Wireless issues with Intel/Pro Wireless 2200BG

Which wireless router and router firmware version are you using?

This is likely due to your wireless router not properly supporting Intel's PSP (Power Save Polling). It takes proper coordination between the router and the wireless card for PSP to work. A wireless router that properly supports PSP will allow you to maintain the 54mbps link speed in power saving mode.

The highest setting for power management in the Intel driver will put the wireless card into CAM (Continually Aware Mode). Anything lower than the highest setting will put the wireless card into different levels of PSP.

 

I see 95-100% 54mbps and the rest 48mbps. This is with Excellent signal quality as reported by ProSet, but no line of sight to the router. If I had line of sight, I could probably maintain close to 100% 54mbps.

Have you changed your power management setting? (Disabled "use default value" and turned the slider to the highest level)

 

Intel 2200BG with Intel ProSet 9.0.21 & Driver 9.0.2.31
D-Link DI-524 Rev. C1 Wireless Router with firmware 3.02
Using WPA-TKIP encryption

The DI-524 Rev. C1 has a "Centrino compatible" logo on the box and certainly appears to properly handle Intel's PSP (Power Save Polling). With this combination, I am able to establish and maintain a 54mbps connection at any power management level. The only penalty I have noticed so far in using power saving mode is increased latency, as expected (16ms pings to the router, vs. 1ms with power saving disabled). It had little impact on speed in large file transfer tests.

Large file speed tests to a wired computer:
Download and upload both at 21mbps

With "Intel Throughput Enhancement" enabled, upload speed increased to 25mbps. There was no change in download speed, as this is a transmit enhancement.

Any other questions, feel free to ask. :centrino:

 

Stabilty for now within a foot of the router. One disconnect last night - unsure why but this is the most stable connection I have had - serveral hours (longest so far has been over 7)

I have mentioned previoulsy what I did - the only difference this morning is I updated to latest 2915abg driver. And changed a few of the card settings.

 

daacon - I appear to be using the same driver version as you, but don't have the Wireless on/off option like you do in your Network Connection Properties. I have to go through the Intel ProSet utility for that.

Is the driver you're using from the Intel website? And did you install ProSet?

 

Davidh44

I have de-installed the Intel PRoset - The Network Wireless off comes up - might be part of the the Intel Chipset with my Acer or Perhaps the Power Management Schema as there is a button to turn wireless off and on.

And yes I downloaded the driver from the Intel WebSite. And today after about 24 hours of stability had a 'storm' of diconnects (both wireless computers so not 2915 card related) I replaced a 2.4 Ghz phone that 'may' have caused the issue with a 900 mHz.

Freeking stability is driving me to drink !!!!!

 

What acer do you have? I have the aspire 1690. Just wondering if we have the same laptop. I wish I could help more with the problems people are still having. Like I said, once I upgraded a month ago it went from constantly dropping to perfect.

 

DavidH44. thank you for your response...
I haven't been back here for a few days 'cos things were a lot better, but today it's gone crazy again. I haven't changed anything in this house, but my neighbour is home so perhaps she has something going that's conflicting.

*which wireless router and firmware version do you have?*

wireless router is netgear FWG114P firmware V2.0_18

This morning I couldn't get any internet even though there was supposed to be 54Mbps. I eventually switched off another default setting - mixed mode protection to RTS/CTS enabled and got a relatively stable connection for an hour or so. My husband in the next room with a DLink PCMCIA card on an older ACER has stable connection at ALL times, and he is computer illiterate!! Not fair!

*Anything lower than the highest setting will put the wireless card into different levels of PSP.*

I have it on the highest setting already.

I had another brainwave as I was starting this post, because yet again I was getting no connection. I unplugged my wireless mouse, and got instant connection. I have since plugged it back in again and there's been no change....
what the hell is going on????

I might add that I've been using this USB dongle wireless mouse since the day I bought the laptop...since first posting today, I've had to leave the mouse unplugged to get a stable connection.

 

If your mouse is conflicting you might want to try and change the channel of your router. Keeping it at the default usually means there are tons of other things that can conflict.

 

thanks, that was one of the first things I changed when the troubles started. I think the default was 6, and I now have it on 11. I've moved the mouse dongle to a different USB port and it seems more stable today.

 

I have the TM 8104. My Linksys WRT54GS and Acer has been stable for about a week now (is that not the kiss of death) - it seems every time I am frustrated to the point I am about to replace the Router (not sure it is the issue) or the 2915abg card - my connection becomes stable. I am at a complete loss as to why the instability occurs - but will enjoy the 'statbility' while it lasts.

When my storm of instability occurs , it sometimes affects all machines - so that leads me to believe it is the router - overall this is my Third Linksys and have been relativiely pleased with the brand. If it tanks again , will consider a NetGear as there are some good reports here.

thx.............dy

 

Hi all..I have been reading all this forum , as I just installed a 2200bg in my Dell Latitude C600, and have been experiencing the same frustration as you all have. It starts great at 54Mbps, with excellent signal strength, yet within minutes, it has dropped to 48, then 36 and ultimately 24 or worse...last night.. 11.

The odd thing, is i installed a 2200bg in my Toshiba Satellite 2435-S255 laptop 6 months ago, and have excellent and 54 all the time, maybe only once in a while dropping to 48...thats why i didn't hesitate to buy anothe Intel Pro 2200BG.

This morning i tried an experiment, and swaped the cards between the laptops, expecting to see the "new" 2200bg, continuing to drop speed in the old faitfull Toshiba, but alas! NO! It continues to do just fine, while the Dell continues to drop with the 2200bg that was in the Toshiba, which always did fine. So, at this point, to me,it is not the card, but the laptop!

This would seem to indicate that the motherboard in the dell is what is causing the speed issues.

I should note that to make the card work in the Toshiba 6 months ago, i hd to do the "tape over pin 11": trick, so i taped the pin 11 today to make the new one work on the Toshiba, and left the tape on the old one, now in the Dell

Comments? Help?

Edit: One other difference, the DELL has WinXP Pro SP2, and teh toshiba WinXP Hone SP1. I would have to re-install Windows to get SP2 off the Dell, I think.

Jeff

 

Hi, I just bought a laptop and I dont know anything about the modems and internal wireless and want someone to explain me this issue. I want to know how to get internet access too. I am confused, if anyone can help me please reply soon.

 

can you explain me how the modems and internal wireless work. I am new at this and I need some answers.

 

Max,
The best thing to do is start up a new thread. As this thread is about the Intel Wireless card 2200BG, Start a new thread and ask your question there. That should help.

 

Well, i think that the big problem now is that the Intel 2200 primarily is unstable, as when i tried to do a test it did not show any signs of failing... maybe we should try to get other brands of the mini-pci card for those of us who's warrenty is about to be over anyway...

 

My 2100 is starting to act funny. Read what it is doing in My internet is slow thread in wireless.

 

I currently having no problems with my Intel Wireless card. I know i was having problems before and it was driving me insane, but now I have like no problems. I might get the occational drop in speed but thats about it. Nothing more than that.

 

You have 2200BG, i have a 2100, we have different problems. Only the 2100 might have a lagging problem

 

Yes, there have been speed issues with the intel PRO 21/2200 series. Haven't heard anything bad about the 2915.

I have a Broadcom 802.11b/g card, haven't had any speed issues. Works great!!

I've also heard the new Atheros cards are good.

 

Have you updated the Firmware or the drivers for your wireless card/router already?

 

I have a 2915abg Card - intermittent disconnets for me - but lately (latest stock firmware for WAP / latest Intel Driver / uisng WZC / WPA2 ) seems stable now for days at a time (one disconnect this week so far I think)

I was having daily drops with that card but where the incompatibility lies ..ummm my VPN Router ? WAP Router ? WPASecurity ? Intel Proset ? Neighboorhood Interference ? almost caused me to drink (more that is hahaha)

 

LOL yeah

I like broadcom cards - never had a compatability issue. I once had a netgear card...had some luck with that however every once in a while it would just drop the connection and re-acquire it...I think it was because it was a B card and I had a G router.

I've heard the Atheros 5005 card is good if you want to replace your 2915.

 

What ever brand router you have, it needs to be that card in order to work properly i bet. Im getting a linksys card tommorow and i will update you guys to see if it is the problem.

 

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions as to how to solve the problem of the Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG connection issues (including very spotty connectivity with periods of very slow speeds - 3+ seconds to my wireless router - and intermittent disconnection...). I've tried everything I've read about (including updating the driver, disabling MSs wireless manager and using Intel's, etc.), all to little avail. Conclusion: Intel Centrino technology sucks. Its nice that its built in, but if it doesn't work, what's the point? I've reverted back to my Belkin Pre-N PCMCIA card and, happily, all my Centrino problems are gone! What kind of MS-esque coersion did Intel exert on Sony, et al in order to get them to use such a problem-laden technology?

Sorry for the tirade all, but its been very frustrating and its rather galling that such problematic technology has been so widely distributed when it was clearly so inadequately tested beforehand and when there has been so little follow-up support.

 

I don't think it's all on Intel's head. It's also a compatibility between the cards and routers. Even though 54G is a standard, every manufacturer out there is trying to make their router faster than the next, well, this is making things not 100% compatible. I have the same Intel 2200BG in my HP and an SMC 54G router I just bought. At 1st, it started to drop in speed, but after upgrading the drivers to the Intel card, it's been locked at 54Mbps with no speed drops.

Just check your drivers to make sure you do have the lastest installed. Someone indicated that even after running the EXE from Intel, the lastest drivers don't get installed. He was right and I was running off the older drivers. I manually updated the drivers and everything worked fine.

-Vb-

 

Well.... after I wrote this wouldn't you know I started having problems again mostly when aquiring an IP address. The intel program says I have an excellent 54 mbps connection but I can't seem to aquire an IP address. I have upgraded to the newest 9.0.2.31 driver with no improvement! Does anyone know if THE atheros 5012 CARD YOU SEE ON EbAY is the same type 3b mini PCI card as the Intel 2200BG card? I would like to try another type of card in my VAIO!!!

Sony VAIO VGN-FS550
512 meg RAM
pENTIUM m 1.6

 

This connectivity stuff can drive you crazy at times. I have another two computers besides my laptop. They are not wireless. I have a 10 month old Linksys router that they are both wired to. recently I started intermittently not being able to acquire an IP address. Was told that many routers "just do that" after a while???

Anyway, my issues with the 2200BG have not improved beyond the slight improvement from the latest Intel drivers and software. Just waiting for the next release as each one seems to make it a little better.

 

I tried a Linksys card to my Linksys router and it works great now! I guess the fact is that Brands work with the same brand. (Linksys to Linksys, Netgear to Netgear, etc.

 

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/license.do?filename=mobiles/1ywc25ww.exe

IBM seem to have taken 9.0.1.21 "1ywc25ww.exe" off their FTP server. Apparently I'm having plenty of issues on my ASUS W3A.

No luck with 9.0.2.31 (latest ver to this date)

Basically if I'm lucky, I can get connected for no more than 5 seconds. But 95% of the time, I get "unable to connect to 'access-point-name'"

If anyone have it, please private message me... I need it urgent.. real urgent. Else just upload the file somewhere, I don't mind hosting this on my server.

 

Try this hotfix from M$. We have a corporate environment with 3Com ap's. We have HP NC6120's with the 2200 and we have been in contact with the 3Com engineers. They led us to this hotfix.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...4d-e7c1-48d6-95ee-1459234f4483&displaylang=en

 

2200BG card and Linksys WRT54G router.

Can connect, but can't send/receive any data at all.

Problem solved by manually setting the connection speed to 11 mbit/s. (B-network).

Not the best solution but now the connection works perfect.

 

New (UK sourced) Acer Aspire 1691WLMi Laptop (Intel/Pro Wireless 2200BG).

In an attempt to combat the well known wireless connection speed drop-off, I downloaded and installed the latest version of Intel ProSet/Wireless (9.0.2.1). This crippled MSN Messenger in that it took a second or so (!!) to enter each letter of my User Name/Password, after which MSN Messenger then fails to log in. Hotmail login is not affected.

It's the Intel Device Management software that causes the problem as I can install the new drivers on their own without ill effect. I also tried the previous version (9.0.2.0) without success.

Reinstalling MSN Messenger (v7.5) or uninstalling the ProSet/Wireless software didn't fix the problem. Had to restore from my backup image to get back to normal.

Has any other Acer Aspire 169X user seen this problem or can anyone suggest why the Intel Device Management software causes it?

Regards

P.S.

I've also posted this in the Acer Forum just in case.

Well I did (twice!) but it kept disappearing. I guess the Mods feel it only needs to appear here.

 

I don't use MSN messenger, but that is strange. I downloaded that same version when it first came out and it did not affect anything else on my laptop. It did not cure the drop out issues, but it made them a bit better. It's held at that point for a couple of months now. Drop outs are fairly uncommon and the speed usually only drops to 11 mbps, rarely below. Maybe 4 or 5 times a week I'll notice it completely dropped. It used to happen 1 or 2 times per hour!

 

Guys all I have to say is it might be your router...I just went out and exchanged my Belkin Wireless G router...the old one not the new one with 2 antennae...for a Belkin Wireless Pre-N router and holy crap~!!!! It is amazing what this thing does for your wireless connection.

Signal is so strong all the time...I live in an apartment and there are so many wireless connections, B and G, that there is too much interference for a good signal even if you're right beside the router. I got this Pre-N router and holy crap such a strong signal...the signal is SOLID...never fades at all.

I'm using it for a wireless G connection as I don't want to spend money buying a Pre-N wireless adapter for my latop as it already has a Intel Pro 2200 b/g.

Get this router if you can....I had to look all over Toronto to get this, as it is sold out everywhere.

Cheers,
Mike

 

Hey guys,

Ok i havent been following this as i use to but i dont know if you guys know, Intel has just released the latest drivers for both the 2200BG and 2915abg its 9.0.3.0.
I dont know about this one my signal bar seems to stay good all the time where as the 9.0.2.1 was always at excellent. Who knows but i havent gotten a DC or a speed drop as of yet.(3h after installation.)

 

Sony VAIO VGN-S430 ~ XP Pro ~ D-Link DI624 w/firmware v2.70

****

I've had the same problem that everyone else has been describing here, pretty much. However, it didn't start until after I reconfigured my AP to use WPA. One weird thing about it the only way I can connect the laptop to the web is going the wired route, i.e., by an ethernet cable from the laptop to the router. If I connect and then unplug the cable and take the laptop into another room, it will keep running fine, showing a 54mbps rate for about 10 minutes or so until it starts dropping the connection. Eventually it will stall and give me the "limited or no connectivity" message, and I can't reconnect unless I go plug the ethernet cable in again; rinse, lather, repeat, etc.

So eventually I give in and go to the Sony tech support monkeys, who tell me straight out that the VAIO line of PC's doesn't support WPA. (*palm, meet forehead*)

So, um, assuming that just going back to WEP (feels like running naked) doesn't solve the disconnections and slow throughput problem, I guess my questions are these:

1) Do I take the Sony tech support-by-chat lackey seriously to the extent of assuming the machine isn't going to support WPA no matter how I tinker with the network adapter/drivers, etc?

#2, and this question may betray my status as a huge wuss, but... the Intel site with the new drivers has this long disclaimer to the effect of "you should actually only download hardware updates from the OEM, so if you download these generic ones and it hoses your PC don't come crying to us." Sony's support page only lists the drivers that I currently have (9.0.0.1 or something, dated October of 2004, natch). It seems that everyone on this board is downloading the updated drivers without any hesitation, so... how dangerous is or isn't it?

 

I'd love to know the same thing- who has downloaded the newest drivers, were there any problems, and how is your connection now?

 

I have a 2915abg Card on an Acer 8104. I have downloaded the new drivers last night. I use WPA security . Set up is DSL modem ==> Linksys BEFSX41 ==> Linksys WRT54GS v1. Two story house with WAP on top floor. Did a simple install , left all default settings. I did not remove existing drivers. I was using WZC but have used Intel Proset before in an attempt like everyone here for stability along with a plethora of other tweaks all to no avail)

Currently using Intel Pro Set and connection has been stable for a couple of hours last night and a few hours this morning.

Are they any better ? Time will tell - I have weekly drop offs / diconnects so I cannot comment on stability yet. Worst case is so far they appear no worse hahaha.

later..............dy

 

Good to hear, although I need to know how it works with WZC (I know, I'm being difficult- but my daughter needs to use it to set up her wireless at school). Anyone try it with WZC? Thanks

 

Ok, I have a different issue (well partly) and no, i havn't read all 34 pages.

What is happening to me is whenever i tried to find our wireless networks I would get a message about Hardware switch off or something, other people have mentioned it I believe. All of the switches were on, so i was confused... well i solved the problem.

Putting the computer into standby, then starting it back up suddenly makes everything work.

What may be causing this? I cant find anything in power managenment that would lead to this... Ideas please!

(oh, and yes i do get fluctuating speeds, usually not below 48Mpbs tho.)

Finally, im using the drivers that came with my Asus Z83v, but i have tried the latest drivers too, and this didnt resolve the problem.

 

Try updating your routers firmware. When it restarts like that, that means the wireless card has to be restarted for some reason like you said but start that first with the firmware.

 

I didn't have any luck with the new drivers- still have the disconnects :-(

 

After wrestling a whole year with Intel 2200 card + D-link DI-624, I'm happy to report that using the latest software/firmware and WPA2 the connection is steady, at least for the moment, hoping it'll remain this way.

 

I'm having this exact same problem on a Toshiba M65-SP811 with a Motorola WR850G router.

I'm running SP2 and I'm about to roll the drivers back and see what's up.

Is there a known solution to this extremely annoying problem?

 

Using previous 8.xxx versions of the drivers was pointless and maybe made things worse. Anyone?

 

Updating the drivers didn't work for me, and neither did adjusting the power management (although they may have helped, I don't know). Turning down the Sygate firewall setting did, however. It seems the firewall was constantly knocking me off and making reconnecting difficult.

 

http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df-external/Detail_Desc.aspx?&DwnldID=9563&ProductID=1784

There's the definite fix. It's working like a charm now. I bit of a hassle to navigate through Intel's website and find it, but finally did.

Hope it helps anyone in the future.

 

It might be unlikely that anyone could actually be looking for more, given the length of this thread, but... in case you're reeeeally into hunting for more fixes, here's a link to another forum with a thread on the same subject:

click it, if you can't get enough

 

hello! I downloaded the new driver yesterday.(wireless_9.0.3.0_-_generic_TIC_103503.exe) The connection is very stable for me now! 54 Mbit/s constantly. I had the exact same problem before. I really hope that it will stay this way. I also installed the Intelsoftware and I´m pleased with it.

Just one issue with the transfer speed from my stationary computer to the Laptop. 3 mb/s when i transfer files.. Is this Normal? I use Linksys wrt54gs router with wpa-aes conf. I have tried no encryption without succes.