Wireless turns on and off in Vista

[bylund]

I've had a problem with my wireless network connection ever since I purchased my beautiful X61 - it sometimes disconnects only to immediately connect again. Some days it works fine, but some days it goes on and off over and over again. The problem is sometimes even worse: I will have to open the Wireless Connection Status dialog box (double-click on the connection bars icon in the task bar) and turn off radio and then turn on.

As far as I can tell, there seems to be two distinct problems with the thinkpad wireless:
1) the connection is for some reason lost and then connected again (or I will have to manually re-connect through the TinkVantage Access Connections software)
2) the radio antenna is somehow jammed (freezes) and doesn't pick up any signal and doesn't respond at all. It then needs to be restarted (turn off followed by turn on)

The first thing I did after unpacking the computer was to shut off that terrible "let Windows decide" when to turn off the network cards. So it is not an energy-saving thing - I'm not even using the battery at most times and my energy plan is maximized for performance (and energy use...).

I was hoping there would be updates to solve this problem, since it is quite annoying when e.g. on Skype or connected to my workplace via VPN (but the problem has nothing to do with Skype or VPN - I have identified no pattern in these disconnections). But since I purchased my computer in August I have downloaded and installed a great many ThinkVantage updates - but the problem persists.

Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem could be? Do you experience the same thing? Any solutions? Does Lenovo know?

Thanks!


FYI: I'm on an X61 7675-CTO with 2 GHz Intel Duo Core CPU, 2 GB RAM, 1 GB Intel turbo and Windows Vista SP 1.

[SHoTTa35]

have you ever tried to let that stupid windows thing manage it? Lots of the time problems are solved by that method. It could be AC causing the problems or it could just be the router. HAve you upgraded it or changed the channel and stuff like that?

[bylund]

have you ever tried to let that stupid windows thing manage it? Lots of the time problems are solved by that method. It could be AC causing the problems or it could just be the router. HAve you upgraded it or changed the channel and stuff like that?

Thanks, SHoTTa35,

Yeah, I guess having Windows manage the connection could be one solution. I have, however, experience from removing ThinkVantage softwares (or simply disable them) and that totally screwed up my computer. It was an older model (X60, I think), but that still makes me fear changing stuff.

The problem is not the router - it works fine. Turning off and then turning on the radio/antenna usually fixes the problem (others are using the same router; I've also experienced the same problem on other networks), so it is definitely my computer. I am pretty sure it is Lenovo's software, possibly hardware but I don't think so, which is why I've waited for updates. But it seems these issues are not fixed; I've contacted Lenovo about this, but I guess they're not very interested in hearing how their products work.

[SHoTTa35]

well it could also be the router too. You said you turned off the power management stuff in Windows but the router might be trying to send low power requests to your card also.

More isn't always a bad thing.. just gives you more to knock off the list.

AC is usually more trouble than it's worth for normal home networks. It's designed for business networks in mind and the protocols they support. If EAP or other protocols are mixed in with the wifi packets it could be driving the router mad and causing it to crash.

Oh well.. let us know what you tried to narrow it down.

[bylund]

well it could also be the router too. You said you turned off the power management stuff in Windows but the router might be trying to send low power requests to your card also.

Thanks, SHoTTa35, for your comments and suggestions.

I had the same problem this morning after starting my computer - the wireless connection turned off and on and off again at least four times within a period of less than ten minutes. I don't think this is an effect of some kind of power-saving policy, since it seems to happen not only when I'm not using it. It often (but not always) happens when I have just started the computer or when I'm in the middle of a Skype call.

As I wrote before, I haven't been able to identify something that these occurrences have in common. They seem quite random: either when I start the computer or when I've used it for hours, when I'm in the middle of heavy up- or downloading, during normal network use (like surfing the web or e-mailing) or when I'm not really using the network at all, etc...

Also, I have experienced the same problem both at home and where I work (the university), so it is not a network specific problem. It does however not happen when I don't connect to wireless networks. When using network cable or a USB-based GSM connection I don't experience this problem.

So I would think I have narrowed it down to being either the network card itself (11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Express Adapter) or the software controlling it (ThinkVantage Access Connections). My guess is that the problem is with the latter, but I cannot prove it.

[sgmidf]

I've also had good luck removing Access Connections and letting Vista manage the wireless. It uninstalled without any glitches.