Wireless shuts off in T60 w/Atheros card?

You can see my config in the sig of this post. What I have noticed lately, I boot up my T60, get successful wireless connection, and everything works fine up until I need to pickup my laptop and go to another room or upstairs. Than, half of the time when I put the laptop down - I don't have any wireless connection and I can't see anything in WLAN Finder of ThinkVantage Access Connection. The only way to get back is to completely reboot the laptop. When I reboot, it gets connected right away and sees every wi-fi in the whole neighborhood.

Obviously, when I move my laptop, I close the lid. So, I'm thinking is there some kind of a sleep mode that gets activated in my case? I can't find it anywhere in the setup. Also, its kind of strange since this problem is intermittent and doesn't happen every single time. Obviously there is nothing wrong with my wireless router since I can move around with my T42 anywhere in the house. In this case, its like wireless card goes to sleep because it doesn't see my wireless router (when I actually bring my laptop right next to it) or any other wireless connections in the neighborhood. And, the only way to fix it by rebooting the system.

Any suggestions? Anybody else experiencing the same? I'm hoping to find out some answers here before calling Lenovo tech support

 

That's odd. Usually Windows tries to automatically reconnect to a previously used network if it's in range.

Have you tried "Repairing" the connection? In Vista, it's called "Diagnose" (and will repair automatically if needed)

 

There's a weird bug where the state of the wired NIC affects the wireless card.

Find the configuration options for your Intel wired NIC and set Deep Smart Power Down to disabled. You must do this when the PC is plugged in, because (by design) the NIC disappears when on battery and no cable is connected.

If you search around for DSPD you'll find posts on this.

RA

 

I don't have Intel card, its Atherose a/b/g/n card. There is a setting for powersafe mode which I completely disabled. Also, I'm running with WEP encryption. But, the problem is not with a connection. The problem is ONLY when I close the LID and move around with laptop. Internal wireless card complete can't see any routers. Until I reboot the system. "repair" doesn't work because its can not find any connection nearby. But, only after you hard reboot it - it gets connected in a split second

 

Twister,

Yes, I have the same wireless card. But you also have an Intel wired NIC connected to your Ethernet jack. When the wired NIC goes into deep sleep, it somehow goofs up the state of all the connections.

Here's a thread that discusses this, since you seem a little ... skeptical.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=105307&highlight=deep+smart

RA

 

Sorry, I guess I read your reply in a hurry. Thanks for the tip!!!! Just disabled that config!!! Keeping my fingers crossed it will solve the problem!!!

 

I mention this in my review:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3563

See the wireless section. Its common issue. One that should not exist but does. Let me know if it DOESN'T fix it. As I haven't had trouble since of noticeable nature. Also, if you update the drivers you will have to flip the setting back each time. As some point the drivers should work though...

Edit: oh yeah some people somewhere claimed this isn't an issue in Vista, which is certainly possible given they have different driver models, but yeah, the workaround should work.

 

Yes, that did a trick!!! So far so good, thanks!!! And you are right, after SystemUpdate 3 install and update with all the new drivers, I had to re-init the settings back...