Wireless Networking → Connection Issue WRT54GS w/ Intel 2915ABG

Here is the problem that I am having:

I recently bought a new laptop and it came with an Intel 2915ABG wireless card. I am currently using a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router in my apartment. The router is probably only 15 ft from where I usually use my laptop. I have the latest firmware for the router and the latest drivers for the wireless card.

While I am connected to my router my connection speed will unexpectedly drop from 54mbps to 24mbps(sometimes lower) and the connection will freeze(no activity) for 5-10 seconds. It will then start working again and go up to 54mbps. It will then continue to keep dropping the connection periodically, basically repeating what I just described above. I have tried changing the security settings, switching from WEP to WPA but it made no tangible difference. WPA seemed slightly better, but the problem still occurred. I have also tried increasing the "transmit power" on the Intel 2915 to the max and that does not make a difference either.

I am almost positive that it is not an interference issue. I can have my other laptop, a Toshiba w/ an Atheros wireless card, side by side with my new laptop and the new laptop will keep having this connection problem while the Toshiba will keep a perfect connection. In fact, the Toshiba w/ the Atheros card has never ever given me any problems, always a rock solid connection.

Does anyone else have this exact setup(Intel 2915ABG w/ Linksys WRT54GS) and have no problems at all? If yes, and other people have no problems with this same setup, is there a problem with my wireless card? The laptop manufacturer has offered to swap out the Intel card with a new Atheros ABG card, should I try this? Or is the Intel a better card?

If the Intel is a better card and it is the router causing the problem should I just get a new router? Does anyone know of a router that will work flawlessly with the 2915ABG card? Or do I have a defective wireless card?

I have looked all over the place concerning this issue but I am having trouble isolating the exact problem/solution(although I am thinking it is the router, I can't be sure because it works fine with my Toshiba). I desperately need some help from someone who knows about this stuff.

Any and all help with this problem is greatly appreciated. I will be more than happy to post system information/settings if that will help determine my problem.

Thanks

I have a 2915 and a WRT54G and I also notice the drops but it doesn't seem to affect usage. I did notice that transferring large files was not successful over the wireless, but worked fine with cat5. I figure it's interference from the phones, ovens and other (mostly unsecured) networks in the building.

I have a similar setup. I have the same router but am using a Broadcom Wireless G NIC. I began to notice that the connection speed would drop occaisionally even though the connection remained "Excellent" in the wireless network window.

It seems that the issue was resolved for me when I changed the channel for the WAP. There are several wireless access points in my area and all were working on the same frequency. I detected this using Network Stumbler and changed to a channel that was not in use.

Voila, fixed.

The 2915ABG is giving me problems too. It seems the the 'centrino' technology means that the card lowers the speed of the connection when usage is low, then raises it when usage is high (somewhat like power management with the Intel processors). If the rate falls to 1mbps, the connection may fail. Don't think you can change this.

The real problem I have found is the signal strength. The Transmit Signal is supposed (per Intel documentation) to be at maximum in the default setting. However, it isn't. If you uncheck the default box, the signal strength rises rapidly. Unfortunately, whenever you log off or shut down, you have to do this again since the setting doesn't stick.

I am hoping Intel will provide updated device drivers soon to correct this obvious bug.

That behavior is standard for wireless networking. The connection will auto-negotiate to lower rates when the signal is weak to improve the quality of the link.

For consistently weak connections where stability is preferred over speed and the lag that sometimes occurs with the negotiation, the transfer rate of the connection can be locked into a lower rate. You can do this at the client end to affect only one device or at the router end to affect all.

Well, yes. When the signal strength is weak, you expect a lower transfer rate. However, when the strength is strong, you would normally expect high speed. No other cards I have used except the Intel centrino ones lower the speed when there is no need.

As noted before, the Intel 2915ABG (and I suspect the 2200 since it uses the same drivers), lowers the connection speed when there is little transfer of information, raising the speed as needed. Unfortunately, if the speed drops to 1mbps, the connection will likely die -- even though there may be very good signal strength.

I have the the Intel 2915ABG and I notice the speed drop also. I am using the Intel PROSet/Wireless utility to manage the card. I can bump the speed up by either turning my antenna off on my laptop momentarily or by turning the RF off and back on using the Intel utility.

I would notice that my adapter would "interupt" momentarily when it found a weak signal coming from my neighbor's wireless. Using the Intel utility, there is a place where you can exclude access points/networks from automatic connection and a place where you can enter a MAC address for a "Mandatory Access Point" to make the wireless adapter associate only with a specific access point.

Spinnaker

HELP Out there - I just bought a Sony A600 and it has the Intel 2915 abg card in it. I am using it with a Linksys WRT54g Router. Just using WEP and MAC Filtering.

Whenever I turn on the Lappy the link always starts out at 54 mbs (with excellent signal strength). Within a few minutes the "speed" is down to 48, 36, 24 mbs or even lower.... I have seen it drop to 1 and 2 mbs and then "jump" back up to 24, 36, 48, or 54 mbs when I start using it.......

Even though the speed sometimes gets down to 1 mbs the WinXp icon in the system tray still reports that the "Signal Strength" is "Excellent". So far the connection hasnt dropped out a single time.

I guess I am not the only one noticing this.... Is this a defective design in the wireless card ???? I could understand this activity with the lappy on battery power but WHY would this happen with the Lappy on AC power ??????

Is this really slowing down our Wireless Data Communications ???? Are these 2915 wireless cards really "crippled" ??? Or is it O.K. to live with. Are there any work-arounds ??????

I called Sony and they said this is how it is supposed to work..... Boy, that Stinks :(:( Please some Advice !!!!

I have a Dell Inspiron 8500. SAME THING: when the computer wakes from sleeping the connection is excellent for a minute, then drops to 1 mbps for five minutes, then levels out at 36 mbps. Every time. Supposed to work like that?? I don't think so.

Any ideas?

FlashGordon - the Sony Tech Support People told me that this behaior is "Normal"..... And I wouldnt really mind so much except that my 2915 Card not only shifted speeds but it also had LOUSY throuput and Delays in speed shifting....

I was thinking about returning the Laptop BUT I LOVE the rest of it So Much (especially the Xbrite Screen) I decided instead to spend $39 and bought a 802.11g PCMCIA card, disabled the internal 2915 Card and installed the Linksys PCMCIA card.... This solved my problem... I'm Now at a constant 54 Mbs and with no more delays and MUCH better throughput......:):):)

this is a driver issue. goto intel's website and grab driver 9.0.1.9. This is NEWER than any driver dell, gateway, toshiba, or any other laptop manufacturer has out there. specifically this 9.0.1.9 fixes a problem with the 2915 and 2200 cards connecting to AP's on channels 1,2,3. give it a shot.

Thanks for the tip Mike but that was the first thing I checked... This Sony came with the latest 9.0.1.9 Driver installed...... I tried EVERYTHING !!!!! Before giving up on the 2915 card.

maybe you might want to try the Beta FW that is available for you linksys box. i put it on my wrt54g and it worked great. I dont have the link now, but it is in the linksys forum. It also now does WPA2/AES

ok, here is the link to the linksys forum with the wrt54g and wrt54gs beta FW.
»[Firmware] WRT54G Beta 4.xxx firmware change log

hope this helps you out. ive had no issues with my wrt54g after the upgrade to this beta FW.

mike

Mike, were you having problems before you installed the Linksys router beta firmwate ?????? Did it improve anything ???

Just wanted to let all who interested know that I contacted Intel support about my 2915abg dropping connections and the speed dropping down to 1Mbps even though the connection quality was good and they e-mailed me a link to a beta driver and software. (Driver Version 9.0.1.21) I installed it and my connection has been rock solid since and I don't experience the delays and pauses anymore either. Hope this helps.

Sorry to jump in here. How does one check the current driver version they are using?

Thanks,

Steve

Assuming you have 2000/XP.

Right-click on My Computer
Click Manage
Click Device Manager under System Tools
In the right pane, find the section Network adapters
and locate your Wireless adapter
Right-click on the adapter
Click Properties
Click the Driver tab
Look for Driver Version

Sounds Interesting.... So where did you download this "beta" ???? Where can we get it ????? Havent heard a thing about it anywhere!!!!!!!

Help us out !!!!

This is link I was sent:

»secure.filesanywhere.com ··· 9D%9D%A0

It's a 45mb download. Download and run the file. It will extract files to C:\Intel\wireless 9.0.1.4 - generic TIC 93067. Next you have to install the management software by running the Autorun.exe located in the "wireless 9.0.1.4 - generic TIC 93067" folder. Next I was told I would have to go to the Drivers folder and run SetupWLD.EXE to update the driver for the card. But when I did so, it told me the driver was already at that version and asked me if I wanted to run it anyway. Evidently the autorun updated the software and the driver in the same step. I let the SetupWLD.EXE continue anyway. AND YES, YES, YES...IT WORKED!!!!! I REPEAT IT WORKED!!!! I have maintained a 54Mbps connection all day. I repeat 54Mbps all day. And just as important no more annoying pauses during data transfers. Get the link fast as I'm not sure how long it'll be at the above link. If you can't get it from that link, you can always call Intel Support at (916) 377-7000. Explain the situation and they'll e-mail the download link directly to you. Give it a try and let everyone know if it works for you so more people can put this issue to rest. Good luck.

TheHappyMan is a HAPPYMAN tonight :):)

Thanks for the tip T-ommy !!! - I called Intel Support and told them about my 2915 abg Wireless Problems...... and they had me download and install the 9.01.21 Driver, the same way they had you do it.......

Hurray !!!! all the problems with speed shifting are over and the wireless throughput is really high now...Intel finally made this one right.... I unplugged the Linksys PCMCIA card I had bought and went back to the Internal 2915 card and I am ROCK SOLID at 54 mbs.........
WOW................

Wow!! thanks a lot for this great info on the beta drivers for the ABG 2915 card. I was having an issue with the g-mode losing over 25 percent packet loss on this card when connected to the AC power. I've tried reloading the drivers for this card on my Asus v6v with the default drivers, the 9.0.1.9 drivers, but that didn't fix the problem. I d/led the beta drivers and removed the older drivers, ran the auto setup and still no good. Tried every which way. On my fifth attempt with the beta drivers, it went through successfully and now no more packet loss with the AC power on. Thanks!

Alas, I was not so lucky. After installing the new driver on my Dell Latitude D505, I still kept having the same problems. Read what Xfactor says on this forum: »www.notebookreview.com/f ··· ID=11402

Have you all had no problems since you updated to the 9.01.21 driver? Can't believe it!

Your link just goes to the Notebook Review page........

We have had a problems with the 9.01.21 driver.... Thats why we installed the new one..... Which one did you install ?????

9.0.1.4 software with the 9.0.1.21 device driver is available by contacting Intel Customer Support.

I tried the new driver and it didn't work. I changed power management from default and increased it to max and I was able to access the internet with no problem. Hopefully the battery life won't be hurt by doing this...it would be better if it just worked the way it's supposed to.

Changing the Power management in my Lappy to "No Power Management" was the first thing I tried... It didnt help.

But that driver helped me and quite a few others... sorry to hear it didnt help you too.....

When I called Intel support and spoke with a high level wireless tech, I explained what my problem was and he said to me "I know what problem you are talking about - we are familiar with it - this will fix your problem". He was right.

Good Luck to you......

I have the same problem with the same card, Intel 2915ABG. Few months ago I bought a HP nc8230 with 2915abg wireless. The speed and signal strength kept changing up and down. I called HP support but no one knows what was wrong with machine. Finally, HP allowed me to upgrade the model to HP nw8240. BUT, the speed and signal problems doesn't go away. It is definitely a Centrino problem.

I used the installation on Intel/PRO 2200BG and it WORKED!!

As I'm replying my laptop is connected with full 54Mbits on the power cord. What You have to do is use their NEW utility management and use ZERO configuration. Did not test it yet without power cord but I don't really care

Download the package install and use 54Mbit speed

Still no luck here..

Running a Dell Inspiron 9300 with Intel PRO 2915ABG, with the Linksys WRT54GPS router. Newest drivers and firmware on both. My issue was the connection would work for about 10 seconds and then instantly stop working completely. I had a 3 minute span the other day where it was perfect but that dropped to 0 immediately afterwards.. Now I can't even aquire a Network adddress with all the new software.. Might call Intel tomorrow...

Any other solutions people have found?

Regards,
Patrick