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Dell Inspiron 7548 Intel AC 3160 WIFI connection problem.

JNiel3
Beginner
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I have a Dell Inspiron 7548 laptop, which no longer connects to my home WIFI modem (a Sagem PACK F@ST 3686 V2 W). Worked fine one week ago. My Lenovo Thinkpad P50 laptop and my Samsung S5 Android phone connects to the same modem with no problem (The Lenovo gets kicked off the connection, if i try to connect with the Dell simultaneously, while that doesn´t seem to bother the phone), and the Dell can still connect to my work WIFI as well as several public hot spots. I contacted my provider, who could not solve the problem, but tried to exchange the modem with a new one to no avail. I also contacted Dell support, who cannot explain/solve the problem (their app detects no problems with my hardware), but recommends me to make a clean Windows installation The Microsoft connection diagnostics tool says that my "standard gateway is not available" and at one point also that the "Wifi configuration is not correct", but the diagnostics tool is not able to reset automatically somehow, and I have no experience with manual configuration of the WIFI card. Nothing seems to be wrong with any of my hardware according to provider/Dell support/Microsoft diagnostics tool, and WIFI card driver is updated. Can anyone recommend me what to do about the problem, which only seems to exist within my own apartment? ( I´ve considered buying an USB WIFI dongle or alternatively a LAN /USB adapter - The Dell has no LAN connection, as they both cost abt. the same insignificant amount as opposed to all the hassles of clean Windows install without any guarantees. A replacement of the WIFI card is even cheaper, and it looks as if it´s relatively simple to perform - Which card would be recommendable, if I should decide to go that way?. What would you do?) Thank you for any replies.

Meddelelse blev redigeret af: Jens Otto Nielsen

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9 Replies
idata
Employee
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Hello Otto,

 

 

As we understand, your system is having connectivity issues, here are some recommendations we can provide based on your description of the issue:

 

 

a. Contact the http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/topics/OEMs.html Computer Manufacturer Support and make sure you are using their recommended drivers.

 

 

b. Perform a clean installation of the driver using the generic version from our Download center:

 

 

1. Download and save https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/75442/Intel-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC-3160 Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for your Operating System version.

 

2. Go to Control Panel, Programs and Features and Uninstall "Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software", if it is installed. When prompted, choose the option to "Discard settings".

 

3. In Control Panel, Device Manager, Network Adapters, right click on the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 and Uninstall it. Make sure you mark the option to "Delete the driver software for this device".

 

4. Reboot the PC or scan for hardware changes, check device manager and if an older wireless driver is detected and installed, repeat the actions to uninstall and delete it as well. Repeat this process until the OS does not allow deleting the driver, or until the controller shows as Unknown Device.

 

5. Remove temporary files: Press the Windows Key + R to open the run box. Type Cleanmgr.exe. Press OK. Select the main drive, usually C:\. Check Temporary Files and uncheck everything else. Press OK.

 

6. Install the Intel Wireless driver. During the first steps of PROSet/Wireless installation, make sure to customize the installation and install all driver components.

 

 

c. Apply the configuration from the Advisory: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/network-and-i-o/wireless-networking/000005544.html Recommended Settings for 802.11n Connectivity

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan B.
JNiel3
Beginner
3,181 Views

Thanks Jonathan, I´m trying to carry out your clear instructions, but I can´t seem to go beyond 4) I´ve removed the Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 from the device manager 5 times, but it keeps popping up again, every time I reboot or scan for hardware changes :-( Seems nothing works like it´s expected to with this card. How do you suggest I proceed? I can´t seem to make the OS "not allow deleting the driver, or make the controller show as Unknown Device"

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idata
Employee
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Hello Otto,

When you uninstall the device, please make sure you tick the option to Delete the driver as seen in the following picture:

Eventually, you may end up with the inbox driver built into Windows* which cannot be deleted, or the adapter may be unknown, meaning that your Windows* OS does not have an inbox driver for it. At that point, you don't need to scan for changes again, just do the clean install of the new driver.

Regards,

 

Jonathan.
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JNiel3
Beginner
3,181 Views

Thanks once more Jonathan, but your "clean install" is somehow not possible to perform as you describe it, and yes I did remember everything you wrote the first time. As I told you, the AC 3160 just keeps on popping up in the device handling seemingly for ever, no matter how many times you remove it. I guess the only way to really make a "clean install" is to physically remove the card from the Dell, or reinstall Windows, but I´m beginning to suspect, that the real problem is not with the AC 3160 card after all. The WIFI card works fine anywhere else but my apt. Yesterday I tried to install the much appraised D-Link "Death Star" USB adapter, which installed fine, to see if I could sneak on to the Sagem modem that way, but to my great surprise, that doesn´t work either. Same error came up, and yes i did remember to deactivate the internal AC 3160 card. All the more confusing, as the Lenovo P50 and the Samsung S5 has no problem with my Sagem modem. So seemingly the Dell 7548 has the same problem with all WIFI cards, so it most likely would not help to swich the internal card for another model. When I first complained to my provider, the supporter possibly mistakenly revealed to me, that there is a known problem with my modem, and that they have a "fix" scedualed sometime not specified in february. When he told me that, I got rather upset, and complained again, why they didn´t inform about that, and I had to find out my self by accident, but he defended himself with "not al customers are affected " Eventually they sent me a later model modem from the same manufacturer Sagem, but the problem has persisted. If they don´t eventually fix the problem here in february, I´m going to buy an USB to LAN adapter, and go back to cables at home. LAN is faster anyway, so I won´t waste any more time on WIFY with the Dell 7548, but I won´t buy another laptop without LAN :-D

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JNiel3
Beginner
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Thanks for your effort Jonathan. It´s very much appreciated, but as I wrote, the AC 3160 keeps popping up in the device manager, no matter how many times I delete it (I´ve tried 30 times plus - the option to check "Delete the driver software for this device" only came up the first time though). I´ve followed all of your instructions precisely, so I decided to to on with 5) & 6) anyway (the , and reinstalled the freshly downloaded Intel Pro wireless software as you recommended and set configuration properties in the advanced settings as recommended (I have a lot more options than shown in the advisory though, but those I recognize I have checked, and their settings were like the advisory, so I didn´t have to change anything) After reboot however, nothing is changed, so I´m still at square 1 with this problem. Do you think the card is defective? What would you do, if this was your computer? Presumably the WIFI card still works every where else but my apt (I haven´t tried since I reinstalled the driver software) I really don´t want to go through many hours of reinstalling Windows and reconfigure programs etc. etc. for hours only to wind up here again and experience the exact same thing , since everything else seems to work fine on the machine.

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idata
Employee
3,181 Views

Hello Otto,

 

 

As you suggested, it is possible that the access point is having issues, your might want to check with the ISP if they have a different model, or at least a firmware update for this one.

 

 

Additionally, we can try tweaking the options of the adapter to match your access point as much as possible. If you would like to try this, please provide the following:

 

 

- https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility Download Intel® System Support Utility, run the tool with the connection working fine and use it to create a report with all sections, on the next screen, Save the report to a file. Then use the Advanced editor options to add the resulting XML file to your post as an attachment.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan B.
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idata
Employee
3,181 Views

Hello Otto,

 

 

We haven't seen any replies to our last message. Please let us know if there have been any updates, or if you require further assistance.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan B.
JNiel3
Beginner
3,181 Views

Dear Jonathan

Thank you for your support. It has been greatly appreciated. I´m now convinced the issue is with the access point (a Sagem modem), or as my provider suggests, the WIFI traffic may be too intense in my vicinity. I´m sorry, I did not have time to reply to your recent input, but since your last communication a new development came up to confuse me further. I have another laptop Lenovo P50, which I use at work. Since I no longer am able to connect with the afore mentioned Dell, I chose to bring the Lenovo home, and the Lenovo has a later model Intel Dual Band AC 8260 WIFI card, which unlike the AC 3160 card inside the Dell didn´t seem to have any problems connecting to the Sagem modem (Unless if I try to connect the Dell laptop simultaneously, which knocks the Lenovo off the wireless connection, but still doesn´t connect the Dell ..). Untill four weeks later, one morning, the Lenovo P50 suddenly displayed the same problem as the Dell. LAN connection was still fine, precisely as I had observed with my desk top pc as opposed to wireless only Dell. So I could take out the LAN cable that connects the desk top pc to the Sagem modem, and put it into the Lenovo pc, and be connected, while the WIFI was disabled. I got in touch with the provider, whose support changed the Sagem modem´s frequency, which resulted in bringing the Lenovo back online. Much to my surprise, because the provider has tried the same stunt with the Dell to no avail. Also the provider has an online service, where I can change frequencies in the Sagem modem as I like, and I have tried 10 different frequencies but still I can not connect the Dell pc here in my home, while it works fine any where else.

Someone suggested me to buy a better/different modem/router with an adapter to fit my provider´s cable connection, but having spent too much time on this problerm already (and life is too short anyway for spending it on these trivialities which just ought to work) I am now going to go back to cables and will buy a LAN to USB adapter for the Dell laptop. Also I will never buy another laptop without LAN connection. Thank you very much for your assistance, and have a great day.

Cheers

Jens

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idata
Employee
3,181 Views

Hello Otto,

 

 

Thank you for the update, we are glad to help and we know solving this type of issues may be complicated. Feel free to contact us back in case you require any further assistance.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan B.
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