connection on my new PC working properly.


Here is my ipconfig /all before changing DNS:

C:\Users\Admin>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : AhmedPC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Home

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : TP-LINK 150Mbps Wireless N PCI Express Ad
apter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : A0-F3-C1-70-6C-BC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::ad4b:c5a5:2bde:671d%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.4(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, 20 March 2013 5:21:20 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, 21 March 2013 7:10:47 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 245429185
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-D9-F8-B2-A0-F3-C1-70-6C-BC

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.Home:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001Shocked:9d38:6ab8:300e:23fb:9150:ed2e(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::300e:23fb:9150:ed2e%12(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled


I set DNS as 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as alternate DNS.

Here is my ipconfig /all after changing DNS:

C:\Users\Admin>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : AhmedPC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Home

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : TP-LINK 150Mbps Wireless N PCI Express Ad
apter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : A0-F3-C1-70-6C-BC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::ad4b:c5a5:2bde:671d%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.4(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, 20 March 2013 5:21:20 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, 21 March 2013 7:50:28 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 245429185
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-D9-F8-B2-A0-F3-C1-70-6C-BC

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.Home:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001Shocked:9d38:6ab8:300e:23fb:9150:ed2e(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::300e:23fb:9150:ed2e%12(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Please tell me if you want any more information,

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Re: IPCONFIG
by Kees_B Forum moderator Mar 19, 2013 7:32AM PDT

That 192.168.-address is OK and shows you're fully connected to the router. That 169.254-address is an auto-assigned IP-address, that the PC gives itself because it can't reach the DHCP-server (the router). That is in line with the "Media disconnected" message: no connection at all with the router. Since the hardware is OK (or it wouldn't work with another OS) it's either a driver issue or settings issue, I'd say.

Kees

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If the signal is weak at line of sight, 20 feet.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 19, 2013 7:55AM PDT

Then I'm over to check the router. Is it's antenna on and did you try another channel there?

ALSO, since the card is 150, did you change the router to 150 as well?
Bob

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If the signal is weak at line of sight, 20 feet.
by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 19, 2013 2:14PM PDT

The router's antenna is on.

The router is a Wireless N 150 router so I'm guessing it's already on 150.

The wireless channel was Auto and currently Channel 11 but I've changed it to 9.

I installed the program inSSIDer and it said all my other neighbours were on channels 1 and 6.

Also it shows my RSSI as 35 while my neighbouring wireless networks are in around 80 and 90.

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If the signal is weak at line of sight, 20 feet.
by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 19, 2013 2:28PM PDT

My RSSI keeps changing but it doesn't go as high as my neighbours'.

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If the signal is weak at line of sight, 20 feet.
by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 19, 2013 6:53PM PDT

I put my new PC in the same room as my router and now the signal strength is excellent and hasn't dropped once.

Still why is the PC's wireless connection in my room than my laptop's wireless connection in the same room?

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Re: signal strength
by Kees_B Forum moderator Mar 19, 2013 7:27PM PDT

Seems like the receiver in the laptop is better (more sensitive) than the receiver you bought for the desktop. Can happen. Maybe buy a better one?

Kees

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This tells me the router has issues.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 20, 2013 12:10AM PDT

If a router in the room is weaker than the neighbors, you may have issues with the router. At 20 feet, it's time to use a cable.
Bob

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I see that your wireless adapter
by itsdigger Mar 19, 2013 4:53AM PDT
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(NT) Nice choice. Love the PCIe x1 feature.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 19, 2013 4:56AM PDT
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Linux support for wireless network adapter
by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 19, 2013 6:59AM PDT
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look under the specifications at system requirements
by itsdigger Mar 19, 2013 7:09AM PDT
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Linux support for wireless network adapter
by Ahmeddeveloper Mar 19, 2013 7:25AM PDT

I see that but Linux isn't listed because its not as popular and other people on the Internet have got this adapter to work on Linux.

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if the manufacturer makes no claims of support
by itsdigger Mar 20, 2013 6:37AM PDT
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