Sony Vaio Z-540 Wireless Problem (Intel 5100 AGN)

Hi All,

So I've been using my Sony Vaio Z-540 without a problem for about a YEAR
until recently (about a month?), my wifi has been acting up.

My wireless card is Intel 5100 AGN

The problems are:
1. Sometimes, I do not get wireless from the startup . my wireless isn't even in the Device Manager...
2. When I do get wireless (Device manager confirmed), wifi connection disappears with even the SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT!!!
3. When I do lose the wireless driver (no more on the device manager), I put it to sleep, wait 5 seconds, wake up, and my vaio detects it. [but this isn't the case for ALL the time, sometimes I have to restart the vaio]

I thought it was a loose wire or loose card, so I opened it. The wireless card is bolted down with 2 screws. So i put everything back and it still has the SAME issue.

Also, I've updated the Intel 5100 Driver to the latest (When I finally got my Wireless driver seen on the device manager) but still the SAME problem, so I'm back on my OLD driver. still same problem, of course.

What's the MOST FRUSTRATING is when I do have my wifi, my wifi just disappears with the SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT on my laptop. It has to be still...

Ethernet connect, however, works 100%

PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU!

 

can someone please help or at least discuss the same problem please? it's so frustrating right now, especially when you HAVE to use the wifi for work.

Thank you so much.

 

Do you have WWAN and BT?

It sounds as if some soldering is lose or a contact of a switch or card...
If you use the Wireless Switch, does it work properly?
Do you see any of these problems with BT or WWAN?

If this problem persists, I would recommend replacement of the WLAN on-board card. So I guess you have to send it back to Sony... :/

 

I had the exact same problem, drove me insane. I ended up getting a tiny usb wifi adapter made by buffalo. Worked fine, but it still upset me that it wouldn't work. So I ordered a new wifi card.

seeing as i had the laptop open already waiting for the card, i decided to just remove the wifi card shoot some compressed air into the slot it connects to, disconnected the ribben cable that attaches that little sub-motherboard section, shot some air in there and reconnected everything and much to my surprise it worked! no more disconnect problems, the original card was still good! now i have an extra intel wifi card :\

 

i totally understand your fustration, lol, i honestly feel bad bc i remember going to great lengths not to bump or move my laptop whenever i got the wifi working.

 

@ Jorlin - i have both WWAN and BT, but i never use WWAN & Bluetooth is fine. the switch is always on.

@Qwarrjet - THANK YOU SO MUCH for understanding my pain. I'm so glad you had success. I followed your advice and tried ANOTHER open and cleaning. THE FIRST BOOT after opening WAS PERFECT! it was like the old self again. but I had my doubts. as soon as i restart for the second boot, the problem came back...any movement, i swear. if im still, the wifi stays intact.

WHY does it do this? the first boot was in perfect connection, any movement i made with the laptop, the wifi stayed intact. THE SECOND boot and on, it just dies again...

Anyone have other suggestions? im thinking of definitely buying the new wifi card, but before that i think I will clean install my win 7 ultimate 64 bit

 

If you did not say that Bluetooth is fine I'd suggest that wireless switch on the front of laptop is acting up. Actually, maybe it is.

Another idea is that something happens to power (loose contact?) that it gets lost for a split second and then comes back. That split second is not enough for Windows to switch icon in system tray to "battery." But it may be enough to send notification of power change to drivers, which would cause Wi-Fi card to switch to power-saving mode and lose connection.

Just some ideas.

Try running on battery and see if it loses connection. Turn wireless switch off and back on to make sure it's on all the way.
Check your power management settings. Maybe reinstall VAIO power management, event service, original function settings (not sure about this one).

 

@zugzug thanx for your suggestions. so yes the BT ALWAYS WORKS and my switch is on all the way (led light as well)

this is what happened AFTER i followed @Qwaarjet 's suggestion.

First, everything was perfect. but after i was at the same place.

here is what i do to get my wireless back.
1. when i lose the connection (device manager) I can reinstall the 5100 wifi driver and sometimes it's connected again.
2. i turn off the switch on and off (but this option works half the time)
3. sleep and wake up
4. just restart about 2-3 times

i put the wifi into "do not use power mode" and made it so that it runs "highest" on its properties, then advanced setting.

i'm going to fresh reinstall windows again next week. to see if the whole windows or sony drivers are the cause of it. if it does this again, buy the NEW wifi card. and if THAT doesnt work...say hi to lil buffalo dongle wifi i guess (i dont want that...-__-)

 

ive the same problem

ive also noticed, that when the wlanswitch is off while starting windows, i am not able to activate the wlan adapter; when it s on, the wlan is working for a random period of time and then disappearing; a reboot brings it back.


i ve also noticed, that turning off the switch in windows does not make the wlan adapter disappear but cuts the wlan connection.


how do i open the vaio z?
is it difficult to get to the wificard?
might that all be a software issue?


regards
matt.

 

matt,

opening the z isn't so hard. just unscrew and tap off the keyboard.
to get to the wifi card is physically NOT EASY because their is a plastic frame under the keyboard and wifi card happen to be under that layer... please look over the forum for pictures and manual.

 

@bobamuknunbabo
have you tried to reinstall the drivers?

i do not find an easy manual to remove the plastic top of the wifi card.
do you have any pictured manuals?

regards
matt.

 

If you are using the factory installed OS (Vista), then I can relate to the issue. With mine the wifi worked well for a few minutes, then the switch light at the front died, along with the wifi card and internet connection. The VAIO SMART NETWORK app was working (could turn on/off bluetooth and wifi), but the light remained off. Only restarting the machine fixed it, which told me a driver crash of some sort (or VAIO SMART NETWORK crashing somehow).

I now have a clean installed W7 x64 OS and am not suffering from it, which further points me to conclude my issue (and most likely / hopefully your issue too) was not hardware related, rather software.

 

@bobamuknunbabo:
Any update?
I have exact the same problem, any slight tap or movement to my vaio Z540 results in loosing my wireless card. However, I noticed that if I sleep it then awaken it the connection is restored, until a tap/movement.

 

any updates guys? i have the same problem - the slightest movement kills my wlan immediately - i have actuallly installed a new adapter - wifi 5300 agn - the problem remains the same - it workes like for the first boot ok, an hour later the annoying drops came back - drives me crazy - any help, suggestions, news?

 

I made the wireless card replaced. It cost me ~40$ (15$ the card + 35$ the service fee!) but its fine now.