WIFI switching off

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2091 posts

Uber Geek

#1959839 18-Feb-2018 11:36

We had some newish hp laptop wifi issues (limited connectivity) and had to go grab the drivers from their web site. (Won't be found automatically by update drivers option and don't use the one from the card manufacturer ie. Microsoft).

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PhilANZ

351 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1959863 18-Feb-2018 12:45

I've now learned that wat I thought was a great service by HP is now worse than useless in that I thought all was well since the HP support tool told me so - but it's not. So I won't fall for that again. Always go to the manufacturers site. My card is an Intel AC 8260.

It's take me a while. First had to find the button driver. Then I had problems installing it. Finally removed it, rebooted and re-installed to make sure it used the latest. It seemed to fix it - but having learned the lesson from yesterday, shut down.

No WIFI - turn on manually it again turns off.

1101

3083 posts

Uber Geek

#1960206 19-Feb-2018 10:41

PhilANZ: My warranty was one year only.

CGA will ensure its ACTUAL warranty will be considerably longer than that .
Mention the GCA & try to get it fixed under warranty.

Otherwise , you need to see if its a software or hardware fault.
Thats were it gets a bit tricker, either a bootable CD (Linux etc) or wipe & load Win7 as a test, or re-image back to
as it was when you bought it (if you have that option)

Some HP's have built in hardware testing (you get to those test menus at startup) , not sure if those tests will test wifi though

jaymz

1132 posts

Uber Geek

#1960217 19-Feb-2018 10:57

PhilANZ: I've now learned that wat I thought was a great service by HP is now worse than useless in that I thought all was well since the HP support tool told me so - but it's not. So I won't fall for that again. Always go to the manufacturers site. My card is an Intel AC 8260.

It's take me a while. First had to find the button driver. Then I had problems installing it. Finally removed it, rebooted and re-installed to make sure it used the latest. It seemed to fix it - but having learned the lesson from yesterday, shut down.

No WIFI - turn on manually it again turns off.

Yeah, unfortunately you cannot trust any of those support software applications that are supplied by laptop manufacturers.

My suggestion is to get the HP UEFI tools downloaded and installed. This will greatly improve the F2 tools at bootup (start the laptop and press F2 until the menu appears)

This will allow you to test the WiFi controller to ensure the BIOS can see it properly. If that test passes OK, then you know the hardware is OK and the issue is either with the OS or the drivers in the OS.

You mention that the hardware is Intel? I strongly suggest going to the Intel site and getting the latest Windows drivers for the card. Intel normally package up a whole bunch into one .exe so that makes it easy. I have found that Intel will release drivers after HP stops customizing the installer so there is a chance there is a newer version out there.

And if all the above fails, and you have access to one, try another WiFi module in the laptop.

Rickles

2686 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1960226 19-Feb-2018 11:14

I have seen similar with colleagues laptops ... usually fixed by checking the Power settings particularly turn off the "Allow computer to turn of this device ...".

Also ensure full power for both mains and battery (although the battery setting often causes weird problems).

PhilANZ

351 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1960336 19-Feb-2018 13:12

Whew. Just recovered from a lost morning. Decided to update all HP drivers, but in usual style rushed it - did it all - no reboots between. Nothing would let it reboot. managed to find a restore option from Saturday - ran that and since most of my time has been spent fiddling with the WIFI problem, I think I only lost one app I'd installed to sync with my phone. Will play with this when I have time - hopefully before April but dependent on clients.

I don't think CGA applies to businesses? As for software / hardware - I wouldn't put money on it - but I'd be surprised it it's hardware. Probably "tweaks" from a MS update - which I'm guessing later HP drivers will avoid. At least that's my first hunch.

I gave up dual boot more than a decade ago (it was too much effort required to depend mainly on myself so abandoned OS/2 - and never looked at Linux). Re-installing will lose too much time (many programs to install and reconfigure) at this critical time of year.

I will look into the UEFI tools. And thanks for the tip re the Intel site - hadn't thought of seeing what they've got. I tend to think two years isn't very old - but I forget we're talking computer years.

I have checked many power settings - they're all over the place. Well maybe not but a lot more than I expected. They've probably been reset by this mornings restore - so will have to check them again.

Thanks for all the help - so much appreciated.

jaymz

1132 posts

Uber Geek

#1960363 19-Feb-2018 13:54

PhilANZ:

I will look into the UEFI tools. And thanks for the tip re the Intel site - hadn't thought of seeing what they've got. I tend to think two years isn't very old - but I forget we're talking computer years.

Yeah 2 years is pretty old for Intel drivers. I have seen multiple issues with RADIUS clients and older WiFi drivers. I think the latest ones i have seen are dates Jan 2018 (although that might not be the same for your card) but at very least the drivers should be 2017

1101

3083 posts

Uber Geek

#1960368 19-Feb-2018 13:57

Sometimes the quickest option is using a cheap USB wifi dongle.
Otherwise it could be many more hours doing software & hardware fault finding.

PhilANZ

351 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1961161 20-Feb-2018 17:45

I was about to concede defeat (wasn't full time on it - just as well) when on my last shutdown it asked if I wanted yet more windows updates. When done, I tried the WIFI (even an optimist) and it sort of worked. Ran the Windows update and all is as kit should be. Haven't bothered re-starting to see if it's a one-off - time will tell.

But I've learned a lot - takes me back a couple of decades or more getting my hands dirty (my first virus was the marijuana virus - and with no internet couldn't figure out where it came from (and was passed on to our computer supplier and bank). later found by acident it was on a source diskette from a CH supplier. Thay hadn't thought people needed to know their comms software might have come with a virus. Also found a small issue with our firewall. Amazing what happens when you're not watching.

I got the HP UEFI tools downloaded and installed (and a few drivers HP hadn't updated). F2 at bootup just took me to the old (and very limited) diagnostics.

Thanks everyone for your time - back to accounts - tomorrow. need a rest now.

PhilANZ

351 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1961332 21-Feb-2018 09:03

OK - no more time till I finish this year's accounts - but my WIFI stopped working last night. Will deal with it again in April.

PhilANZ

351 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1968192 5-Mar-2018 10:37

A brief recap - wifi on my laptop had been fine for a couple of years. Now it keeps switching itself off. Followed all the suggestions without success. I resigned myself to investigating and purchasing a USB wifi device - but never bit the bullet. It seems to me the device there still works.

I base this on getting a brief 1-2 seconds after turning it on before it turns off. During that time i have managed to see what signals it receives. Never got past my own three (2.4 router and 2.4 and 5 extender). But it seems to me it works?

Which leads me to conclude that maybe it's not the WIFI but something in the system turns itself off. I've tried totally disconnecting the cable but no change. Does anyone have any thoughts that might affect this. It's not life threatening - but close to it 😉.

cadman

1014 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1968337 5-Mar-2018 16:36

I have similar issues with a Dell and the built-in Intel AC-7260. It's always a complete mongrel dog of a wireless adaptor. Sometimes it just refuses to connect to previously configured WiFi APs. Then a few weeks ago it started becoming DISABLED (or is that "differently-abled in today's PC world?) in DEVICE MANAGER at random times until a reboot - you couldn't ENABLE it . Toggling the switch didn't make any difference either.

It hasn't done it for about a week now. It's always been configured for maximum performance (no sleep).

If it starts playing up too regularly I'll just get a USB one. It's usually on a dock these days though so I could ethernet it without any inconvenience but then there's the problem of when it's not on the usual WiFi AP - whether it'll connect or not is a gamble.

PhilANZ

351 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1968344 5-Mar-2018 17:00

That is probably the best answer I've had. it doesn't solve the problem, but makes me feel slight less of a newbie. When I bought the HP, I was a bit nervous changing after years of ASUS, but thought it was at least not a consumer model so should be good. So many issues I'll never get another.

To find that the Intel AC7260 on a different brand displays similar symptons is disheartening. Again I'd have thought Intel might not be the flashest, but it should be stable. Apparently not.

I've configured mine not to sleep - always on max power. Of course Windows updates seem to leave things not as I set them

However, I will now go looking for an older driver and see it that restores it. If not then USB will be called for.

Thanks a lot. As I say doesn't solve the problem - but knowing I'm not the only one shows I'm still partially sane 😀.

yitz

1873 posts

Uber Geek

#1968345 5-Mar-2018 17:07

I had an issue with an HP consumer notebook where either the Wi-Fi adapter would connect for only a few seconds (server log showed successful DHCP negotiation) then disappear or would not appear in the list of devices at all. Resolved by re-seating the Wi-Fi card in its slot.

Might be worth a shot, the WLAN slot is easily accessible on a Probook.

Rickles

2686 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1968359 5-Mar-2018 17:17

Sorry to hear that problem persists .... I appreciate that you have looked at the HP web site for drivers, but personally I'd try uninstalling the wifi drivers, then reboot and see what Windows itself brings in.

I have sometimes seen devices perform better with Win installs, whereas so-called manufacturer updates have subsequently caused problems.

Nothing to lose by trying anyway

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