[blueisthecolour]

Hi,

I bought a new Acer Aspire E1 laptop back in december and have been experiencing some internet problems. Basically what happens is that when browsing (Firefox) I will suddenly be unable to open any new pages - it will attempt for a while before coming back that there is no connection. At this point I will also lose connection to my e-mail client. The only way to resolve this is to reset my machine, upon which everything will be fine. This happens to me once or twice a day (depending on amount of use).

To clarify the situation, I'm connecting to the internet via wifi to my Virgin Media 'superhub'. The hub itself is fine as i'm still able to browse over wifi on other devices when my laptop goes 'down'. I am sure that i'm still connected to the hub as well during this period as the control panel shows a connection and I can still stream videos to my PS3. Actually oddly enough I'm even able to download torrents during this period without any issue so I definitely still have a connection.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what this might be?

Cheers

Edit - I'm using Windows 8.

[Stig]

What security suite are you using? Any odd firewall or proxy?

Have you tried just disabling the wireless adaptor and then re-enabling it?

[blueisthecolour]

Originally Posted by Stig

What security suite are you using? Any odd firewall or proxy?

Have you tried just disabling the wireless adaptor and then re-enabling it?

I'm using Avast.

I have Windows firewall activated. Thinking about it I turned that off on my last machine. Should I do so again?

When you say disable the adaptor, do you mean just turning the wifi off and on again? I've done that before and it fixes the problem about 1 in 10 times.

[Stig]

No, don't disable Windows Firewall.

Have you tried updating the driver for the wireless adaptor? Check the Acer website.

[blueisthecolour]

Originally Posted by Stig

No, don't disable Windows Firewall.

Have you tried updating the driver for the wireless adaptor? Check the Acer website.

It said that I had the latest version but I downloaded a new driver anyway. Lets see if that fixes it.

[Desolate one]

Can you post the results from an ipconfig /all for review.

Also download xirrus from the link below:
http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx

Run the program and let it open up and display wireless networks.

Take a screenshot by pressing alt+PrtSc and open up paint and choose paste from the menu and click paste and save it to pictures or desktop.

Use imageshack or photbucket upload the screenshot to there.

Click on img link then right click and choose copy and paste into your next reply.

This will give us an idea on signal strength and if any channel interference.

[alanwarwic]

Considering the email loses connection then the wifi has an intermittent problem.

I'd check both for a firmware update the the superhub and for some official newer drivers for the Wifi.
Its also possible that settings in the laptop can set the Wifi to 'full power, no power saving.'
You could even try G mode with N turned off.

[barky99]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

I'm using Avast.

I have Windows firewall activated. Thinking about it I turned that off on my last machine. Should I do so again?

had same troubles with win7 x64, avast (free) & windows firewall ... was having problems like you and had to reset windows firewall to default settings every day! .... my solution? get rid of avast & use something else

[RobinOfLoxley]

Also, try a USB wifi dongle as backup/alternative connection. Can be found for £5.
They are plug'n'play. Just enter SSID and password in the setup. Useful to have.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?pws=...sb+wifi+dongle

[Stig]

Originally Posted by RobinOfLoxley

Also, try a USB wifi dongle as backup/alternative connection. Can be found for £5.
They are plug'n'play. Just enter SSID and password in the setup. Useful to have.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?pws=...sb+wifi+dongle

I was asked to look at a Toshiba notebook that had intermittent wifi problems. After several people trying all sorts of options, a £15 USB wifi adaptor solved the problem.

[blueisthecolour]

Originally Posted by Desolate one

Can you post the results from an ipconfig /all for review.

Also download xirrus from the link below:
http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx

Run the program and let it open up and display wireless networks.

Take a screenshot by pressing alt+PrtSc and open up paint and choose paste from the menu and click paste and save it to pictures or desktop.

Use imageshack or photbucket upload the screenshot to there.

Click on img link then right click and choose copy and paste into your next reply.

This will give us an idea on signal strength and if any channel interference.

Hi - apologies for the delay, i've only just had the chance to do this.

Imagine of wifi test - http://flic.kr/p/dX9wS7

I'm not sure how to show you ipconfig/all - could you walk me through it?

The only thing that confuses me about it being a wifi problem is that I remain connected to the wifi and able to download torrents.

Believe it or not I do kind of work in IT . . . . . .

[barky99]

a few un-encrypted wifi connections there ... computer might be hunting between them locking onto strongest signal?

[Desolate one]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

Hi - apologies for the delay, i've only just had the chance to do this.

Imagine of wifi test - http://flic.kr/p/dX9wS7

I'm not sure how to show you ipconfig/all - could you walk me through it?

The only thing that confuses me about it being a wifi problem is that I remain connected to the wifi and able to download torrents.

Believe it or not I do kind of work in IT . . . . . .

From the xirrus screenshot you have no signal or channel interference issues.

To do an ipconfig /all please do the following:

Go to start>programs>accessories>command prompt and type:

ipconfig /all press enter

Right click in an area of the command prompt and choose select all and then paste into your next reply.

You are downloading torrents on the probmatic Laptop?

[blueisthecolour]

Originally Posted by Desolate one

From the xirrus screenshot you have no signal or channel interference issues.

To do an ipconfig /all please do the following:

Go to start>programs>accessories>command prompt and type:

ipconfig /all press enter

Right click in an area of the command prompt and choose select all and then paste into your next reply.

You are downloading torrents on the probmatic Laptop?

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
(c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\*****>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : *****
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 86-4B-F5-4E-5F-11
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter WiFi:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 84-4B-F5-4E-5F-11
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::41f9:8901:5df1:38cf%13(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.4(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 23 February 2013 09:59:18
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 23 February 2013 18:59:34
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 327437301
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-17-CC-37-6E-B8-88-E3-56-0E-1D

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 194.168.4.100
194.168.8.100
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B8-88-E3-56-0E-1D
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:953c:47a:3e47:3f57:fffb(Prefe
rred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::47a:3e47:3f57:fffb%17(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{364215A8-998D-4687-92D6-9CAE366EA830}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\******>

[Desolate one]

The torrents are you downloading using the probmatic Laptop?

No problems in the ipconfig /all i can see.

[blueisthecolour]

Originally Posted by Desolate one

The torrents are you downloading using the probmatic Laptop?

No problems in the ipconfig /all i can see.

Yes, I use Bitcomet to download torrents with the laptop. Though obviously not all the time and the fault happens whether it running or not.

[Desolate one]

Something to be aware of with programs like bitcomet and or torrent clients is when you close them they still run in the background so uploading will be taking place even if not downloading when you closed them did you use the exit command rather than close?

[Stig]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

Wireless LAN adapter WiFi:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 84-4B-F5-4E-5F-11
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::41f9:8901:5df1:38cf%13(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.4(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 23 February 2013 09:59:18
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 23 February 2013 18:59:34
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 327437301
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-17-CC-37-6E-B8-88-E3-56-0E-1D

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 194.168.4.100
194.168.8.100
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Isn't that DNS setting a bit odd? It's normally the same as the default gateway, and it's not even on the same subnet.

[Desolate one]

No stig they are correct DNS servers for Virginmedia all is well with that.

It is always better to use the ISP's DNS servers if known rather than pointing to the router ip address.

Of course they will be in a different subnet that is typical.

[Stig]

Originally Posted by Desolate one

No stig they are correct DNS servers for Virginmedia all is well with that.

It is always better to use the ISP's DNS servers if known rather than pointing to the router ip address.

Of course they will be in a different subnet that is typical.

OK, I've learned something as Virgin obviously works differently from ADSL broadband.

[Desolate one]

If it is an ISP supplied router it should show their DNS servers whether fibre or ADSL it is usually when using a third party router that the router ip shows as DNS unless configured with the ISP DNS servers.

It is preferable to use ISP DNS servers no need for extra lookup time in translating from private to Public ip addresses it can be probmatic in rare cases and not work so well as having the ISP DNS servers configured in the router.

[blueisthecolour]

Originally Posted by Desolate one

Something to be aware of with programs like bitcomet and or torrent clients is when you close them they still run in the background so uploading will be taking place even if not downloading when you closed them did you use the exit command rather than close?

Yes, I did realize that but only recently. I do close them with the exist command now.

The problem is still happening to any further advice would be appreciated.

[Stig]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

The problem is still happening to any further advice would be appreciated.

Are you able to run a test with a wired connection?

[Desolate one]

Agree with stig a test using a wired connection is needed this will indicate whether it is a general network/internet issue or just a wireless issue.

[Kolin Klingon]

Sorry I scanned the title too quickly and got:

"Internet problems with Jewish laptop"