Acer Aspire E5-511 Windows 8.1 Wifi disconnecting frequently

habfan9
habfan9 Member Posts: 14

Tinkerer

edited October 2023 in 2020 Archives
Ready to throw this laptop across the room! Whenever someone else is using wifi and browsing at my house on a different device, my laptop's wifi disconnects and often doesn't reconnect by itself. I usually have to click on airplane mode, wait for a minute, then turn it off, click my network and click "connect". Acer Software which I installed and ran on it says everything is updated. Do I need a new wifi card or something? Thanks

Best Answer

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    OK. This confirms that your wifi adapter is a single band 2.4GHz card. Meaning It doesn't support newer 5GHz band which your other devices are probably using. You have two options. (1) Set the router to 2.4GHz-only send/receive and hope the other newer devices auto downshift to 2.4GHz. (2) Try to replace the adapter with a dual band card. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

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Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    First try re-positioning the router's antennae and moving them away from any metal objects.  Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Respectfully, I don't think that has anything to do with my laptop in particular. There are several laptops and chromebooks and phones in my house, and none of them have the problems that I do with this Acer Aspire. None of them drop wifi like mine does. Theirs - never, mine - daily (sometimes every 2 minutes). 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    edited April 2020
    Where are the other laptops located relative to the router? If possible, temporarily exchange locations of one of the laptops that doesn't drop with the one that drops.  Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    It has nothing to do with that. Our laptops are taken all over the house and it doesn't matter where mine is at all, it still acts the same, as the others do as well. 
  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Let's get to the meat of the problem - either it's a software problem or a hardware problem within my laptop. 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    OK. Open DeviceManager. Click 'network adapters' folder. Right click on the wifi adapter. Click properties. Click advanced tab. Click preferred band. Change from no preference to 2.4GHz. If that doesn't resolve the issue, then try the 5GHz. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Thanks for that Jack. I have a Qualcomm Atheros AR956x Wireless Network Adaptor in this laptop.
    So this is what my network adapter says: 
    802.11b Preamble ---Value: Long and Short
    AdHoc 11n ---Value: Disable
    Network Address ---Value: Not Present
    Receive Buffers ---Value: 256
    Scan Valid Interval ---Value: 60
    Transmit Buffers ---Value: 512
    I could not locate where the preferred band was.
    Thanks again for your help. 
  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Also, it says my driver is up to date. Version 10.0.0.285 from 2014-02-14 Tried to update it but it says it is up to date. 
  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Windows 8.1
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    Open DeviceManager again. Click 'network adapters' folder. Right click on the wifi adapter. Click properties. Click advanced tab. If possible, please post a screenshot of the Advanced tab setup and property box. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    FYI my wireless cut out X 10 during the attempts to send this post.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    OK. This confirms that your wifi adapter is a single band 2.4GHz card. Meaning It doesn't support newer 5GHz band which your other devices are probably using. You have two options. (1) Set the router to 2.4GHz-only send/receive and hope the other newer devices auto downshift to 2.4GHz. (2) Try to replace the adapter with a dual band card. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Okay thanks.  Can you please recommend a card for me? I think I should upgrade it. Amazon?
  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    Hi Jack, ready to purchase... just wondering if I should instead get the newer version of this card? Here's a comparison of the two cards from the Intel website: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=83635,75439 the discontinued 7260 and the 7265.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    Make sure it's the same m.2 2230 form factor. The m.2 1216 won't fit. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    The Product Brief says: "Multiple form-factors, including M.2 2230 and M.2 1216 modules enable system configuration and platform usages flexibility. The M.2 1216 form factor delivers 70% smaller footprint and lower profile optimized for thin-and-light designs." So that means that it will fit? 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    No. The 2230 is 22mm wide by 30mm long.  The 1216 is 12mm wide by 16mm long. Your socket is 22 mm wide, not 12 mm. Ignore the product brief hype aimed at laptop mainboard designers. Just get the 2230 that'll fit in the mainboard you have. :)     Jack E/NJ


    Jack E/NJ

  • habfan9
    habfan9 Member Posts: 14

    Tinkerer

    I was interpreting it to mean that it will fit both/either size. So, to confirm, will the 7265 fit? https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/83635/intel-dual-band-wireless-ac-7265.html
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 45,172 Trailblazer
    No. The 7265 is available in two different sizes. The 2280 size and 1216 size. You want the 2280 size. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ