Limited wifi with Windows 8.1

Slaacer

Ok this is getting at me know as I know this is another of windows issues...

when I select my wifi network it works when I am really close to the UPC box or my netgear extender but as I move to my shed it says limited and I can't access the internet.

It's not the range as I have my work HP and no problem with connecting from my shed, I tried with my wife Acer laptop and no problem either there. But with my Lenovo I have this problem.

I un-ticked the option in the Power Management to 'allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' so to keep the connection. and I did a driver update on my network card 'broadcom 802.11n' but I have the lasted version.

This is really irritating and I think it is a small issue but can't find how to resolve it. hence this call for help

maki

It's almost certainly a range issue. All wireless cards are not made equal. It also depends on how they've routed the antenna through the chassis. One of my phones refuses to work from the top floor of my house, but every other device does.

There's unlikely to be anything you can do from a software point of view. Either move the router or get a range extender.

Slaacer

thank you for your response. I have already a netgear 2000RPT which gives me a solid 30Mbps down and 10 up.

the type of network card could be a reason in terms of its effectiveness but even in the house it's not brilliant on that lenovo

davo2001

Completely uninstall and reinstall the WLAN adaptor using the manufacturer of the adaptors drivers, not Windows drivers. What's the specs of the WLAN card?

Slaacer

I think it's this broadcom 802.11n ? I'll see if I can find out more

Slaacer

installed the Netgear Genie and it shows a good signal strenght from the netgear wn2000 rpt and also from directly from the UPC box.

Althought it shows that good signal it still mark it as limited on the lenovo PC whereas on the HP same signal strength and connect no problem - both on Windows 8.1

so frustrating now

Slaacer

update - even in the house next to the netgear extender I get limited on the lenovo so it definitely not the range but this pc

RossieMan

Have you opened it up and ensured both cables are in the wireless card properly?

You'd be surprised how often this happens.

Slaacer

Update
swapped the netgear range extender WN2000 rpt as recommended by the netgear tech support - set it up and surely enough get Limited on both my laptop on 8.1

can't check with my older laptop on win 7 as its power adapter is dead now.

so it's not the laptops - one is top of the range A10- 2.1Ghz, 12Gb Ram, 1TB HD HP and the other is a intel processor 4Gb ram lenovo.

it's definitely something between netgear extender and window 8.1... but what?

leoloewin

Hi, Does your problem remain? I have a lenovo on win 8.1 also using upc and very often limited availabliy of internet while others in the house with their devices have no limitations. The range is full but still can't connect to the web. I had a levovo on win 7 before with a similar issue and there this was related to the ip certificate from 6 to 4 and then I had no problems. But haven't worked out the issue on this newer machine yet. Any more success?

Overheal

Don't assume its the OS at fault, and not the drivers or the hardware.

One thing you haven't mentioned doing is going to the product page for the laptop on Lenovo's site to look for drivers and software updates. The Windows OS will only detect driver updates if the OEM reports/files/certifies them in such a way (which is, obviously, less than 100% of cases) and its never ever going to detect things like BIOS updates, which naturally have a LOT to do with hardware stability. Explore these options.

eg. Windows update never told me about half these updates:

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-yoga-series-laptops/thinkpad-yoga