5Ghz WiFi Networks Crash my wlan card (Intel Wireless-AC 9560 160mhz)

ybanezm
ybanezm Member Posts: 5 New User
edited October 2023 in 2020 Archives
When I attempt to connect to a network with a 5Ghz band, my network card crashes and reboots until I convince it to stop connecting to the network. When I say crashes, I mean that I connect, and I watch in DevMgr as the WLAN card literally disappears from the list while it reboots. My home network is a dual-band network with limited configuration options, so when I finally figured out it was the 5Ghz, I set my card to only connect on the 2.4 band and it works...but I paid for more...so....

I've tried everything on this list multiple times: 
Restarting the routers (at home and at work...different brands)
Restarting the notebook
Network Troubleshooter

//everything below was an article on another page....did it all verbaitim

Method 1:

Open a command prompt with Administrator privileges and type:

netsh int ip reset

Reboot

Method 2:

Go to adapter settings /configuration tab and make sure that the computer is NOT allowed to turn-off the WiFi, regardless of the power scheme. Uncheck the box that says something like "Allow the computer to turn this device off to save power"

Method 3:

Open a command prompt with Administrator privileges and type:

netsh int tcp set heuristics disabled

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled

netsh int tcp set global rss=enabled

netsh int tcp show global

Reboot

Method 4:

Open a command prompt with Administrator privileges and type:

netsh winsock reset

Reboot

Method 5:

With the WiFi plugged in, uninstall the device from Device Manager. I chose not to keep the driver files. Open a command prompt with Administrator privileges and type:

netcfg -d

Reboot

Method 6:

if you still have the issue, try this. There is a more detailed Windows article on this somewhere.

Check your Windows event logs -- see if there are any error messages such as

"WLAN Extensibility Module has stopped"

"WLAN Extensibility Module has failed to start"

This is followed by a line displaying the path to the errant module:

Module Path: C:\windows\system32\Rtlihvs.dll

The dll name varies depending on the WiFi chipset you have, I have seen :

athihvs.dll; cscoihvs.dll; bcmihvsrv.dll; IWMSSvc.dll

These modules are "independent hardware vendor" extensions to the 802.11 framework to provide additional functionality.

First try restarting the service provided by this dll:

In Start->Run, type services.msc or get to the services list via the control panel. Examine a line with wlansvc - "WLAN autoconfig" . Change the startup type to "automatic" and restart the service. See if it continues to run.

Reboot. Check if wlansvc is still running.

Method 7 (last resort):

By the time I reached here last night, I was ready to dump Windows for good, which I have on most other computers in my network without anyone noticing.

Make a backup of your registry first.

Then edit the registry (regedit.exe) and

Delete the IHV key and all the values

Reboot

////

Did all the things below independent of the processes outlined above:
Disabling power save mode
Win 10 Network Reset
Updating to latest driver
Rolling back to previous driver
Uninstalling Card completely and reinstalling generic Intel driver
Uninstalling Card completely and reinstalling Acer's Intel driver
Deleting IHVextensions from registry to disable OEM .dlls that I thought might be interfering. 
Testing various 5Ghz band width configurations in the card settings...(20mhz or auto...)

I'm pulling my hair out...any other suggestions? 

Answers

  • brummyfan2
    brummyfan2 ACE Posts: 28,468 Trailblazer
    Hi,
    I think it could be the router, you need a router capable of 160MHz bandwidth, you have said it's only 20MHz or Auto.

  • aphanic
    aphanic Member Posts: 959 Seasoned Specialist WiFi Icon
    Huh... I don't think the router is at fault here, for some reason what OP is describing leads me to believe it could be either the Wireless card / connection path that's faulty, or the current driver in use.

    Could you tell us what driver your card is currently running on? In the device manager double click it and go to the Driver tab, note the date and version of the current one. Also, let me know of the full ID of the card because I don't have any around to do some tests, nor the same system.

    For that, same place, but go to the Details tab instead, choose the property Hardware Ids, the compatible ones are not necessary at this point.

    To be honest it's odd to see such a detailed troubleshooting of a problem (at least for me), would you be open to boot off of a Linux live system in a USB and see if you could connect from there? We'd need an 8GB USB stick, but I could guide you through the procedure.
  • ybanezm
    ybanezm Member Posts: 5 New User
    Current driver is 11/1/2018 version 20.100.0.4
    This is what's listed in the hardware Ids Property:
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086&REV_30
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_028000
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_0280

    I like the idea of a separate OS to try to isolate the card. I have a very generalized idea of how to do it, but I've never worked with linux before, so a walk-through would be helpful. 
    aphanic said:
    Huh... I don't think the router is at fault here, for some reason what OP is describing leads me to believe it could be either the Wireless card / connection path that's faulty, or the current driver in use.

    Could you tell us what driver your card is currently running on? In the device manager double click it and go to the Driver tab, note the date and version of the current one. Also, let me know of the full ID of the card because I don't have any around to do some tests, nor the same system.

    For that, same place, but go to the Details tab instead, choose the property Hardware Ids, the compatible ones are not necessary at this point.

    To be honest it's odd to see such a detailed troubleshooting of a problem (at least for me), would you be open to boot off of a Linux live system in a USB and see if you could connect from there? We'd need an 8GB USB stick, but I could guide you through the procedure.

  • ybanezm
    ybanezm Member Posts: 5 New User
    edited January 2020
    Thanks for your response, however, the configuration you mentioned--"20 mhz or auto" is a configuration within the wlan card properties, not the multiple routers I use at home and at work--those routers do have configuration options for preferred band and band width, etc, although I do find it interesting that no other band options are available within the wlan card properties. 

    Hi,
    I think it could be the router, you need a router capable of 160MHz bandwidth, you have said it's only 20MHz or Auto.


  • ybanezm
    ybanezm Member Posts: 5 New User
    It won't let me edit my comment above-- at some point I've installed, uninstalled, and reinstalled the current version 20.10.2.2 dated 9/17/19 several times to no avail

    ybanezm said:
    Current driver is 11/1/2018 version 20.100.0.4
    This is what's listed in the hardware Ids Property:
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086&REV_30
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_028000
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_0280

    I like the idea of a separate OS to try to isolate the card. I have a very generalized idea of how to do it, but I've never worked with linux before, so a walk-through would be helpful. 
    aphanic said:
    Huh... I don't think the router is at fault here, for some reason what OP is describing leads me to believe it could be either the Wireless card / connection path that's faulty, or the current driver in use.

    Could you tell us what driver your card is currently running on? In the device manager double click it and go to the Driver tab, note the date and version of the current one. Also, let me know of the full ID of the card because I don't have any around to do some tests, nor the same system.

    For that, same place, but go to the Details tab instead, choose the property Hardware Ids, the compatible ones are not necessary at this point.

    To be honest it's odd to see such a detailed troubleshooting of a problem (at least for me), would you be open to boot off of a Linux live system in a USB and see if you could connect from there? We'd need an 8GB USB stick, but I could guide you through the procedure.


  • aphanic
    aphanic Member Posts: 959 Seasoned Specialist WiFi Icon
    ybanezm said:
    Current driver is 11/1/2018 version 20.100.0.4
    This is what's listed in the hardware Ids Property:
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086&REV_30
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_028000
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_0280

    I like the idea of a separate OS to try to isolate the card. I have a very generalized idea of how to do it, but I've never worked with linux before, so a walk-through would be helpful. 
    There's no problem at all, give me a moment to take some screenshots and I'll post some walk-through.

    In the meantime, these seem to be the latest official driver release for your card: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29258/Windows-10-Wi-Fi-Drivers-for-Intel-Wireless-Adapters?product=99446

    In case you haven't tried them yet ;).
  • ybanezm
    ybanezm Member Posts: 5 New User
    aphanic said:
    ybanezm said:
    Current driver is 11/1/2018 version 20.100.0.4
    This is what's listed in the hardware Ids Property:
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086&REV_30
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&SUBSYS_00348086
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_028000
    PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DF0&CC_0280

    I like the idea of a separate OS to try to isolate the card. I have a very generalized idea of how to do it, but I've never worked with linux before, so a walk-through would be helpful. 
    There's no problem at all, give me a moment to take some screenshots and I'll post some walk-through.

    In the meantime, these seem to be the latest official driver release for your card: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29258/Windows-10-Wi-Fi-Drivers-for-Intel-Wireless-Adapters?product=99446

    In case you haven't tried them yet ;).
    i really appreciate your responses and help...so the driver versions and downloads I was getting came from Acer's site with warnings in various places over the web to use OEM drivers over and against intel's generic drivers... I can see that the versions available from intel are several generations advanced beyond what i have. i'm going to try them out and cross my fingers :)
  • aphanic
    aphanic Member Posts: 959 Seasoned Specialist WiFi Icon
    ybanezm said:
    i really appreciate your responses and help...so the driver versions and downloads I was getting came from Acer's site with warnings in various places over the web to use OEM drivers over and against intel's generic drivers... I can see that the versions available from intel are several generations advanced beyond what i have. i'm going to try them out and cross my fingers :)
    Yep, happens all of the time, I think it has to do with different revisions of the hardware and changes the manufacturers make; the drivers they provide are supposed to be tried and tested for the actual hardware and sometimes they don't bother or can't validate newer ones. In the IDs you posted for the card for example, the SUBSYS one is kind of the implementer reference (Acer in this case). VEN is for the vendor, identifies Intel, DEV is for the device, an AC 9560; the rest is specific to the brand.

    The chipset itself is the same, which is why generally you can do with a driver provided by a different vendor; but other times you have to stick to what yours provides. And then there's Windows Update, which sometimes overrides the driver you choose even if the one you installed was newer and properly signed :/.

    As for running Linux, I chose Mint because it's user friendly and their latest release happened not long ago... but still there's no out of the box support for the card in my laptop (an Intel AX201) so I had to take the screenshots in an older machine :expressionless:
    1. Download Linux Mint, the 64-bit Cinnamon edition is what the screenshots are from: https://linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=274
    2. Once you have the ISO file install it to a USB stick using Rufus for example: https://rufus.ie

      First select the USB stick you want from the drop-down menu (hard drives ought to be excluded already) and the ISO image in the SELECT button:



      Click START at the bottom, you'll get asked several questions, all of which can be answered positively (first one is regarding newer bootloader code, the second one is the mode of copying and lastly a warning that everything in the stick will be deleted).

    3. Once that's done you can reboot your computer and boot from the USB drive, it may take a while if done over USB 2.0 but you'll end up in the default Mint desktop:



    4. At the bottom right there could be a Bluetooth icon as well, what we're interested in is the one with the 2 arrows, clicking on it should show the WiFi networks that the card is picking up:



    5. Because this was an old computer it couldn't find 5G WiFis but if there are inbox drivers for your card you ought to see them there too. Pick the one you want and input the password in the dialog that appears. Keep in mind that by default the keyboard layout is set to US English I believe, but you have a "Show password" button there as well.

      The redness you'll see in the dialog while typing indicates you haven't reached the minimum length for a protected WiFi (8 chars I think?), nothing to worry about.

    6. If you're successfully connected  you'll see the following notification at the top right, and you can start testing the thing with Firefox (3rd icon at the bottom left). When you're done just like in Windows there're shutdown and reboot icons in the main menu.


    And that's it, hopefully there are drivers for your card in Mint out of the box, otherwise we could try with a different distribution (Arch based maybe?); and hopefully the card behaves perfectly too, which would rule out a hardware problem.

    If everything works as expected then whatever is wrong must be either the driver in Windows, or some program interfering over there... but I'm afraid diagnosing that other than reinstalling Windows may not be worthy (time-wise).