# Disconnecting USB device causes Wireless network adapter to lose connection



## Hagen (Apr 23, 2008)

Hi Tech support,

I've recently installed Windows Vista x64 on my machine and used my motherboards built-in wireless connection to connect to my flat's wireless router. Everything worked fine until I noticed that whenever I remove a USB device from my front panel (USB Stick, MP3 Player) the wireless suddenly loses it's connection with the router, and the only thing I've found to fix things is a restart of my PC.
I also have a Laptop running a 32-bit version of Vista, and after trying it there it seems to have exactly the same problem.
Any ideas what's causing this, or better still how to fix it?


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## XP1 (Apr 10, 2005)

Hagen said:


> Hi Tech support,
> 
> I've recently installed Windows Vista x64 on my machine and used my motherboards built-in wireless connection to connect to my flat's wireless router. Everything worked fine until I noticed that whenever I remove a USB device from my front panel (USB Stick, MP3 Player) the wireless suddenly loses it's connection with the router, and the only thing I've found to fix things is a restart of my PC.
> I also have a Laptop running a 32-bit version of Vista, and after trying it there it seems to have exactly the same problem.
> Any ideas what's causing this, or better still how to fix it?


I am having the same problem for all my 5 computers.
They all have the same specs except for hard drive / disc drives and graphics card.

My temporary fix:
GUI:
Start Orb > Control Panel > View network status and tasks > Manage network connections > Select "Wireless Network Connection" > Disable this network device > Enable this network device

Command Line:

```
netsh interface set interface "Wireless Network Connection" DISABLE
netsh interface set interface "Wireless Network Connection" ENABLE
```
It's still not the solution to the problem, but it works when I need it. It does get annoying when I have to use USB devices and the Internet at the same time, though. This is why I want a solution to this problem.

Computer Specs:


> Motherboard: ASUS P5K-E/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX
> CPU: Intel Core2 Duo CPU, E4500 @ 2.20GHz @ 2.2GHz
> Memory Total: 4095MB DDR2
> OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64 - 6.0.6001 SP1
> ...


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## Hagen (Apr 23, 2008)

hi XP1,

just to let you know, I seem to have fixed the issue by installing updated intel chipset drivers for my motherboard. I noticed that we have exactly the same motherboard, so presumably this is the reason for the trouble.

The chipset driver archive I used was:
Intel_ChipsetInf_v830113_includewin2003
downloaded directly from the ASUS website.

Hopefully this will also fix the problem for you.


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## XP1 (Apr 10, 2005)

Hagen said:


> hi XP1,
> 
> just to let you know, I seem to have fixed the issue by installing updated intel chipset drivers for my motherboard. I noticed that we have exactly the same motherboard, so presumably this is the reason for the trouble.
> 
> ...


I installed the driver from the executable: *\Intel_ChipsetInf_v8301013_includewin2003\Chipset\Inf\Setup.exe*

I tested the USB ports after a restart, but the USB disconnection problem is still there.

I downloaded the *Intel_ChipsetInf_v8301013_includewin2003.zip* file from http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&model=P5K-E/WIFI-AP under the *Chipset* category.

Here's the download description:

```
Operating System: Vista 64bit
Version: 8.3.0.1013
Date: 2007/08/02 update
Description:
Intel Chipset Inf Update Program v8.3.0.1013 for Windows 32bit 2000/2000 server/XP/MCE/2003/Vista & 64bit XP/2003/Vista(WHQL).
File Size: 26.33MB
```
Here are the file hashes:

```
CRC32: 957E2EBF
HAVAL: EA9BE0D821D79FD98863B3B84A27E6EDAD359B4EC5C6E47310FB3E43D2FC637A
MD5: 44754DB6152DA6F238B18B191092177D
RIPEMD-128: 0B709C746D685DA28BDB14226963DBC8
RIPEMD-256: 0D8A6A03E178A701C95AF8F3759F67D3DAAC035076ACFF306E56FEE269D72949
RIPEMD-320: C729E7569C2DEA968F85CF4E461B4C2683AB0DCEB13452ABC79C1A4F13FE59CF44926D1A753343FF
SHA-1: 41F6EDA3F83847EC41F45881537F06860E3E8122
SHA-512: 34D4EB04CE61E2F62C3A05C7874CBEDD86C042FDA7A17F5FAD72D3F8CADA67F5CC8D2B772BC5783FF6046337D9A98A9A3559B725A7EFE63730C9016B9AA68828
Tiger: 6875C5253DD0087EF57FAB2A6E8A5E49BF4FBB1F64A27672
Whirlpool: 7096D11F5266D34146BA4193B260165DB9B6C99BE6A0671A9AC1A9A96EB23E2F918C2821EA0B04E906A55B5A7229BC16853DB5BE11C5AF61BF7B38497DC6A07D
```
Maybe we can check the file hashes to make sure we have the right file?

From the motherboard manual:


> USB connectors (10-1 pin USB 78, USB 910, USB 11 12)
> These connectors are for USB 2.0 ports. Connect the USB module cable to any of these connectors, then install the module to a slot opening at the back of the system chassis. These USB connectors comply with USB 2.0 specification that supports up to 480 Mbps connection speed.


I plugged in USB devices into my computer's front, top, and back USB ports. I found out that only the front and top USB ports were causing the disconnection problem, but the USB ports on the back do not have the problem.

The front and back USB ports connected internally are called USB1112 and USB78. From the manual (above), USB1112 and USB78 are 10-1 pin connectors on the motherboard.

I used the ASUS Q-Connectors to plug these USB connections in. However, I don't think this is the cause.


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## XP1 (Apr 10, 2005)

I have also posted other information in this thread:
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...=1&model=P5K-E/WiFi-AP&page=1&SLanguage=en-us


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## Hagen (Apr 23, 2008)

After looking at the ASUS website again, I think I gave you the wrong filename. I'm also trying to troubleshoot an unrelated freezing problem with vista and downloaded the previous file for this issue. Sorry about my confusion.

The driver archive is Intel_INF_V8301013_2kxpvista.zip, same Category as the first one.

Incidentally I also connected devices only to my front panel, also connected to the motherboard via the Asus Q-Connector. I'm fairly certain it's a driver issue, and EMI seems only a very remote possibility.


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## XP1 (Apr 10, 2005)

Hagen said:


> After looking at the ASUS website again, I think I gave you the wrong filename. I'm also trying to troubleshoot an unrelated freezing problem with vista and downloaded the previous file for this issue. Sorry about my confusion.
> 
> The driver archive is Intel_INF_V8301013_2kxpvista.zip, same Category as the first one.
> 
> Incidentally I also connected devices only to my front panel, also connected to the motherboard via the Asus Q-Connector. I'm fairly certain it's a driver issue, and EMI seems only a very remote possibility.


Ok, I downloaded and installed the *Intel_INF_V8301013_2kxpvista.zip* file.

File Hashes:

```
CRC32: 6E999AD4
HAVAL: 1F2E969FE6B4637C873DAB07CC2087CAEBC3740945D685B0228975EEB72E4783
MD5: 351F2BD53C9A596EAAC9FF0C0E3ED915
RIPEMD-128: 5FCCEE52016A55E379AA3A060DA9D43E
RIPEMD-256: CFCEB5DA3B776BF811AA0BF1DDBC7C01566E519F8C02563047CB4BA953644EBD
RIPEMD-320: A226469810BD43F905FE4875FBDCF0D9758247D18D963BFED2919B867E8EEC7DA1E48FB89BC25207
SHA-1: 0A59BD3EAF2001E78F582CF8A859D12E83BF1B6B
SHA-512: ED7378BF50E40F3EB3C93A07B70A4351A2EF6CE1BBB5BEAF3FB5941DD7AA417A9029E6A420E754FAA295E9591E2361AE5CA3D7D4B6677A2BCF433DC226A48152
Tiger: 53E668863EB7FAFD048BC0D672C59CB7A3B29DB359F3070D
Whirlpool: 1D066F471AE277D84004F2F565924B035F1B5EC04AED6072691581CE22A118691593B23AD0C0A0EE86D6B9DF1037B280A7344515678BAEE05424A39B78C9767D
```
I think this driver solved half of the problem. The problem still occurs but not as often.


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## Aliby (Jun 6, 2008)

I am on a Fujitsu Amilo Pi1505, Vista Home Premium and am having the same hassles. Every time you eject a USB flash it drops the Wireless LAN.

I have set IP to static,
Updated the Wireless LAN drivers,
Still no fix ...

Microsoft has suggested disabling IPv6, but I have not tried that yet.

I will also setup a link to the script you suggest to disable and re-enable the WLAN as an interim solution - a heck better than having to reboot each time.

Any other progress made?
I'll keep in touch.

:sigh:


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## Aliby (Jun 6, 2008)

I am quite certain that it is not a Network compatibility issue.
I have done all the "standard" tweaks with no resolution to the problem:

Disable the IP Helper service
Disable IPv6
Disable the DHCP Broadcast Flag

What I have discovered is that it seems to be an issue with Vista's "Safely Remove Hardware" function.

If you just pull out your USB flash disk there is no loss of the Wireless Connection. However if you "safely remove" it then Vista drops the Wireless Network at the same time.

My only "Work Around" at the moment is to add XP1's script to DISABLE / ENABLE the wireless device, or I just pull out the USB flash disk.

Not sure if there is a way to report this with Microsoft? They seems to want to charge you to get onto any such forum ... or maybe they don't care?


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## Aario (Jul 7, 2008)

I think this is more or less a Microsoft issue. I have an Asus Radeon Chipset Motherboard that it does it on, and an Asus NVidia Chipset Motherboard that this happens on. Also, when I eject a CD / DVD ROM from the IDE drive it disconnects the network.


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