[karajorma]

In continuing proof of my theory that being computer literate simply means that your equipment find more esoteric ways of ****ing with you, I seem to be experiencing a weird WiFi issue.

Until recently I have had no issues with my WiFi connection. But now, one of my laptops won't connect to my router. I haven't changed any settings on it or any other device connected to it but suddenly it doesn't appear on the list of routers available. That said at least 3 other routers belonging to my neighbours do appear and none of my other WiFi devices are exhibiting any symptoms.

Quite frankly I'm at a loss as to why a connection which worked one day would suddenly not work another when both devices are still actually working. Anyone else got an idea?

[Klaustrophobia]

do you use windows or the laptop manufacturer's driver to connect to wifi?  try windows if you aren't already.  my lenovo software always does weird **** like that.  if your laptop updates itself periodically, that could explain the sudden change. 

[karajorma]

I'm using Windows and I didn't do any driver updates. I don't think it was a Windows update either as my laptop worked, I put it to sleep and when it woke up, it didn't work and never started working even after a restart.

I'll look into the drivers though. Like I said, it's weird that only one router would vanish though. All the others are visible.

[headdie]

I'm using Windows and I didn't do any driver updates. I don't think it was a Windows update either as my laptop worked, I put it to sleep and when it woke up, it didn't work and never started working even after a restart.

I'll look into the drivers though. Like I said, it's weird that only one router would vanish though. All the others are visible.

have you tried rebooting the router?

[TwentyPercentCooler]

Mine does this, too. I have two laptops, and the connections on both of them are incredibly fickle when I'm in my room. It's been driving me crazy trying to get to the bottom of it. It's absolutely not that I get a bad signal in my room - it works fine half the time, like right now. It's not just limited to one OS, either. My Ubuntu laptop does it just as frequently as my Windows 7 machine - although it's easier to "fix" in Ubuntu. I'm pretty good with computers, but this is driving me up the wall. It's been going on for years and I still haven't been able to even vaguely correlate a variable with the occurrence.

[karajorma]

I'm using Windows and I didn't do any driver updates. I don't think it was a Windows update either as my laptop worked, I put it to sleep and when it woke up, it didn't work and never started working even after a restart.

I'll look into the drivers though. Like I said, it's weird that only one router would vanish though. All the others are visible.

have you tried rebooting the router?

Of course. It was the first thing I tried after rebooting the PC.

[jr2]

Maybe check to be sure the wifi antenna connector(s) haven't come loose from the mini-PCI(e) slot?  I can't imagine that your neighbors' routers would still show up if that were the cause however...

EDIT: Try going to "manage wireless connections" and deleting your saved router (e.g., mine would be "jr2's Wireless") from the list of saved connections.  Then refresh the list and try re-connecting as this will get the correct settings for your route again (although IDK why they would have magically changed, but hey...)

[karajorma]

Well the antenna is inside the laptop so that would require taking it apart. Bear in mind that on my other PC (which is further away but still in the same room) gets full bars on that router but can't even pick up the signal from one of the neighbours that this laptop can receive! Doesn't sound like a bad antenna to me.

As for manage wireless connections, did that already, still nothing.

[MP-Ryan]

Methinks you've been "Windows Update"'ed.  Sounds like your computer may have applied an update you're unaware of and messed with your settings.

First thing I'd do is uninstall the wifi NIC in device manager, then reinstall it using the manufacturer's driver for it.  That should wipe out any mysterious settings that would suddenly be causing the issue.

If that doesn't work, reset the router to factory defaults then reconfigure your settings.

The fact that the router works for other PCs, and your NIC works for other routers says there is a conflict between your NIC settings and the router settings.  Either than, or one of the two pieces of hardware is dying in a way that prevents it from accessing the other device, but doesn't affect other devices.

Out of curiosity, do your other devices have similar-era NICs to the misbehaving one, and are your neighbours routers of similar era to yours?  Maybe something has died and you've lost functionality in one of the wireless bands.

By the way, this:

In continuing proof of my theory that being computer literate simply means that your equipment find more esoteric ways of ****ing with you

Is born out in my experiences as well.  I still haven't figured out what's wrong with my desktop, and it's being coy now - hasn't crashed in 4 days.

[Nuke]

try changing your wifi channel. most routers use the first channel by default but i always use the last. if a lot of people are using the channel as you are, your bandwidth starts to drop. you shouldn't have to change anything on the client computers, just the router. could be someone installed another router nearby and this is interfering with your signal.

also try to eliminate sources of electrical noise, like nearby florescent lamps or av/stereo equipment, and large power supplies (including the laptop charger, once had a situation where it caused wifi interference). with both desktops in the house i had to install bigger antennas because the electrical noise of the computer itself caused a lot of interference. microwave sources too will cause you problems (wifi is in the microwave part of the em spectrum).

then there is the obvious, check security settings, re-enter wep/wpa keys. if using wpa make sure the encryption settings match between computer and router (i had to switch from aes to tkip once because one of my network cards didnt support aes though its drivers). also make sure the router supports all the networking standards your using. i got an older b/g router which doesn't work with n hardware, and my router lets me choose b,g, or both (i have both set since i still use b hardware). so make sure this setting reflects the hardware your using.

[TwentyPercentCooler]

Can't say anything for karajorma's problem, but I have tried absolutely everything. I tried every channel on the router, every different security setting that it's capable of, switched between B, G, and B/G, I've gotten 2 brand new N routers that I wound up taking back because they didn't do ANYTHING to fix the problem, I've tried different operating systems, I've switched between Cisco's network software and Windows networking, I've ruled out pretty much any sources of interference...there are no other electronic devices in my room, it's not the microwave, there's no cordless phone, no correlation with weather (seriously, I took a whole month's worth of data where I recorded temperature, humidity, and air quality level, plus kept track of solar output and sunspots)...I've tried moving the router to all the places it's capable of going and I've tried different spots in my room. No matter what I do, sometimes it works and sometimes it just doesn't. I seriously feel like the universe is just screwing with me at this point.

I'm at the end of my bloody rope. I try to have a good sense of humor about it, though.

I hope yours isn't this fickle, karajorma. 

[LHN91]

I had one system that refused to connect to a router unless another system in the same room (Usually my laptop) had connected to it in the last 2 minutes. It was weird. Sometimes hardware just likes to be that way.

[Nuke]

you guys havent by chance updated your firmware have you? my router acted like crap before i upped its firmware. and now its rock solid provided it doesnt overheat.

[Mongoose]

My current wireless card sometimes flakes the hell out for seemingly no reason whatsoever.  I swear it sometimes gets far better/worse reception depending on the weather, too.

[jr2]

Well the antenna is inside the laptop so that would require taking it apart.

Mmm, well there should be an access port on the bottom.  The wires will come down inside from around the display and end up in a add-on slot on the bottom.  If they come off or become loose from the card, that might cause some oddness.  But as I said, probably not as you can see the other routers around you.

[karajorma]

.....And this morning on boot up, without me doing anything, it just started working again.

WTF!

[redsniper]

.....And this morning on boot up, without me doing anything, it just started working again.

WTF!

The joys of computer troubleshooting...

[headdie]

the joys of the self solving fault, lets just hope its a one off and no the start of an intermittent problem

[jr2]

.....And this morning on boot up, without me doing anything, it just started working again.

WTF!

Gotta love that.  Intermittent problems are a --tch to troubleshoot. 

the joys of the self solving fault, lets just hope its a one off and no the start of an intermittent problem

Yes... let's..