# [SOLVED] Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?



## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

Hi, Like the title says... I've been having connectivity problems. I am using Windows 7 Home premium SP1 (x86). I can connect fine and after a (seemingly random) amount of time the connection will drop (at least according to windows). I can also easily reconnect without a problem, but it will not pick back up the connection automatically, which is a problem because I use programs that need to access the internet and Often leave large files to download while I'm sleeping or not home. So If I'm not sitting at my computer to manually reconnect, then whatever i'm trying to accomplish doesn't get done. 

I'm using the ALFA AWUS036H USB wifi adapter. I had previously been running windows XP and this same thing would happen (though, much less often) but when it happened in XP it would automatically reconnect in a few seconds. I downloaded the drivers from ALFA's website incase the ones on disk were not up to date, and I tried both of them (they have a "normal" and "power control driver" option) and the problem remains. Also, I've never used an external wifi adapter before so I'm not sure if its supposed to work this way, but there are 2 "signal strength meters" in the system tray the standard windows one that you can click on and see available networks or go to windows "network and sharing center" and then there is the ALFA one that you can click on and it takes you to the ALFA wireless LAN utility, where you can also get a list of available networks. 

If anyone knows how to fix this, I would really really appreciate the help. also below I'm going to post step by step of whats going on with pics so its pefectly clear. 

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According to windows there is a problem with the connection, however according to the ALFA wireless LAN utility, the connection is fine (green bars means good connection, red bars means no connection)










When clicking on the Windows "signal strength indicator" in the system tray, it shows 1 of 2 different problems (notice the differences that I've highlighted with red boxes). No matter which one happens I can NOT access the internet.










Despite the "problems" shown above, the ALFA wireless LAN utility shows that its still connected (while windows is showing a connection problem)










To reconnect I switch to the "profile" tab (which is just a list of neworks that i've previously connected to) and double click on the network. In this case it will be Enotria Public.... the same one that (according to the ALFA wireless LAN utility) I'm already connected too










After clicking on the network, the ALFA wireless LAN utility "signal indicator" in the system tray will briefly turn red (signaling NO connection) while it "reconnects". Then it will turn back to green, and Windows network manager/signal indicator (whatever you call it) will proceed to reconnect as well. After this happens, all is good and I'm reconnected and can access the internet. 










And here is Windows showing everything is all good....










And here is ALFA wireless LAN utility showing everything is all good....










One last thing that really throws me off. As you can see in pics above the ALFA wireless LAN utility is always connected, and it never drops the connection but even so, the internet will not work when Windows drops the connection. However, When reconnecting I can access the internet BEFORE Windows reconnects. (I still have to reconnect as described above, but after I do so I can access the internet before windows FINISHES reconnecting) The tab shown in this picture was a web page that I loaded BEFORE Windows ever reconnected, and it is a page that I have NEVER viewed before, so its not just loading it from cache.


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## TheCyberMan (Jun 25, 2011)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Hi try deleting all the wireless profiles by going to network and sharing centre>manage wireless networks click on each profile and select remove.click ok and ok again.

See if connectivity improves.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

I had that suggested at another site I posted at as well. I'll give it a try... thing is though.. I JUST installed windows 7 and this started happening from the very first time I connected to the internet. I should only have 3 profiles because i've only connected to 3 connections EVER (and Before today it was just 2) and the problem started happening even when only having ever connected to 1 connection, then 2, then 3


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Hello,

Yes, that was me that suggested it from 'another forum' and I wish that you have replied. :grin:


> I had that suggested at another site I posted at as well.


Anyway, have you also done these too?
Have you updated your Wi-Fi adapter's driver to the latest by downloading it from the manufacturer's site?

If none of the above suggestions worked please install and run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector from one of your wireless computers. Double click the Xirrus Icon on your Desktop, Tap the Printscreen key on your keyboard, open up Paint then choose Edit from the Menu and select Paste, then SAVE it. Upload and attached the file here.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Yes, I did those things . Posted it over at sevenforums. Here... I'll copy it here too just in case anyone else wants to put their 2¢ in. 

============

I've been a little busy and didn't have time to do it yesterday, but I really do appreciate your replies and any help you can give. 

I tried deleting profiles, didn't help.

I Did download latest drivers from website (although I think they are the same version I have on disk) As stated in OP, there were to different drivers for windows OS's "normal/FCC" or "power control/EC" I tried them both, didn't help.

I got Xirrus....


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

I will continue assisting you here. It will confuse me having to reply to your Threads on 2 different Forums.

You should secure your network first, try WPA2, then change the Channel to 1.

Please give us an update.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Ummm.. well its not "my network" its a public "open" network. Don't think I have a choice, do i?

My router is secure "its the one labled !!!-WarpSpeed-!!! Just don't have internet service at the moment so I use either Enotria public or uptown free wifi also shown on list.


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## TheCyberMan (Jun 25, 2011)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Warpspeed should be listed as a home network you can change this from public or are you referring to the free wifi?


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*



TheCyberMan said:


> Warpspeed should be listed as a *home network* you can change this from public or are you referring to the free wifi?


by home network, are you referring to the windows setting that you choose Home (picture of house), work (picture of office building), public (picture of wooden bench)? 

In that case... yes my router (warpspeed) is set to "home" But I don't currently have internet service. I just use that router to stream media from my pc to my tv. For internet access I connect to 1 of 2 free internet services that are in range. Enotria Public (which is what i mainy use cuz its faster) or uptownfreewifi which are both set to "public"


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## Media (Jan 10, 2012)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

hi there, have you uninstalled the drivers and tried installing them again ? if it happens on the public wifi to then chances are your belkin routers not the problem.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

All the images on your post are gone, can you please re-upload them?


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*



2xg said:


> All the images on your post are gone, can you please re-upload them?


Unfortunately I can't.. with the exception of the last 2 i posted (results of Xirrus) the rest i've already deleted. However the site that I'm hosting them at is upgrading their servers, so it should only be temporary. 

but I'll attach the Xirrus ones to this post.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

I also have an update, some more info on the problem. The other day while searching youtube for this particular wifi adapter I saw a driver install video where the guy just did it through the device manager and that installed the driver without the ALFA wireless LAN utilitiy. So I uninstalled the ALFA wireless LAN utility and it also uninstalled the driver. Then I used the method I just mentioned... through device manager which installed the driver only and connected with the regular windows network manager. First of all it seemed harder to connect. but then it seemed like it was going to work... and FAIL. Got disconnected numerous times with 1 of 2 error messages (pics attached below) So I reinstalled the ALFA wireless LAN utility.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Update.... More info, possibly a clue? Or maybe just a coincidence? Let me start at the beginning. for a few months I had a BSOD (HDD was going bad), so I resorted to using a LIVE CD OS. Eventually I was able to transfer all my data from that HDD, reformat, run chkdsk, and reinstall XP. Ever since then My computer has not been able to keep time. Then I got a new larger capacity HDD and that is when I installed windows 7 and the time keeping issues continued and this is also when the WIFI issues started. After checking google about the time keeping issues I'm thinking that my RTC (CMOS) battery is going bad... yes/no? 

So...... I'm wondering if this could also be causing the WIFI issues? On one hand, I had the same time keeping issues after reinstalling XP and the WIFI worked fine. On the other hand, once I installed windows 7 on the new HDD I still had the time keeping issues BUT...... (this is the clue or coincidence part).....yesterday, out of the blue, my computer decided that it was going to keep proper time, which lasted for about 22 hours. During that 22 hours, I didn't loose my WIFI connnection a single time. Then the windows clock got screwed up again, and guess what happaned to my WIFI connection? it dropped. Before that 22 hour span, the wifi connection would rarely stay connected for more than a couple of hours, just like the clock would rarely keep its time for more than a short ammount of time. Any ideas?


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

How old is your Alfa Wi-Fi adapter? Can it be returned and get a replacement or a different one?


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

well I've had it since mid october... so I'm pretty sure its too late to send it back, which is a shame itself, because it turns out the network I'm using is N, I could have gotten the newer 2W ALFA that is N certified. 

But I'd have a real hard time accepting that it is faulty hardware because it worked fine both with a linux LIVE CD and windows XP... never dropped connection. Then when using 7 it started droping the connection..So I'm thinking its something to do with 7/compatibility with 7 or the driver? I suppose I could find out for sure.

One day over the weekend I'll have to load XP and leave it turned on overnight and see if the connection drops at all.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

I didn't say that's it's a faulty hardware, more like incompatibility issue with your Win7 computer. If you have another Win7 computer or a friend's computer you may try using the Alfa device and see you're able to replicate the issue.


> But I'd have a real hard time accepting that it is faulty hardware because it worked fine both with a linux LIVE CD and windows XP... never dropped connection.


You may try a Clean boot from your computer, see if it helps. If, after the clean boot process other things went wrong, do a System Restore and restore it to a point before you did the Clean boot process.


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## TheCyberMan (Jun 25, 2011)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

In addition i would replace the cmos battery asap.

If your model alfa does not have windows 7 drivers on their website you could try uninstalling the drivers via program and features and then on the setup file right click and choose properties and select compatability and choose vista or xp if your copy of the drivers is for one of those two operating systems click ok.
Then install in normal way.

Edit: Can you please provide us with an *ipconfig /all *for us to review.

I would like one when connected to Enotria Public.
One from UptownFreeWi-Fi01.
Last one from !!!-WarpSpeed-!!!

Please mark them so we know which is which.

Also are they all set to connect automatically?


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Hi, the Enotria public one is set to connect automatically. The other are not because I don't use them often. The Uptownfreewifi also requires a password... not a network password like, WEP, WPA, etc. but when you sign in it redirects you to the login page where you have to create a free account with username/pass and it periodically logs you out and you have to renter the info.

Here's the ipconfig /all.. they are named obviously to know which is which. thanks again everyone who has responded... 

and BTW.. I installed XP (dual boot) booted into that and left it running all night, stayed connected fine. back to windows 7 disconnected again.


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## TheCyberMan (Jun 25, 2011)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Hi President i think i see a problem for you the Enotria Public has a default gateway 192.168.2.1 and Warpspeed also has a default gateway 192.168.2.1 so although Enotria Public is set to connect automatically it may be switching between the two hence loss of internet connectivity.

What i suggest you do is log in to Warpspeed and change the default gateway to a different ip gateway address 192.168.0.1 so as not to clash with Enotria Public.
If you have any static addresses on devices connected to Warpspeed then you would need to change those accordingly to within the same subnet of the new ip address of Warpspeed.

If they are automatically assigned you need not do anything they will be assigned a new address automatically when they reconnect to Warpspeed with its new ip address.

I also suggest you add the 3 default gateways into your Wireless Network Connection properties in advanced under default gateways in change Adapter Settings in Network and sharing centre.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*



TheCyberMan said:


> Hi President i think i see a problem for you the Enotria Public has a default gateway 192.168.2.1 and Warpspeed also has a default gateway 192.168.2.1 so although Enotria Public is set to connect automatically it may be switching between the two hence loss of internet connectivity.
> 
> What i suggest you do is log in to Warpspeed and change the default gateway to a different ip gateway address 192.168.0.1 so as not to clash with Enotria Public.
> If you have any static addresses on devices connected to Warpspeed then you would need to change those accordingly to within the same subnet of the new ip address of Warpspeed.
> ...


Well I don't use the warpspeed one vary frequently, and I've had this problem while not even having that warpspeed connection in the "connection profiles" (windows or ALFA wireless LAN utility). So would it still even be possible for it to try and connect to warpspeed without it beening the profile? that would be like it was just trying to connect to some internet connection by itself. 

Also, couldn't I just unplug the router?


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## TheCyberMan (Jun 25, 2011)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

As a test leave it unplugged and see if internet connectivity stablises.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Unfortunately, that didn't help. Its been unplugged for over 24 hrs and has disconnected multiple times. In next day or 2 going to do a clean install with a different version of 7 and see if it still happens.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Dropped connections with USB WIFI card (ALFA AWUS036H), how to fix?*

Maybe the Alfa adapter is at fault.


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## President Kush (Jun 24, 2010)

Turns out that the OS was the root of both problems. I did a clean install with a different version of windows 7. Now My clock has kept perfect time and I've still lost connection a few times but MUCH less and its probably only because of "range" issues. As Before it would disconnect even while it was still showing it as an available network, NOW if it disconnects, it does NOT show the network under available networks and then in a minute or 2 when it comes back on the list, it AUTO reconnects like it should. :grin:

Thanks everyone for you replies and help.


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## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks for letting us know President Kush. Glad to hear that a Clean install helped resolved your issue.


President Kush said:


> Turns out that the OS was the root of both problems. I did a clean install with a different version of windows 7. Now My clock has kept perfect time and I've still lost connection a few times but MUCH less and its probably only because of "range" issues. As Before it would disconnect even while it was still showing it as an available network, NOW if it disconnects, it does NOT show the network under available networks and then in a minute or 2 when it comes back on the list, it AUTO reconnects like it should. :grin:
> 
> Thanks everyone for you replies and help.


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## TheCyberMan (Jun 25, 2011)

A range extender will help with weak signals, but according to your xirrus that does not appear to be an issue. Cordless phones, baby monitors and mcrowaves can affect wireless signals

Glad it is sorted otherwise.


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