Intel Dual Band AC 7260 Continually losing network connection

[CTuttle]

I'm running a Dell Inspiron Laptop which was originally configured with Windows 8.  It has a new hard drive and Windows 10 is installed.  The original hard drive was cloned and data restored to the new drive.

I'm receiving the above error consistently.  Sometimes the wireless connectivity works for hours, sometimes for minutes.

I have reconfigured the wlan service for automatic (it was configured for manual) and set the three recovery options to restart.  This configuration has not helped.

I've tested the connectivity upstairs where there is connectivity, but less strong than downstairs where the connectivity is very good since the router is in that location, but the performance is still the same.

I know that with the new OS, new drivers were installed.

In the event viewer, I see many, many NDIS entries: 

"The network interface "Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-N 7260" has begun resetting. There will be a momentary disruption in network connectivity while the hardware resets. Reason: The network driver requested that it be reset. This network interface has reset 1 time(s) since it was last initialized."

I also see many WLAN Auto Config entries: 

WLAN AutoConfig detected limited connectivity, attempting automatic recovery.

Recovery Type: 4
Error Code: 0x0

When the connectivity stops, the WLAN entries indicate the 

WLAN Extensibility Module has stopped.

Module Path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\IWMSSvc.dll

I'm trying to ascertain if the problem is with the Internet provider, Spectrum, or the card and/or configuration.

Any assistance would be most appreciative since the laptop has legacy company programs installed.

Following is my system information:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Version 10.0.19045 Build 19045
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name HKGANG
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Inspiron 7737
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU Inspiron 7737
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4500U CPU @ 1.80GHz, 1801 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A17, 8/21/2019
SMBIOS Version 2.7
Embedded Controller Version 1.07
BIOS Mode UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer Dell Inc.
BaseBoard Product 09MYRM
BaseBoard Version A00
Platform Role Mobile
Secure Boot State On
PCR7 Configuration Binding Not Possible
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.19041.2728"
User Name hkgang\hkgang2
Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 16.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 15.9 GB
Available Physical Memory 6.53 GB

Thank you in advance.  I can provide any screenshots or files needed.
Total Virtual Memory 16.9 GB
Available Virtual Memory 9.08 GB
Page File Space 1.00 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Not enabled
Device Encryption Support Reasons for failed automatic device encryption: TPM is not usable, PCR7 binding is not supported, Hardware Security Test Interface failed and device is not Modern Standby, Un-allowed DMA capable bus/device(s) detected, TPM is not usable
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware Yes
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection Yes

[CTuttle]

My Spectrum modem is a Model E3IN2V1; the router is Model SAX1VIK.

[n_scott_pearson]

@CTuttle,

I have sent you a download link via the Communities Private Message (PM) service. For this message, check your PM inbox. Click on your avatar picture in the top right corner of the page (in the blue Communities banner) and then select Messages from the resulting menu.

I suggest that you reinstall the drivers with a clean install process. Here is the algorithm:

1. If you haven't already, download - but do not install just yet - the Windows 10 Bluetooth and Wireless driver packages.
2. Most important! Disable Internet access. Unplug Ethernet cable and/or disable wireless. Keep disabled until told to re-enable. Note this Wireless disable *must* be such that it will persist and stay disabled across reboots.
3. From the Apps & Features applet, check for instances of Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Intel Wireless Bluetooth. If none, skip to Step 6.
4. Uninstall each instance of Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and/or Intel Wireless Bluetooth that is present. When prompted, choose to "Discard Settings".
5. Manually reboot your computer, keeping Internet access disabled throughout.
6. From the Device Manager applet, check the Network Adapters section for an entry for Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 and check the Bluetooth section for an entry for Intel Wireless Bluetooth that has an intel driver associated with it. If neither is the case, go to Step 10.
7. Right click on the entry for Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 and uninstall it, choosing to (checkmark) Delete the driver software for this device.
8. Right click on the entry for Intel Wireless Bluetooth and open its properties. If it has an Intel driver associated with it, then uninstall it, choosing to (checkmark) Delete the driver software for this device.
9. Go to Step 5.
10. Install the downloaded Bluetooth driver package (my rule: always install Bluetooth first).
11. Install the downloaded Wireless driver package.
12. Manually shutdown and reboot your computer.
13. Reenable Internet access. Restore Ethernet cable and/or reenable wireless.
14. Test.

Hope this helps,

...S

[usehev]

hello scott can you send me the dowload link? I also need it for my intel ac 7260 hmw.

[n_scott_pearson]

Use this link: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtacZBU04mo-j-tQ34BdSDv6y1BFsg?e=7gn50T to access my archive. Subfolders provide final driver packages for most of the Discontinued Wireless adapters.
Hope this helps,
...S

[usehev]

thanks scott, btw the step 2 i need to go to control panel or bios to disable my wireless ac7260hmw?

[n_scott_pearson]

Especially crucial to Bluetooth installation, you do not want any possibility of Windows Update being able to interfere with the reinstall process. I do this by temporarily disabling wireless at my router, but you may not have this luxury. In this case, all you can do is ensure Ethernet is disabled.
...S
...S

[usehev]

Thanks scott

[n_scott_pearson]

BTW, the driver will reset the 7260 card if it stops responding. If this continues to happen, it may be because the card is starting to fail. You may have to purchase a replacement in this case.

...S

[CTuttle]

Scott, thank you so very much for your help and information!  I've downloaded the Windows 10 x64 drivers and supporting documentation.  Surely appreciate the help.

[CTuttle]

Scott, thank you, again for your assistance!

Could you kindly share a compatible card for my configuration above in case this 7260 card is failing and I have to replace.

Surely appreciate the help here on this side.

[n_scott_pearson]

Ok, before continuing, if you have a laptop, I have to warn you that some older laptops implement Inclusion or Exclusion lists in their BIOS that can prevent you from doing any kind of upgrade yourself. Instead, you have to upgrade through the laptop vendor (on a usually outrageous cost plus basis). With this proviso, I will continue.

There are a number of cards that you could use if Wireless-AC and WiFi 5 capabilities are considered good enough. Since the cards cost roughly the same, however, I actually recommend upgrading to the latest Wireless-AX and WiFi 6/6e capabilities. To upgrade to the latest Wireless-AX and WiFi 6 support, you need an AX200 module. For Wireless-AX and WiFi 6e (which supports the 6GHz band), you need an AX210 module. 

The important initial question I have to ask is: Do you have a 7260HMW or a 7260NGW card? That is, is it a card that looks like this:

(7260HMW)

 Or is it a card that looks like this:

(7260NGW)

If you have a 7260NGW card, you can purchase a replacement card manufactured by Intel for ~US$20. Here are some examples:

• AX200NGW: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V9N9XVJ
• AX210NGW: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4T696W5

If, on the other hand, you have a 7260HMW card, there is a small problem: Intel does not manufacture cards for this older formfactor any longer. All is not lost, however. There are 3rd-party companies that take the Intel silicon and mount it onto the older formfactor cards. These cards utilize the exact same drivers as the NGW cards, downloaded (yourself) from the Intel site, so no hanky-panky. These cards are slightly more expensive than the NGW cards, however: ~US$30 (due to smaller sales volumes, I think). Here are examples:

• MPE-AX3000H (AX200): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091FJXQHH
• MPE-AXE3000H (AX210): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09F3CLKLH

These HMW cards are examples only; the ones that I purchased and tested successfully are from a company called Fenvi, which doesn't seem to offer card-level products through Amazon (I purchased mine through NewEgg).

Hope this helps,

...S

[CTuttle]

Scott, many thanks for all of the information.  I think we're good to go.

Carolyn