Computer help please!

MzBug

I am better than average on computer repair and tech stuff, but I have something that is stumping me. I know there are some tech savy people here, any help would be appreciated....

My guys work computer has an intermittent issue with detecting and connecting to wifi. When you first turn it on it will detect all the networks in the area, and connecting to the correct one is no problem. After the computer has been running a while it will drop offline and it will no longer detect the networks...none of them. Occasionally you can get it to refresh the available networks and it will detect them again, or occasionally it will detect them automatically after a re-boot. It takes 30-45 minutes for it to detect any networks after a re-boot usually. Then it will drop offline soon after. We have switched with known working USB adapters. We have even tried to hardwire it to his work modem, with a new ethernet card, and it still won't detect the wired or wireless networks. I now have it here at home and it is doing the same thing with our home network.

This is a desktop using Vista HP SP2 and completely updated, all drivers are up to date as of yesterday, and all network/internet services settings are confirmed as auto on startup. I have taken the box off and blown out all the gunk and can not find any loose wires or connections. It does not seem to be overheating. Everyone in his office use the same machines, same hardware, same software, same USB adapters and are all operating off the same wifi network. There are never more than 3 machines online at any given time. His work uses Verizon DSL, at home we have cable with router. No one else is having an issue. Just this machine. I have even made sure that there are no network monitors (that I know of) on the machine.

I am stumped! I have been perusing google for tech sites and windows sites for possible soloutions. Anyone have any ideas??

TIA!!

patrickobrien01

I would say the hardware in that computer is faulty. While there may not be a utility to confirm that. The fact that you have the exact same issue at home with it would say to me that computer is the issue. Possibly a faulty connection on the system board to the USB. Just a hunch.

I would assume it is out of warranty because you said it had VISTA.
Good Luck.
Patrick

MzBug

Thanks Patrick! Hunches are appreciated too!

tdonlin

Just had to have a wireless network card replaced today because it would not locate any available networks.

MzBug

Just had to have a wireless network card replaced today because it would not locate any available networks.

That sucks! Been there, done that, actually did that first on his machine because I had to do that on my machine at home a while ago. No luck for me this time.

binary_jester

That is a weird one. I just want to clarify. This is all occurring using his internal wireless, a USB wireless and a hard wire ethernet cable? They are all using different methods, so pointing to one thing is difficult. The fact that it works, then stops says heat problem to me, especially if a simple reboot doesn't fix the problem. You could try a PCMCIA wireless card, then you would have exhausted every means available for connecting.
My first guess would be motherboard problem, but I have seen that if a computer isn't drawing enough power, the network connection becomes sketchy at best.

Good luck.

MzBug

That is a weird one. I just want to clarify. This is all occurring using his internal wireless, a USB wireless and a hard wire ethernet cable? They are all using different methods, so pointing to one thing is difficult. The fact that it works, then stops says heat problem to me, especially if a simple reboot doesn't fix the problem. You could try a PCMCIA wireless card, then you would have exhausted every means available for connecting.
My first guess would be motherboard problem, but I have seen that if a computer isn't drawing enough power, the network connection becomes sketchy at best.

Good luck.

Thanks! There is no internal wireless in the machine anymore, just the USB. I did put a thermometer in it today, and it wasn't overheating. I have a PCI adapter I can try. After that the only things it could be is a bad motherboard or the Windows Networking program is corrupt.