Wireless
Participate in insightful discussions regarding issues related to Intel® Wireless Adapters and technologies
7368 Discussions

Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260 WiFi disconnects at random intervals.

SDiek
Beginner
5,492 Views

Hi all,

I've been doing a lot of reading on issues with the 7260 adapter. It seems that it is a very flawed product. We have observed frequent, random disconnects to WiFi networks.

 

Setup:

 

System Model: HP EliteDesk 800 G1 USDT (or HP ZBook 15 G2)

 

BIOS Version/Date: Hewlett-Packard L01 v02.65, 13-7-2015

 

OS Name: Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise

 

Version: 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601

Hardware Abstraction Layer Version: "6.1.7601.17514"

 

Product Type: Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-N 7260

 

Driver: c:\windows\system32\drivers\netwsw02.sys (18.21.0.2, 3,83 MB (4.011.760 bytes)

Observations:

We have observed the following over time:

 

- The client seems to go into a state where it is no longer able to recieve frames.

 

- This is mainly observed when doing re-authentication via 802.1x. As soon as the 802.1x authentication is either started or restarted when the client is in the "non-recieve" state 802.1x authentication will fail.

 

- EAP-TLS is used.

We observe the following:

 

(1) Event 12014: 802.1x authention is starting.

 

(2) The First EAPoL frame is send by the client

 

(3) After a 5s timeout expires the second EAPoL packet is send by the client

 

(4) After a 5s timeout expires the third EAPoL packet is send by the client

 

(5) After a 5s timeout, the client assumes the authenticator (the AP and the WLC ) are no longer responding. The client is logging how much time it took for this 802.1x authentication session (15054ms)

 

(6) The client is logging that 802.1x Authentication fails. It is failing because there is no "request identity" being returned to the client.

 

(7) This is the event logged in the event viewer (12013)

Initially we thought the issue was with the WiFi network not returning the "EAP Request, Identity" frame, as this is expected by the client. However, we've used exentsive capturing and we found that the frame is indeed send from the WLC to the AP (copper tap) and we identified the "EAP Request, Identity" frame in the air via AirSniffer.

It is therefore known beyond any reasonable doubt that the WiFi network is not making a mistake during authentication. We observe the same behaviour with ARP. The client is making an ARP request for the gateway, the gateway responds, but the client is not able to "recieve" the frame and looses its default gateway, pretty much rendering the connection useless. The workaround solution we have right now is to "enable/disbale" the WiFi adapter, or in the case of the HP Z-Books end-users press the "WiFi" button on the machine to enable connectivity again.

Could this be related to the earlier issue: "Sporadic Wireless Disconnects Caused by Data Reordering Issue" as they seem to be very related. We have detailed captures of the issue, incl. ETL traces.

What can we do to get this WiFi adapter to work properly?

0 Kudos
11 Replies
ASouz7
Honored Contributor II
2,438 Views

sdiekmejer,

Can you provide the current version of the driver for the wireless adapter?

0 Kudos
SDiek
Beginner
2,438 Views

Hi Aleki,

I sure can, see the screenshot:

It is the latest Intel driver I could find online.

Any clue what we're facing? We have involved several other vendors all seems to point to the Intel NIC.

0 Kudos
ASouz7
Honored Contributor II
2,438 Views

sdiekmeijer,

Thank you for the information. We are going to check on this and will advise soon.

0 Kudos
TClar4
Beginner
2,438 Views

I've been experiencing the same problem, I've experienced this problem earlier this year but it went away, now it's back worse then ever. A few weeks ago it refused to connect to the wifi at all whatsoever and I had to reset the card for it to re-establish a connection.

I've discovered this problems has persisted for years with no real improvements or fixes for the cards. I hope Aleki_intel will provide good advise soon if not I will be sending my labtop in to get a new wifi card from a different brand.

0 Kudos
SDiek
Beginner
2,438 Views

Hi TJC,

This card is used on high-end ZBook laptops, as well as desktops.

Workarounds that we are known to work:

- stop/start wifi by pressing the button on your laptop

- stop/start wifi by disabling/enabling your wifi adapter

- use an USB dongle of a brand that is known to work fine (TPLink)

We're also experimenting setting it to 802.11g, which seems to massively improve stability of the Wi-Fi connection.

if you read the community forum here online, you'll find a lot of topics related to stability and WiFi issues of the 7260 cards.

aleki_intel I have a lot of data on this issue gathered, I would like to find a way to debug the driver or something, as I think it could be something related to the driver. Would you know any way to do so? Is there a way We can work with Intel directly to solve this problem? I'd see it as a win-win situation. Please let me know.

0 Kudos
ASouz7
Honored Contributor II
2,438 Views

sdiekmeijer,

Could please be so kind and open a ticket with your OEM and the AP provider about this issue and inform us the number via PV?

0 Kudos
SDiek
Beginner
2,438 Views

Hi aleki_intel,

I haven't heard from you anymore. We've been testing for a number of weeks with the 18.32 driver now, and it didn't solve the problem either.

Could you please respond?

Thanks

0 Kudos
ASouz7
Honored Contributor II
2,438 Views

sdiekemijer,

Have you opened a ticket with your OEM? Please let us know as soon as you have it open and inform us the number in a private message.

0 Kudos
HGome1
Novice
2,438 Views

It can take some time.

I was surprised on your case Intel didnt recommend you to test the notebook "manufacturer" driver (HP).

0 Kudos
SDiek
Beginner
2,438 Views

Maybe that was because HP is recommending to test with the latest Intel drivers ?

0 Kudos
User1578223853515383
2,438 Views

Got the info from this forum:

 

 

The problem is the newer Intel drivers, as many have pointed out.

 

Now to those remaining, take the steps that intel techs pointed out months ago, which involves:

 

* removing all intel network software from your 'add/remove applications"

 

* rolling back your driver version. This is done by going uninstall driver in device manager and choosing 'also remove software' tick box.

 

* Rescan again so it shows again, then repeat, and repeat, and repeat, till you get sick of repeating!

 

* Use CCleaner and clean your registry of any shit leftover, use windows disk cleanup etc. (good practise)

 

* Rescan till nothing shows, restart, repeat.. (now they didn't tell you about this repeating! hehe)

 

* Most of those who are onto it, won't have to repeat so much, but if you have been stuffing around trying to fix this, then there is a lot of rubbish to clean.

 

* Reboot

 

* It will reinstall it, check the version, is it the MS version? We are looking for version: 17.15.0.5 or simular 17x version.

 

Now you check your wifi, and it should be mint.

 

Now to stop Windows Update reinstalling the shitest driver from intel again, you can google this:

 

 

https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=how+to+stop+windows+10+installing+drivers&rlz=1C1CHBF_enNZ806NZ806&oq=how+to+stop+windows+10+installing+drive&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.10325j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

 

To anyone still having disconnect issues with the ac-7260 module, please try falling back on the driver version. Doing so has worked for many, including myself.

 

You can get drivers from Microsoft (Update catalog) here: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=ac-7260 Try drivers prior to 18.33.x.x.

 

If it works for you, please leave a comment here so others will know.

0 Kudos
Reply