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Sporadic but recurring connection dropouts on an Intel 6235 wireless adapter

idata
Employee
123,409 Views

Dear all,

I have the same issues of intermittent sudden connection dropouts as reported by others with the Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 Wifi adapter and the Intel Proset 15.x drivers!

My system is a brandnew desktop computer with an Intel i7 3770 Quad-Core CPU, an Intel Z77 chipset, an Asrock Z77E-ITX mainboard, 16 GB of RAM, and Windows 7 64-bit.

Previously, I already encountered the issue with this adapter's predecessor, the Intel Centrino 6230 and only managed to resolve it by going back to an older driver version. If my memory is correct, the Intel Proset 14.x version range worked flawlessly, but the 15.x drivers lead to the dropouts (I always use 64-bit drivers).

These can occur randomly after 5 or after 50 minutes. The adapter suddenly disconnects and won't reconnect to the wireless network unless it is reset. The wireless router itself is fine as there are over a dozen devices from all types of brands that connect regularly to it without any problem at all.

The fact that the problem occurs on two different cards (6230 and 6235) leads me to believe that there is a driver problem.

On the 6235, going back to a 14.x driver does not seem to be an option on the table, because the device seems to be only supported by 15.x versions. I already tried going back from the recent 15.2 version to the previous 15.1.1 (after uninstalling through the device manager), but the problem still persists. Now I just went back to 15.1.0 and it's been ok so far, but i'm not very optimistic.

I have tried different changes in the driver settings but with no success. The problem persists!

I'd be thankful for a solution.

Best regards,

Steve

Edited 9/5/2014 by John S. (Intel Customer Support).

The "/message/169514# 169514 Sporadic but recurring connection dropouts on an Intel 6235 wireless adapter" thread will be locked. This thread will remain on the forum for you to reference, but no new posts will be possible on this thread.

The 17.1.0 version of Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers has fixes for connectivity related issues with the Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235 wireless adapter. If you are still experiencing connectivity issues after installing the very latest software and drivers and you require further troubleshooting, please contact Intel Customer Support. If you prefer to ask questions, make comments, and/or receive answers on this support forum (Wireless Networking Support Community), please start a new thread or find an existing thread that matches your specific issue with your specific hardware/software.

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http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support Intel Customer Support

1,128 Replies
JRich9
Beginner
1,488 Views

FINALLY! A combination that actually works on my Samsung XE700T1C-A01US tablet with Centrino Advanced-N 6235 adapter: HD 4000 Graphics Driver version 9.18.10.3257, PROset/Wireless Driver version 16.1.5.0, and WiDi Software version 4.2.19.0.

Download and save the three update files, then uninstall WiDi software (restart), uninstall wireless driver (delete settings and restart), uninstall graphics driver (restart), install new graphics driver (restart), install new wireless driver (restart), install new WiDi software (restart), then delete the WiDi device from Devices and Printers list through the Control Panel (restart). When the tablet is updated, do a factory reset on the WiDi receiver (in my case, the Belkin Screencast). The WiDi software will prompt for a new connection key and update the device firmware.

Prior to these updates, I had frequent disruptions to my WiFi connection (occasionally the tablet couldn't even find wireless networks available without restarting), and WiDi would freeze every 3-5 minutes with the wireless icon indicating the internet connection had been lost (even though the mouse could still be seen moving around on the TV screen). I am keeping my fingers crossed that Intel will keep three of its own products in sync going forward.

&# 13; UPDATE: Same old drop off problems are back. Since nothing has changed from the software side, perhaps Intel should consider recalling the 6235 adapter.

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EKong
Beginner
1,469 Views

I have found the CURE to all of your problems. First take it our and throw it away. I wouldnt even sell it to my worst enemy! LOL. hope Intel doesnt erase this =/. The cure is....Its called the Killer 1202. And I hope Intel reads this. SOOOO many people are having issues with your Cetrino 6235 wifi adapter. Way to keep your customers hanging Intel...Updates on drivers, done it! Tried going to advanced settings, did everything the intel troubleshooter said. nothing seems to work. The range also sucks ass. While all my mac friends are getting strong signals mine is terrible, in my library. I was curious what kind of wireless adapter they use on them. Its called the "Apple Airport wireless card" If only it was compatible for PC's... For those who want to learn how to install the Killer 1202 on a ASUS ULTRABOOK go here ----->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LGl0j6yF9Y Asus Zenbook UX32VD Wifi Upgrade - YouTube

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idata
Employee
1,469 Views

I've heard Killer also actually has the same problems, likely depends on the card version and drivers being used.

Atheros also is having the same problems. So, it's not entirely fair to blame Intel fully anyway, because other cards are having the same problem. I got three new different computers and manufacturers and all three had different cards, two were by Intel but one was by Atheros. Also with my third computer people have reported lot's of issues with the Killers.

So, this is a problem everywhere.

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EKong
Beginner
1,472 Views

I was specific when I said that killer was the cure. the "killer 1202 wifi adapter" is what many people are turning to after tossing the centrino 6235. And if you look at how many pages this complaint has accumulated...Look for issues with the "Killer 1202 wifi adapter" you will not find this many complaints. Which model is your Killer adapter? And whats up with the defense for intel? Do you work with this company. Why havent they recalled this product and halt the sales on it, until they fix the damn thing. Also if people want the driver for windows 8 here is the link. http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails/Product/alienware-m14x-r2?driverId=H36M5&osCode=W864&fileId=3081148399 Driver Details | Dell USThis is a real working solution, instead of apologizing and not doing anything about it. People need their wifi to work...They cant wait for Intel, to one day find a solution hahaha

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EKong
Beginner
1,472 Views

solution, replace it with the "killer 1202 wifi adapter" im going to replace my asus zenbook with it. They have the windows 8 driver available as well

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MRoss16
Beginner
1,472 Views

Replaced my 6235 with a Killer 1202 last night.

$45 and 15 minutes of my time and the problem is now solved on my Samsung series 7 laptop. Stinks that we have to do something like that but life is too short to be waiting for Intel Joe to announce another driver release that doesn't deliver.

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IPetr5
Beginner
1,472 Views

This is a bad solution. User like you give hope for Intel that problem will resolve itself in this manner. We must try to get them to do their job for which they gain money from us.

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MRoss16
Beginner
1,472 Views

How is that a bad solution? Just picked up this laptop 1 month ago and I need it to work now -- not in 2 more months. I would have loved for Intel to solve this problem but given how long this thread has been going on it sure seems like it's time to look elsewhere for a fix.

Feel free to keep "taking one for the team" -- I'm sure Intel is scrambling due to the pressure we are applying via this message board.

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TBuon
Beginner
1,472 Views

I agree Intel SHOULD fix it but my patience wears thin.

Update: On my XPs-12 (Dells Flagship Ultrabook) I'm using the latest drivers and suggested settings and it works on my home router OK - not great just OK. I also travel a lot and use many hotel/client networks.

The other day I was in a large corp. and they have a guest Wireless G network. It was unbelievable - it dropped out every 3 seconds and reconnected and dropped out again.... The IT people said it was an 'older' modem but they had only seen this behaviour twice before and both times it was a Intel 6235 wireless adapter. The Head of IT said their company will *never* buy a machine with an Intel Wi-Fi card in it. (This is a Fortune 500 Company).

Back in my hotel same day, same Ultrabook - Hotel Wireless G - no problems at all.

On my home network I use Ethernet - but when moving about I switch to Wi-Fi and it is poor compared to my non-Intel cards in other machines (by about 20-30%). Also the Bluetooth has the worst Audio Lag ever.

I too will avoid Intel cards in all my new purchases. Its not just the broken hardware - is the lack of customer service (still waiting for an apology Intel) and lack of technical support.

Has anyone swapped a card on an XPS-12 - I'm loath to do so as will void warranty...but the situation at the clients office was embarrassing (thanks Intel)

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SKrie1
Beginner
1,472 Views

mr19,

That's a workaround, not a solution. And many of us CANNOT replace the wireless cards in our laptops. Some of the largest manufacturers add a BIOS lock that prevents "unauthorized" (i.e. 3rd-party) wireless cards from being used -- Lenovo, HP, etc. Stick in a non-HP or non-Lenovo miniPCIe NIC and they'll refuse to boot. An ExpressCard wireless card should work, but those usually have an antenna hanging out the side of the laptop and getting in the way.

And it's been 14 months since this thread began, and likely longer since Intel was made aware of this issue. They're obviously not "scrambling".

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MRoss16
Beginner
1,472 Views

I understand your viewpoint but for me it is a solution. Didn't work before, works now. For many of us having a laptop that does not work is NOT an option -- and if I couldn't swap out the NIC I would have been looking to purchase another laptop real soon.

Also if you look up the reviews of the Killer 1202 card it is potentially a performance upgrade over the 6235 card and I might have considered it even IF my 6235 was functional. Assuming you can swap out your NIC, for $45 shipped to your door overnight this seems like a no-brainer.

Big picture is I have a job (like everyone else here) and blaming Intel for my lack of performance to customers/clients/investors/etc isn't really a plausible excuse.

Assuming you got the sarcasm on the "scrambling" comment -- just don't see how we as individuals can have a significant impact on the direction Intel chooses to take with this issue. My guess is you'll see the new Centrino cards released before this issue gets addressed.

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EKong
Beginner
1,472 Views

haha some people dont have time (14months+) to "play this game" with Intel. Good luck with that. It is a solution for the context that people need there internet to work, on their laptop. Replacing it with another company, solves that problem. Now I am able to use my internet and with way better range. As you guys continue to argue and try to push for a solution, I will move on with my life, and put this in the past. Time=money. (now i know why people choose apple "convenience") I will not invest any more time on troubleshooting with this product/arguing with the corp for a solution.Or how about this use! use another wifi adapter as an "interim" while you continue to wrestle with Intel. (Interim: meaning a transitional product until you can get a solution)

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SDunb1
Beginner
1,488 Views

Intel, this latest driver worked flawlessly for about 30 seconds. When I first installed it and rebooted, the first speedtest I did on Wireless N actually looked like a normal, sustained curve. But on the second attempt just after, on the same server, the wireless went back to the sporadic way it looked before. (Note this is the earlier image but it had this shape.)

Now, this driver actually degraded my backup, the Wifi G! When I went back to disable the wireless N as usual, the new curve looked like this.

This is what it looks like when it works (i.e the first 30 seconds after driver install, and what wireless G looked like during a speedtest before this driver):

So... it worked like this for the first minute after the driver install... then back to the normal crappy spikes/drops.

Also, when the connection is spiky(first two graphs), the ping is exceedingly high for some packets. It almost feels as if the browser freezes, then loads all at once after a few seconds.

Sony S15 SVS151190X August 2012

Intel 6235

Router: Belkin N450, 5 ft. from laptop

Location: CA, US

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JGuzi1
Beginner
1,488 Views

Dear intel end of Q3 is near clock is ticking. Samsung just can not wait to return their (mine) laptop.

 

I want to return it to the producer under unacceptability of goods under the contract reason.

 

I believe (:-)) if Q3 term fail - Joe or any of intel employees (responsible for this mess) give us official statement. Without recall!!

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RVill12
Beginner
1,498 Views

Hi Joe.

I've just bought a 6235 wifi card for my Asus laptop and I also have the problem reported by so many users in this forum. But I'm not writing to complain; my aim is trying to help... just in case you are working yet to solve this issue. And perhaps this information is useful for other users, also.

First of all, my equipment:

Laptop: Asus X54HR-SX048V (specifications here: https://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/X54HR/# specifications https://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/X54HR/# specifications)

Router: Vodafone (Huawei) HG556a (Spanish) - Firmware V100R001C10B077 first and now V100R001C10B085SP01 - Max. speed 270 Mbps - Chipset Ralink RT3062F 802.11b/g/n

When I bought my laptop, it had an Atheros half mini pcie card of up to 150 Mbps and no bluetooth. Now, I need BT and I found the Advanced-n 6235 card that seemed me enough for my needs (better wifi speed, up to 300 Mbps and BT 4.0). I have to say that the laptop has two antennas and therefore I only had to remove de bottom cover and a screw in order to get out the old wifi card and installing the new card connecting the black and white RF cables.

I installed drivers 15.9.2.1 and from the beggining connections dropped out each few minutes. I've tested several drivers versions, configurations in laptop card and router and finally I've got the card working without dropouts simply changing bandwith in 2.4 GHz to 20 MHz instead auto. No matter if router bandwith is in auto or 20 MHz or 40 MHz: it works. Using Inssider I see that router starts working in 40 MHz (channels 7+11) and sometimes it changes to 20 MHz (I suppose due to interferences with other networks).

AND THE IMPORTANT FACT: I've also seen that, when I have intel card with auto bandwith and it drops out, router has always changed from 40 MHz to 20 MHz. So, I've concluded that there is a strong correlation between bandwith limitation in router and intel wifi card freeze.

Of course, configuring 6235 card in 20 Mhz mode means a bit less speed (file transfers are performed at about 6-7 MB/s) but it is better that deactivating n mode and using only g mode as other users claim as necessary to get the card working.

By the way, I only use 2.4 GHz band, since my router cannot manage 5 GHz one.

Well, this is my experience and workaround while waiting for a better driver (if possible).

I hope it helps. If you need any further explanation or details, don't hesitate to contact me and I'll do my best to provide you with useful information.

Best regards.

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JYap3
Beginner
1,488 Views

When a product could not work as specified, please arrange a recall and exchange for us.

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BRuij
Beginner
1,488 Views

Intel, could you look at the following bug report about this issue: https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/36866 https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/36866

In that post I have attached some log files that may help you solve this issue. Anyway, you can clearly see the firmware breaking and failing to load.

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GLeco
Beginner
1,488 Views

Last update seems to have fixed my problem with the Bbox2 router (most common ISP box in belgium), hope it's not just an impression.

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DBrad3
Beginner
1,488 Views

I created an account just to post this:

I have been following this for months. I have not tried 16.1.5 yet. I have tried all manner of combinations up to the first release of 16...and nothing worked. Let me tell you what DOES work though.

 

First...I own a Samsung 17 " Model NP700Z7C-S01US. Besides the wifi issue, I still can't get USB 3.0 to work right in Windows 8. There is a supposed hack to use the Windows 7 driver to fix that, and when I feel like it, I will turn off driver signing and try it. Anyway, after a nightmare experience and my wife telling me she doesn't want the PC anymore, I decided to try one last ditch effort before getting an external USB wifi device, I found way back in the forums. Here is the fix, for anyone that wants it to work WHILE Intel either figures out the issue, or recalls the wifi module.

1. Uninstall ALL of the Proset Intel software. Do NOT keep any settings. I don't remember if it asks to delete profiles or what...but do it, if so. Keep nothing. Reboot.

2. Go to device manager and check your driver version. It should be- Intel, 12/30/2012 version: 15.6.0.19

3. Power management didn't seem to mater for me, but unchecking it makes the resume faster.

4. On the ADVANCED tab...you have to change a few settings:

802.11n mode - DISABLED

Ad Hoc Qos mode- WMM disabled

Transmit power- highest

The rest are default.

5. My max speed shown is 54Mb, BUT, if I hover over the network SSID while connected, it says it is 802.11n. I doubt that it really is..but Windows 8 thinks it is, only I max out at 54mb (G speeds)

After months of issues, the connection has been rock solid for 3 days straight. Thanks to whoever posted this like 25 pages back...so I figured while they work on the issue...I would post it again for someone else.

No widi, or real wireless N speeds...but hey, it works great now.

My personal opinion? The Wireless N portion of the hardware is defective, and Intel should recall all of these cards, and replace them with working devices.

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RScul
Novice
1,488 Views

16.1.5 does not resolve connection dropouts. Problem is more than apparent when listening to web radio stations. Loose sound every 3-4 minutes. Returning to Microsoft's 14.8.8.75. For those waiting for this problem to be resolved, Intel has moved the availibility of a fix from end of Q3 to end of Q4

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JGuzi1
Beginner
1,488 Views

Użytkownik rock&roll napisał:

16.1.5 does not resolve connection dropouts. Problem is more than apparent when listening to web radio stations. Loose sound every 3-4 minutes. Returning to Microsoft's 14.8.8.75. For those waiting for this problem to be resolved, Intel has moved the availibility of a fix from end of Q3 to end of Q4

Ar you sure about fix moving to Q4 - i'm on warranty until march 2013 but i'm afraid that they never fix it. So I want to return device before march.

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