Wireless having trouble getting initial connection

[jiggy1965]

My laptop has trouble connecting to any wireless network after I start it up. In general it fails to connect automatically. I them have to try several times manually by clicking on the wifi icon and choosing the available network. It doesn't matter if it's at home or when I'm with my family, so it's not my router's problem. The first few minutes I have to repeatedly try manually connecting to my wifi. After a while and several attempts it finally connects and I can internet problem free. It never fails. I never lose connection. The next time I start up my laptop, automatic connection fails again and I have to do several attempts to connect manually. Until it either connects by itself or when my manual attempt is succesful. Then, when finally connected, everything works fine again. So I assume my network card is ok, otherwise it would also fail or at least it would disconnect every now and then when that was broken.

So my question, why does this first connecting fails often for my laptop? What can make manual attempts to connect fail the first few minutes, but once connected continue to work fine? What could I check? My other netbook, apple and iphone all connect immediately by themselves once they are turned on. It's just my laptop on which automatic connection often fails. And not just at home, but on every other location where I want to connect to wifi. I have to do several attempts manually until it finally connects.

Anyone got some suggestions where to look? Or knows what could cause this initial connection to fail?

[Boris]

Just a very long shot .............. is the internal wireless card fully pushed home in its slot, or has it somehow worked a bit loose ?

Possibly, as your laptop seems to connect OK when it has warmed up, it has crept a bit ???

[jiggy1965]

I don't know. Would have to have someone open it and check for it. But wouldn't it occasionally disconnect then too? Once it connects after a few manual attempts it stays connected. Stays working until I reboot. Then 'automatic' doesn't work again and I have to do a few manual attempts until it finally does.

I've tried restoring the broadcom 802.11n driver to it's default one at the Acer's website. That helpt a bit. Most of the time it connects automatically. A few times I still have to try manually, which sometimes fails, giving me the 'troubleshooter' popup. But the number of attempts has lowered a bit. Also most of the time it stays on wifi even when the screensaver was on. Before when I 'woke it up' again, the connection too would be lost and I had to connect manually again. Now the wifi icon stayed on after waking up.

Also: the wifi icon after startup says my router's connection is 'excellent' (or any router I happen to want to connect to for that matter). The wifi icon's bar is fully green. So I'm guessing the card most be fine and fully inserted anyway? It's just the first attempt to connect automatically fails often and the first few manual attempts too. Downgrading the driver helpt somewhat. Also tried turning off the virusscanner, but that didn't do anything.

Any more places I could check I haven't thought of?

[bludgard]

Is the machine an HP or Compaq? These tend to run hot between the CPU and IGP (integrated graphics card) and the solder tends to fracture. One of the first signs of this can be internittent wireless connectivity and/or wireless card not being recognized sometimes. Then the machine will boot to a black screen or not at all.

Hope this is not the case but are there any error mrssages related in Event Viewer?

Can you post the hardware specifications of the machine or at least the exact make/model?

Thanks

To check the fitting of the sound card; there should be a small door on the bottom of the lappy with a screw or two that when removed will reveal the card.

[jiggy1965]

It's an Acer Aspire 7715Z. When it finally connects after a few manual attempts, it stays connected. No failure after that at all. Until it goes starts the screensaver and I wake it up again. Then the wifi icon is grey again and sometimes it finds and connects wifi but often I have to try manual again. Or it will stay connected until the next day I start it up again. When it connects it stays connected without failure. The wireless card I suppose is recognized. It also finds the wifi signal and indicates it's 'excellent' with a fully green wifi icon. But trying to connect often fails the first few minutes. It's just this first connection that often fails. Everything else, finding the card, finding the wifi signal, stay connected once a manual attempt succeeds, that all works fine. Also haven't had a black screen. The event viewer logfile didn't show any clues other than while trying to connect the message that it was unable to connect. Same message I get when a manual attempt fails and I try the troubleshooter. It just says it was unable to connect and after examining through the troubleshooter finally suggest to search windows help.

There are several doors at the bottom. Will have to look at the specifications which one contains the card, but I'll try that too.

[bludgard]

Go to Device Manager > double-click the wireless device > Power Management > untick Allow the computer to turn off this device .... > save changes.

See if that helps.