Wifi Connectivity - Computer issue or router?
December 13, 2016 6:46 AM Subscribe
My laptop is dropping my internet connect - wondering if this is my computer issue or my internet connect (router, etc).
I will be the first to admit, I have limited knowledge of computers (while I am not a total noobie, I don't feel comfortable messing around with BIOS settings, etc).
I got rid of cable two years ago and have my old laptop hooked up to my TV and I watch everything from my laptop and watch it on my tv via a HDMI cable.
Everything was working fine, accept a few months ago. Now when I am watching something on tv (Netflix or other online streaming), I notice that I lose my wifi signal (I get an "x" in the wifi icon in my system tray).
I am wondering if this is an issue with my laptop - its losing the signal - or could it be an issue with my router (i have a high speed fiber op connection). Is there anyway that I can check?
Thanks in advance!
I will be the first to admit, I have limited knowledge of computers (while I am not a total noobie, I don't feel comfortable messing around with BIOS settings, etc).
I got rid of cable two years ago and have my old laptop hooked up to my TV and I watch everything from my laptop and watch it on my tv via a HDMI cable.
Everything was working fine, accept a few months ago. Now when I am watching something on tv (Netflix or other online streaming), I notice that I lose my wifi signal (I get an "x" in the wifi icon in my system tray).
I am wondering if this is an issue with my laptop - its losing the signal - or could it be an issue with my router (i have a high speed fiber op connection). Is there anyway that I can check?
Thanks in advance!
In my experience, routers go bad much more frequently than the wifi in the laptop. If it were me I would probably just buy another router and see if it fixes the problem.
Do you have an ethernet cable? When the wifi drops plug your laptop directly into your router and see if the internet works.
Do you have a second device that uses wifi? When the wifi drops try and access the wifi from the second device.
posted by gregr at 8:13 AM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Do you have an ethernet cable? When the wifi drops plug your laptop directly into your router and see if the internet works.
Do you have a second device that uses wifi? When the wifi drops try and access the wifi from the second device.
posted by gregr at 8:13 AM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
How often does this happen? If it happens reliably, let's say, every hour, go to a coffee shop and play a video in the background while you work of surf the web for two hours. If you drop the connection, it's more likely to be the laptop.
Interference may play a role here as well. The standard 2.4Ghz wifi spectrum is very crowded, which (I think) can lead to drops. Many routers allow you to change the channel your Wifi operates on to minimize this interference.
posted by cnc at 9:43 AM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Interference may play a role here as well. The standard 2.4Ghz wifi spectrum is very crowded, which (I think) can lead to drops. Many routers allow you to change the channel your Wifi operates on to minimize this interference.
posted by cnc at 9:43 AM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you live in an apartment building you might be experiencing interference from competing WiFi networks. When my router died I bought the Google OnHub router, which has seemed to fight off the other networks (sorry, neighbors!)
posted by My Dad at 9:51 AM on December 13, 2016
posted by My Dad at 9:51 AM on December 13, 2016
Do you have a smart phone? Try downloading a free wi-fi analyzer app to help diagnose the problem.
posted by Leontine at 10:49 AM on December 13, 2016
posted by Leontine at 10:49 AM on December 13, 2016
when I am watching something on tv (Netflix or other online streaming), I notice that I lose my wifi signal (I get an "x" in the wifi icon in my system tray).
First thing I'd try is having a poke around in the wireless adapter’s settings until you find the thing that says "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power", disable that, then restart Windows.
Information about power management setting on a network adapter
...unless, of course, you've got some "helpful" proprietary OEM-supplied thing managing your wifi adapter. In which case the first thing I'd try is uninstalling that and just letting Windows manage it.
posted by flabdablet at 11:05 AM on December 13, 2016
First thing I'd try is having a poke around in the wireless adapter’s settings until you find the thing that says "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power", disable that, then restart Windows.
Information about power management setting on a network adapter
...unless, of course, you've got some "helpful" proprietary OEM-supplied thing managing your wifi adapter. In which case the first thing I'd try is uninstalling that and just letting Windows manage it.
posted by flabdablet at 11:05 AM on December 13, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
Laptop
Signal itself getting blocked
Wifi router
Internet modem (sometimes the modem/router are just one device)
The easiest thing to do is to connect another device to the wifi and see if it loses connection. Can you run a cable from the modem directly to the laptop and see if your connection stays up or drops?
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 7:56 AM on December 13, 2016