PC Pals Forum

Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 18:26

Title: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 18:26: Hey Everyone - Sorry back like a bad penny just when i need some help :) Hope you all ok first of all :santa:

I got my son a acer aspire one D250 for christmas, just wanted to check it works before christmas and guess what - it doesn't.

Could be down to my settings or its settings but if it does connect to the wireless - it just connects and disconnects over and over until it gives up - i did connect to nextdoors internet for a while but still the internet doesn't work - page won't open. And can't update it says not connected even though it is.

I have had a search on google and there are lots of people saying similar things but i can't find the right answer, so it makes me think it might be the acer - the driver for the wlan is the latest version - what other drivers might need updating?

Any idea please network guru's ?

xxxx michelle
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Rik on December 15, 2009, 19:17: Can you connect with a cable, Michelle?
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 19:25: hmmm yeah i just tried as i thought if it could do some updates it might be ok - but it didn't like that much either - it connected but still no internet page opening ....and update says no connection, but its showing one - but then when i tried the laptop that connects easily via wireless, that did the same........ ?? how weird!
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Rik on December 15, 2009, 19:26: Is any machine connected to the router working correctly?
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Simon on December 15, 2009, 19:28: Is there an active firewall on the machine, Michelle?
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 19:29: yes all the rest - 2 laptops and 2 xboxes wireless (and iphone and itouch) - and pc wired.
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 19:29: there is simon but it says its not working as it needs updating and i turned off windows one incase.
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Rik on December 15, 2009, 19:31: Are the machines set to use DHCP, Michelle?
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 19:32: erm - i don't remember - let me look .....
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 19:34: yes enabled and so is the acer
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Rik on December 15, 2009, 19:44: Odd. If you open a command window on one of the affected machines, and type ipconfig /all, what do you get?
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 20:00: on the acer -
primary dns - blank
node type unknown
ip routing enabled - yes
wins proxy enbled - no

media state - media disconnected
description - atheros etc etc
physical address 00-26-22-74-63-e5

and same for ethernet
physical address 90-4c-e5-05-28-b1
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 20:26: I don't know if this helps but when i connect to next doors unsecured network - its ok for about 5/10 mins! but IE says im not connected as does mcafee update

but the ipconfig/all says

primary dns suffix - blank
node type - unknown
ip routing enabled - yes
wins proxy - no
dns suffix search list - belkin?

eithernet disconnected etc

wireless
connection - belkin
physical address - same
dhcp enable yes
autoconfig enabled yes
ip address 192.168.2.16
subnet mask - 255.255.255.
default gateway
dhcp server
dns servers - all 192.168.2.1

my router is a netgear......btw - but anyway still the internet shows as not connected.....
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Baz on December 15, 2009, 20:41: in the router settings under the Wireless Settings page what do you have in each section......dont tell us the actual SSID if you have one just let us know if there is one.This needs to be the same for the laptop and so does the entry for
'Network Key(8 ~ 63 characters)'if there is one
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Simon on December 15, 2009, 20:43: I'm no expert on this, Michelle, and Rik will have signed off for the night now, but is File and Printer Sharing enabled on the problem machine? Which firewall is installed, and when you say it's "not working", do you mean it's deactivated or just needs updating? I'm just wondering if the firewall is blocking the connection, and whether you need to enable File and Printer Sharing in that too.
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 20:51: it was enabled simon i noticed - but i turned it off. I think thats enabled to i'll check .

router info
region -europe
channel - 11 -------- someone told me i should change this - not sure why if i have 6 things working on it? but something to do with overload?
mode g&b
sercurity settings
wpa2-psk (tkip)

I am really concerned about changing settings in the router as it took so long to set up the xboxs to work at the same time. but surely if its wireless it should work anywhere that other wireless things connect...... or its just poo? right?
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Baz on December 15, 2009, 20:58: what about the other security settings Michelle...in the Wireless Access Point any boxes ticked? and the security encription box, do you have that code in the laptop too. Dont tell us the code if there is one
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on December 15, 2009, 21:28: yeah that code is there and its in the laptop - did i say - i have 2 laptops and 2 xboxes an iphone and an itouch that connect to it. - just this poxy netbook that doesn't like it :(
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Simon on December 15, 2009, 21:49: I wonder if it's just too many items trying to connect to the same router? I've never come across it, but I would have assumed there must be a limit at some point. :dunno:
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Sandra on December 16, 2009, 00:55: I sounds like the DHCP is the problem as the laptop isnt showing an IP being assigned to it.

In the router settings page there should be an option to keep the IP for each of your existing connections on the IPs tha thave already been assigned, ie static, then you should be able to turn off "use DHCP" in the new laptop and add your own static IP in the same range that the other IP addresses are.

You shouldnt really have to do that but its one way to get it working until you find out whats up with the DHCP on your new laptop.
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Clive on December 16, 2009, 09:34: <Crosses Acer Aspire off his list of potential new laptops.>
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Rik on December 16, 2009, 10:06: I've not been impressed with them, Clive.
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Camstop on December 16, 2009, 10:24: I've never used a Acer laptop but loads like them and loads hate them :-\ The way i understand it is you get good spec for your money but maybe not always the best build quality and certainly not the best support.

If it was me i'd be looking at Dell and HP like Rik said as they both have a very good long term business laptop pedigree. Loveno and Toshiba are pretty good makes too.

core 2 duo, 3gb Ram, Windows7, HDMI on a decent brand for under £400 jobs a good un ;D
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Clive on December 16, 2009, 11:33: My son is urging me to go for a Dell too. He has two of them and reckons they have been very reliable and even baby-proof! :laugh:
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Rik on December 16, 2009, 12:27: True enough, they make some very tough machines, Clive.
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Camstop on December 17, 2009, 09:55: Back on topic.

Have a look here shell http://blogntech.com/download-acer-aspire-one-d250-xp-drivers.html (http://blogntech.com/download-acer-aspire-one-d250-xp-drivers.html)
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on January 03, 2010, 18:37: Update, sorry I didn't get back before have been away for most of Christmas.

Managed to sort it out - I put a static IP address in the netbook, I changed the channel on the routers and I changed the password on the router, all these things at once - and it worked so I'm assuming it was the IP address that did it? And since then he's been able to connect to any WIFI.

What a relief it was to be able to give it to him before he went off for a week at Christmas :)

Thanks for all your help as usual :) x Hope you all had a good one and Happy New Year :)
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Michelle on January 03, 2010, 18:38: PS and he really loves the Acer Aspire its the one with 6hours battery life and it really does! :)
Title: Re: acer aspire - dropping wireless connection every few seconds!
Post by: Simon on January 03, 2010, 19:12: Thanks for letting us know, Shell. :hny: