# Network adapter requires regular resetting after sleep mode



## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Hi there,

I've a year old Dell Latitude E5540 with an Intel dual band AC 7620 wireless adapter on board. In recent months it's taken to requiring resetting (via Windows network diagnostics) after waking the laptop from sleep. 

Sometimes it'll say the router has limited connectivity to the net, other times it won't connect to the router, other times it connects but hangs whilst loading. Resetting cures these bugs until such time as the computer sleeps again. Setting things so that the computer never sleeps means the wireless adapter stays working fine - but it's not a long term option.

As the laptop seemed a tad slow compared to new, I did a full OS reinstall using the recovery partition but the issue remains (although the computer has more spring it it's step generally). I also installed latest driver from Intel but to no avail.

Any ideas about what to do next?

Thanks,

iano


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Is Intel PROSET installed on the laptop?

Did you make sure to reinstall all of the drivers after a reinstall?

Are you physically opening the laptop and reseeding the wireless card or the cables?


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Is Intel PROSET installed on the laptop?


Thanks for getting back Masterchief..

It is (I just found out!). I enabled the problem, ran a diagnostic and failed on the ping test. "No response: default gateway, DHCP server"



> Did you make sure to reinstall all of the drivers after a reinstall?


I just did a factory reset, presumably what was installed was what came with the computer from the factory. After that I reinstalled the latest driver from Intel. Whether it was driver/s I do not know - it was the only thing they had that was relevant to my adapter, latest version.



> Are you physically opening the laptop and reseeding the wireless card or the cables?


I haven't done that but am handy with hands. Worth doing in case or should I try other things first?


iano


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

iano said:


> Thanks for getting back Masterchief..
> 
> It is (I just found out!). I enabled the problem, ran a diagnostic and failed on the ping test. "No response: default gateway, DHCP server"
> 
> ...


Uninstall Intel's PROSET, it can cause wireless issues.

What do mean from your first post that you've been resetting the wireless?


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

I uninstalled Intel proset and now have no wireless at all. Running windows network diagnosis (which normally resets the wireless adapter resulting in proper wireless connectivity (until the next sleep)) now just tells me to connect an Ethernet cable - as if its not seeing any wireless capability to diagnose.

Resetting the adapter has taken place per above: run windows diagnostics and it resetting the wireless adapter.

Do I need proset after all? ( I rebooted but that didn't help reinstating wireless capability).

BTW, I'm running windows 7


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

You shouldn't need PROSET, but perhaps it contains your driver from Dell

Download the Wireless driver from the Dell support website and use a USB drive to transfer it to the PC.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> You shouldn't need PROSET, but perhaps it contains your driver from Dell
> 
> Download the Wireless driver from the Dell support website and use a USB drive to transfer it to the PC.



I'll give that a crack when I get back home. Thanks. I can download via an ethernet - but what location do I install the driver to (or will that automatically occur when I download)?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

It will automatically take care of the driver.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Right, have the Dell-sourced driver loaded and wireless back working. But still tending to drop out after sleeping. Is resetting the card something to try - I presume power down, located, unplug, replug, power up?


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Further to my last post:

The wireless is dropping out occasionally even when not in sleep mod (it has done this of late also). Just a few minutes ago I was loading pages and got that grey circular egg timer spinning continuously, indicating connection down. Full signal strength bars on the taskbar and nothing detected with Windows diagnostics. My tablet was working fine wirelessly at this time.

I rebooted and connection was remade. 10 mins later I'm writing this update and a page load gives me the grey circular egg-timer spinning endlessly - even though wireless strength bars normal and connection being shown between laptop and wireless router and wireless router and web. Just as I was typing this last sentence I got a message saying "intel proset wireless was disconnected from" my router and then a minute later a message that "intel proset wireless was connected to" my router. The grey circular time is still circling on the last page load, tried loading another page and at last, after 10 or so seconds the two pages load. Time to try send this post..


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Does the PC ever go to sleep before the issue arises?

What is the make and model number of the router?

Are there any issues when using Ethernet?

Please follow this guide here to perform a System File Check of Windows: 

How to run SFC /scannow from Command Prompt - Tech Support Forum


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Does the PC ever go to sleep before the issue arises?


It's typically on waking up from sleep that the problem arises. I'd been getting the occasional circling grey eggtimer. The spontaneous disconnecting and reconnecting with intel proset message indicating that yesterday is a first



> What is the make and model number of the router?


Its a Cisco EPC3925



> Are there any issues when using Ethernet?


I've not used it enough to really know at this stage. Worth trialing though. There's never an issue with my other wireless device.



> Please follow this guide here to perform a System File Check of Windows:
> 
> How to run SFC /scannow from Command Prompt - Tech Support Forum


Will do. Thanks again..


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Ran that check and windows reported repairing some corrupt files. Details contained in a log directory. Tried opening the file dated at the time of test (a text file) and got an untitled notepad window opening and a warning sign "access denied".


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

clarifications to posts above

Post 12: getting the circling grey egg timer when loading pages during use (i.e. not when the computer has just woken up from sleep)

Post 13: the text file I tried opening was the log file created at the time of the scannow scan


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Download and run this here:

http://www.sysnative.com/niemiro/apps/SFCFix.exe

Then try to run SFC again.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Download and run this here:
> 
> http://www.sysnative.com/niemiro/apps/SFCFix.exe
> 
> Then try to run SFC again.



Will do when I get home. Cheers.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Hi Masterchief

I ran the above and got the following report

SFCFix version 2.4.5.0 by niemiro.
Start time: 2015-08-19 19:37:23.612
Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 - amd64
Not using a script file.




AutoAnalysis::
SUMMARY: No corruptions were detected.
AutoAnalysis:: directive completed successfully.




Successfully processed all directives.
SFCFix version 2.4.5.0 by niemiro has completed.
Currently storing 0 datablocks.
Finish time: 2015-08-19 19:42:47.572
----------------------EOF-----------------------



I reran SFC again after the above and got a message saying some files were found corrupt, some of which had been fixed. Again, I can't access the CBS.log file but it's something like 350mb sized!


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

After fixing those files, is sleep mode still acting up?

Also, do you have all of the Windows Updates?


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> After fixing those files, is sleep mode still acting up?
> 
> Also, do you have all of the Windows Updates?


It was late last night when I did the work and haven't had a chance to test out. 

I noted last night that I dropped connection mid-surfing (grey circular thingy endlessly circling). Tablet was working okay so presumably the laptop. Rebooted and the connection was remade.

I'll ask my wife to test a few times today and report back and I'll check for Windows updates too - I do recall getting that log in message about windows updates being installed/configured - post my having reloaded the OS. But will check


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

A tentative positive result Masterchief. It must have been tried from sleep a dozen or so times and connected on wake up without a glitch. Do you mind if I keep my fingers crossed for a couple of days to make sure? You get so used to the thing causing trouble it's hard to believe it when it's not.

But thanks a mil for the time and patience. Much appreciated. I'll let you know how I get on in a day or two..

BTW. there were some updates to be loaded (2 important) but I updated subsequent to the improved performance.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Hi there Masterchief,

I've let things work away this last week to see how things have shaped up after all our work.

1. Things have definitely improved. Whereas before the laptop would fail to hook up after waking up more times that not, it's now the case that most times it hooks up after waking. Things have moved from pulling my hair out to milder, irritating inconvenience. Thanks for what's being achieved thus far..

2. The occasional problem of the connection dropping out mid-surf is still there. Now that the hook up post-sleep has improved, this problem has become more noticeable (merely because the post-sleep problem has declined, not because the mid-surf loss of connection has increased)

3. The old way of restoring connection when it dropped out for whatever reason was to run Windows troubleshooter aimed at network adapters - it would reset the adapter as part of it's work and that'd be enough to resolve the problem. That workaround doesn't seem to do anything anymore - the troubleshoot will say "nothing found". I have to reboot the computer to restore the connection.
You can also have a glitchy connection; one which loads pages quickly one minute, slowly the next, then goes to grey circling eggtimer before finally loadin the page .. and if you reboot you (most times) get back to a smooth, fast connection. Until the next time it begins to give trouble.

What do you reckon? Is there anything more to be done do you think.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

How old exactly is the laptop? Is it still under warranty?

I'm wondering if the networking card is either loose or dying.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> How old exactly is the laptop? Is it still under warranty?


March 2014. Warranty just out. I had various problems with it soon after I got it and recall going through the motions with Dell tech support. This involved reloading the OS (for some reason I can't find the mails to find out what else was done). I've one note-to-self on the subject and wireless dropping out from sleep was one of them - occurring regularly and requiring troubleshoot or reboot. 

It behaved itself for a good while but these last months has been acting up. I can try Dell and see what they say




> I'm wondering if the networking card is either loose or dying.


I'll pop the cover and reset it. Is there anything more to it than powering down and doing the mechanics? I recall resetting RAM cards before and that was all there way to it.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Hi Masterchief. I popped off the cover to have a look - whilst I set about clarifying what I need do on the issue of static protection before touching the wireless adapter. 

On a portion of the laptop chassis / corresponding surface of inside back cover and very near the wireless adapter, I noticed a fair amount of brown sticky goo. It takes a bit of wiping to remove it, it's that sticky. Like really tacky grease.

It's not that likely that the stuff was spilled on the laptop or that came through the pinhole vents from underneat (the pinholes are clean/clean). I can't think of any household substance thin enough to make it to the bottom of the laptop if spilled on it, which would leave such a residue.

I've posted a question in the hardware forum in case it's a question of component failure (or excluding component failure).

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f108/very-sticky-residue-on-laptop-chassis-inside-back-cover-1037553.html#post6583201


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Could you post a screenshot of that goo?


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Here they are. You can see that in a couple of places (pointed to by a couple of screwdrivers) the residue has some depth. Brown with the characteristics of sticky treacle. The network adapter and the connector block it plugs into is clean and I can't see any contamination below the surface of the chassis in which the contamination is evident.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)




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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

To me, it looks like soda or coffee got in there at one point.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> To me, it looks like soda or coffee got in there at one point.


I suppose that's what it must have been. Anyway, I opened up and reset the network adapter in it's slot (and cleaned the mess). Will see how it goes. 

What do you reckon after that? Change the network card? Things have improved a good deal from actions taken thus far so it would seem strange that there'd be hardware as well as software issues.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

You can use 99% Rubbing Alcohol to help clean up that mess there.

You could think of replacing the networking card, especially since a reinstall of Windows that you did would have fixed any software issues.


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## iano (Aug 17, 2006)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> You can use 99% Rubbing Alcohol to help clean up that mess there.
> 
> You could think of replacing the networking card, especially since a reinstall of Windows that you did would have fixed any software issues.


Okay. That'll be my next move. Thanks for bearing with me and for all the support given. Very much appreciated..


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