Why does my network adapter have to be reset so often?

[Naio]

I'm running windows 7 starter.

Most times, not every time, when I connect to a wifi network (say, at a campground), and then later I connect to my phone's hotspot, the computer connects to the hotspot ok but then says 'no internet access'. I run the troubleshooter, and it almost always finds the same problem: It needs to reset the wireless network adapter. It does that, and then it's fine. But the whole process takes about 10 minutes.

This has happened with two different model phones and numerous wifi systems.

Anybody have any ideas for a more permanent solution?

[Naio]

AllegroD wrote:

What phone and android version do you have?

& what carrier?

Huh, I replied early but it didn't post.

Multiple phones and versions of android. Tmobile, and yes, I called them first :).

[AllegroD]

Sorry about the iPhone comments. Somehow I thought that was the hotspot.

What phone and android version do you have?

& what carrier?

[Naio]

I sure do appreciate you guys' help with this! When I first posted, I assumed it was a known problem, happens to everyone, with a known solution. But I see it is gnarly.

[Naio]

New data:

Getting rid of the IVP6 didn't help.

I had trouble connecting again, and did the release/renew. I got an error message because I had a typo. But, while I was messing with that, the computer connected. Sometimes it is just very slow to connect, although usually if it takes that long it just never works (I have let it try for up to an hour.)

Answering your questions:

AllegroD wrote:
This looks good.

Is this when you are having problems connecting? How does the iphone handle multiple possible connections?

No, that was when it was fine.

There are no Apple products involved with this, if it matters. The 'puter is windows and the phones are both android.

The phone does not need to handle multiple computers connecting because it is set to only allow authorised computers... and mine is the only one authorised.

Naio wrote:
This has happened with two different model phones and numerous wifi systems.

Your OP seems to state that the computer is actually connecting to the hotspot. Does it get an IP? Can you connect if you USB tether?

It connects, but half the time it requires the reset before connecting.

On your iPhone, with the hotspot, open Network preferences. Do you see that Airport has YELLOW indicator as apposed to GREEN. Does it display "No IP Adderss".

How long do you wait for the computer to connect to the laptop and to acquire an IP? I am hearing that on iOS6, it takes 2-3 minutes for some connections to complete with an IP and internet connection.

Try turning the airplane mode ON wait a couple of seconds then turn it OFF again, then turn on the personal hotspot. his will should reset the chip or the state of iOS network.

Not sure how to translate this into non-apple language.

The computer's internal modem is always on. The computer connects to the phone fine ('connected to network') but not thru the phone to the web ('no internet access'). As said above, when it hangs I have let it try for up to an hour, but it usually will not complete until reset. Sometimes, yes.

magicbus wrote:

mrgrim007 wrote:

When did OP say they were "able to connect effortlessly to any wireless access point and reach the Internet"? The OP did say "This has happened with two different model phones and numerous wifi systems."

Effortless with any I have tried ;).

I apparently missed the post where the OP said that it happens only when he tries to connect to his phone hotspot after disconnecting from a non-cell wifi access point.

I do think that is key. If the most recent usage was thru the phone, it connects every time.

And I am a girl :).

[AllegroD]

This looks good.

Is this when you are having problems connecting? How does the iphone handle multiple possible connections?

Naio wrote:
then later I connect to my phone's hotspot, the computer connects to the hotspot ok but then says 'no internet access'. I run the troubleshooter, and it almost always finds the same problem: It needs to reset the wireless network adapter. It does that, and then it's fine. But the whole process takes about 10 minutes.

This has happened with two different model phones and numerous wifi systems.

Your OP seems to state that the computer is actually connecting to the hotspot. Does it get an IP? Can you connect if you USB tether?

On your iPhone, with the hotspot, open Network preferences. Do you see that Airport has YELLOW indicator as apposed to GREEN. Does it display "No IP Adderss".

How long do you wait for the computer to connect to the laptop and to acquire an IP? I am hearing that on iOS6, it takes 2-3 minutes for some connections to complete with an IP and internet connection.

Try turning the airplane mode ON wait a couple of seconds then turn it OFF again, then turn on the personal hotspot. his will should reset the chip or the state of iOS network.

[magicbus]

mrgrim007 wrote:

When did OP say they were "able to connect effortlessly to any wireless access point and reach the Internet"? The OP did say "This has happened with two different model phones and numerous wifi systems."

Well I guess it was this post from the OP that confused me (emphasis added):

"The problem only occurs when connecting to my phone hotspot, which is normally inches away from the laptop. Would antenna strength really be a factor?

Why do I have this problem with multiple phone hotspots but not with regular wifi's?"

I apparently missed the post where the OP said that it happens only when he tries to connect to his phone hotspot after disconnecting from a non-cell wifi access point.

Dave

[Naio]

Heh, I love how the forum software puts those winkies in there!

They are : e, if anyone needs to know. I didn't have the heart to insert spaces in the original.

[Naio]

Thanks, magicbus :). I THOUGHT the cmd box had a copy function, but I couldn't remember what it was. Secret menu!

Here ya guys go:

---

Windows IP Configuration

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 3:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #
2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 48-5D-60-54-97-71
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 48-5D-60-54-97-71
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.7(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, February 25, 2015 8:00:36 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, February 25, 2015 9:00:36 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.43.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR8132 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Contro
ller (NDIS 6.20)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : BC-AE-C5-05-D2-FE
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{CF2FEE54-8798-4A45-B61A-2A140663369E}:

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

Tunnel adapter isatap.{2C72A040-3F6F-41DB-9C0C-6E898851900D}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{24B12CE6-1B67-4C8F-869D-EE9F38EEC4B5}:

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

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

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. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:90d7:30b2:7b56:53c7:e0b2(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::30b2:7b56:53c7:e0b2%13(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

---

[mrgrim007]

magicbus wrote:
I am still confused why the ipconfig commands for release and renew are any different than having Windows reset the adapter - just a lot easier.

I am also confused as to how this eliminates the phone if the PC is able to connect effortlessly to any wireless access point and reach the Internet except when connecting through the phone.

Regarding cutting and pasting from a command window... you need to right-click on the top border of the window and click Edit->Mark and then select the area you want to copy and then left-click on the top border and click Edit->Copy.

Dave

OP said that resetting the adapter takes 10 minutes. The ipconfig commands shouldn't take more than 10 seconds. Resetting the adapter does more than just release/renew the IP address. Creating a batch file to do this (if needed) would be even easier and faster.

It looks like the PC isn't releasing and renewing the IP address automatically like it should. Forcing it to via a command prompt seems to work.

When did OP say they were "able to connect effortlessly to any wireless access point and reach the Internet"? The OP did say "This has happened with two different model phones and numerous wifi systems."

Have they tried switching between two or more different wifi access points (besides the phone)? My guess is that they would have the same problem if they did. Meaning, it's not the phone, it's the PC's ability to release/renew the IP address.

I'm sure after moving to a different campground it works fine. Shutting down the PC, traveling, and then connecting to a new wifi system gives the PC time to "release" the IP address.

[magicbus]

I am still confused why the ipconfig commands for release and renew are any different than having Windows reset the adapter - just a lot easier.

I am also confused as to how this eliminates the phone if the PC is able to connect effortlessly to any wireless access point and reach the Internet except when connecting through the phone.

Regarding cutting and pasting from a command window... you need to right-click on the top border of the window and click Edit->Mark and then select the area you want to copy and then left-click on the top border and click Edit->Copy.

Dave

[AllegroD]

No. You will not lose your internet permanently. As I said, the network adaptor will rebuild itself when you restart the computer.

DO
1. ipconfig/all > c:\test.txt
2. Go to your C:\ and open the test.txt file.
3. copy and paste the text to here.

Note: you can alter the MAC address and IP if it makes you want.

[Naio]

Thank you, folks!!!

Ourhomeonwheels wrote:
I had that problem with Win7. Try opening the Network Sharing Center. Open change adapter settings and then open the properties screen. If you see 2 Internet Protocol Versions selected (IVP4, IVP6) try unselecting the IVP6.

Yes, it had 6 and 4. I unselected 6 and will see how that goes :).

mrgrim007 wrote:
Now I think we can rule out the phone as being the problem.

Do you have a third party firewall running? Not the Windows firewall but something like Symantec or AVG? Or a security suite of some sort? You can try disabling that and see if that helps. Or update the software to the latest version.

What do you have for antivirus software?

Avast, just the antivirus, not the firewall. Updated automatically, at least daily (sometimes more often).

Otherwise one solution might be to create a batch file to run those IP commands for you when you're having problems connecting. All you would have to do is double click an icon to run the commands. Not really a fix but a workaround.

Ok.

AllegroD wrote:
Do an "ipconfig/all" and post the results.

Well, it spews out a lot of stuff :). Is there a way to copypaste from the DOS window, or do I have to save to file (and how do I?)

I used Macs until Windows. Never learned DOS.

An external USB wifi adapter would also give a clue as to whether ther is something physically or even driver is wrong with the internal card. Have you tried reseating the aircard and ensuring the antenna wires are securley attached? Though, if the computer works well with a router, than physical is not likely the problem.

Yeah, it' works fine with every thing that is not a phone. And it's a laptop, so the card is not accessible without complete disassembly, I don't think..

Have you gone to device manager and removed the network driver? It will rebuild at restart.

This scares the &*%# out of me! Will it really rebuild, or will I be stuck internetless? Laptops cost more to repair than to buy new... and neither one is cheap.


Thanks again, all of you.

[AllegroD]

Do an "ipconfig/all" and post the results.

An external USB wifi adapter would also give a clue as to whether ther is something physically or even driver is wrong with the internal card. Have you tried reseating the aircard and ensuring the antenna wires are securley attached? Though, if the computer works well with a router, than physical is not likely the problem.

Have you gone to device manager and removed the network driver? It will rebuild at restart.

[mrgrim007]

Now I think we can rule out the phone as being the problem.

Do you have a third party firewall running? Not the Windows firewall but something like Symantec or AVG? Or a security suite of some sort? You can try disabling that and see if that helps. Or update the software to the latest version.

What do you have for antivirus software?

Like the previous post says, disabling IPv6 might take care of it. I tend to turn it off anyway.

Otherwise one solution might be to create a batch file to run those IP commands for you when you're having problems connecting. All you would have to do is double click an icon to run the commands. Not really a fix but a workaround.