Samsung Series 7 Wi-Fi Issues

I looked around and couldn't really find anything concrete on this, even in that thread about the wifi card. I just got this laptop as a replacement for an XPS 15 I bought the other day and I am having the same dreadful wifi issue with this laptop as that one. My XPS 1530 of 4 years has a connection way faster than this new series 7. I have Verizon Fios, and my router is the Actiontec MI424 WI. I think its only b/g. Could that be the problem? I've upgraded drivers, which didn't really do anything. Could someone advise me on what to do here?

 

Use InSSIDer to check the WiFi signal strength. A poor signal may be a result of a sub-optimum antenna placement and/or screening caused by metal casing but I would also look inside and make sure the antennae cables are connected properly. Also check the signal strength on the XPS if you still have it.

Which WiFi card?

John

 

I have the Intel Advanced-N 6235. According to the status through windows, I have 54 Mbps, which I guess is normal for the connection I have, but the download speeds are still horrendous. I tried tuning the settings through windows to match the ones of my old computer, but it didn't really do anything on this one. I'm getting download speeds of less than 100kb/s, when on my XPS M1530, I'm reaching speeds over 1.0 mb/s.

 

Try this driver updater from Intel. It should help a little. I've got the Intel 6235 in my NP900X4C and am not impressed by it. However, in the Series 9 the antennae are along the back edge of the chassis which results in a sub-par signal. I don't know where the antennae are on the Series 7.

John

 

I had slow speeds and regular dropped connections until I updated the driver for the Intel Advanced-N 6235. No complaints since then, but my home connection isn't the fastest so I can't speak for speeds, just from a dropped-connections perspective.

 

I have the latest drivers. It's not really doing anything. Could the problem be that my router does not have N configuration? It's only 802.11b/g.

 

You sure they're the latest? Because 15.2.0.19 just came out a few days ago and they work good with the Intel Advanced-N 6235 in my laptop not that the 15.1.1 didn't.

 

When I go to the driver utility, it says there is a new driver, 15.2.0 available, but when I click download, it just gives me a download for 15.1.1 everytime. Where did you get that driver?

 

This will give you the dashboard as well, but you can go into Programs & features and uninstall the dashboard if you don't like it. Intel® My WiFi Dashboard Software for Windows 7* or Wireless_15.2.0_Ds64.exe

 

Still getting subpar speeds. I'm gonna call Verizon and see if I can upgrade my router. If that doesn't work, I might just return the laptop.

 

This reply implies that you haven't as yet tried it on another network? I would of tried another network even before posting here, seeing it is a mobile device.

 

When you say a faster connection what are you basing this on? Throughput from an actual site or just what the connection speed in task manager gives? also what is the speed from both systems?

 

I'm referring to download speeds really. Occasionally it will take long to load webpages and stream videos as well. The connection fluctuates. It's been as high as 54.0mbps to as low as 2.2mbps. On my old computer I could reach up to 2.0 mb/s when downloading, but on this samsung, it reaches max 400kb/s most times.

 

Actually the best test is a site that off loads a streamed file, such as below. Loading web pages can also be a function of the HDD and caching setup. Also try the different configurations for the network card and be suer WPA2 is being used for router security............

Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test

 

So I got my N Router and put it up. The laptop speeds are slightly better, but still under average and below what it should be. My XPS 1530 which had an N wireless card is now getting way faster speeds than before. The Samsung laptop seems to be normal only when I am right next to the router, while the Dell laptop is getting faster speeds than it even when I'm upstairs around a wall from the router. It just simply seems that these Intel 6200 series cards are poorly made, and its the same one in the new Dell XPS 15s that is giving a lot of people problems as well. I'm going to return it and just continue my search for a good laptop that doesnt have these intel cards in it, something I should have did before I bought the samsung laptop

 

With Draftn and the 6235 at 35 feet away I constantly see 270 mbs or better in task manager. This is open air though, no walls etc. You do have to tweak it for optimal performance. My settings are

1.) 802.11 n for 2.4 set to auto
2.) 802.11 n for 5.0 set to auto
3.) 802.11 n mode set to enable
4.) ad hoc channel 802.11b/g set to 11
5.) ad hoc QoS mode set to WMM disable
6.) BlueTooth (R) amp set to enabled
7.) Fat cheannel tolerant set to enabled
8.) Mixed mode protection set to CTS to self enabled
9.) prefered band set to no preference
10.) Roaming aggresiveness set to highest
11.) transmit power set to highest
12.) wireless mode set to 802.11a/b/g

Hope this helps somewhat...........

 

Hello everybody I have a hard-to-solve issue with my Samsung Series 7 Chronos. When I turn on my laptop and log on the system (Windows 7 Professional 64 bits) the wifi signal is at the top but after some seconds the wifi adapter turns off automatically and I have to manually turn it on using the easy settings tool (the F12 key doesn't respond). This problem arised one week ago when I was to this cafe bar and started my laptop and manually turn the wifi adapter off (there was no internet connections there). Has somebody faced this issue before?

Thanks

 

Is this an Intel 6230 or 6235 WiFi? If so, I'd say it sounds like the bug described in the opening post of this thread and in again in this post (those were links).

If Easy Settings is fully installed, it SHOULD solve this issue by loading a module called WLANStartup every time you login (essentially doing what you do manually: disabling and re-enabling the WiFi adapter). It causes a temporary WiFi dropout a few secs after login, but at least it gets it back on. You could try and uninstall Easy Settings, then re-install it.

Otherwise the most complete solution is the one I describe in the first of those links above: Using the lean Intel "Driver Only" package linked in that post and avoid all the PROSet bloat. That definitely works after a clean install. Unfortunately, once the problem has surfaced, even uninstalling the Intel bloat and installing the Driver Only package is not guaranteed to solve it. But it's definitely worth a try.

Let me know how it goes. I'll try and help if I can.

 

Dannemand is right! Even though I am not familiar with the "Easy Settings uninstalling/re-installing" tactic, uninstalling the Intel PROSet software and keeping only the drivers after a clean install, should make a huge difference! Try uninstalling the Wireless Bluetooth High-Speed drivers, too. You are still going to have Bluetooth, since you have the generic bluetooth drivers installed from Windows Update.

I would only add this:

Launch Easy Settings, and at the Wireless Network tab, disable (if enabled) the Mobile Ap and Bluetooth option! You should also uncheck the "Maintain the previous settings when system restarts" box. Enable the Bluetooth device, only when you are about to use it, and disable it again once you are done!

Hope that helps!

 

Thank you asprobourboulis

I definitely agree with your Bluetooth advice as well: Personally I never use Bluetooth, and keeping it disabled (to save power and for security) is one of my main reasons for having Easy Settings installed. I wish there was a way to turn Bluetooth off in BIOS, but unfortunately it is always on until turned off by Easy Setting after login.

 

With only the Intel drivers installed on a clean Win 8 O/S, what should I install to re-enable Bluetooth (which I do use)? Or does the base Intel drive handle that?

 

@Zeninsight: Intel's Driver Only WiFi package only handles the WiFi part. But Win8 supports Bluetooth out-of-the-box, so you don't have to install anything beyond what comes automatically. Windows Update may also offer you an updated Bluetooth High Speed driver, but you don't even have to install it.

There is one benefit from installing Samsung's Bluetooth driver package: It lets you disable Bluetooth in Samsung Settings. Personally I never use Bluetooth and appreciate having it disabled. BUT, whereas in Win7 Samsung Easy Settings actually powers off the Bluetooth unit, in Win8, it merely disables the device in Device Manager -- which you can easily do yourself.

That's to the best I know. I should add that I only have Win8 installed for test purposes, so I apologize if there is anything I missed.

 

Looks like there's a few more properties listed now. I'm not sure if it's the update in the driver but I don't have a "Fat Channel Tolerant", instead I have a "Fat Channel Intolerant"
does your setting of "Fat Channel Tolerant enabled" = "Fat Channel Intolerant disabled"?