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    CHC/NHC causes wireless traffic stop on i2915a/b/g!

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by ikovac, Nov 22, 2005.

  1. ikovac

    ikovac Cooler and faster... NBR Reviewer

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    It is a longer post than I intended, but it may be worth reading if you are using Centrino Hardware Control 1.9 beta03 (or maybe some other version or other program that controlls power modes) and have issues with intel wireless...
    -----------------------------------
    I've already written a post recently about my experience with a 2915 card in my new notebook that was having very known issues. I had some success with putting power management slider to lowest and that made my connection more stable for longer periods of time (hours). In last few days I tried virtually all different things people were suggesting and had no luck with the newest issue which was excellent 54 MBit link (I think intel utility lies) with no Internet (network) activity whatsoever after 10-20 minutes of normal operation. I point out that this issue appeared AFTER the uninstallation of already installed newest drivers, reboot, and new installation. I was really ...... well, mad.
    ...
    I have been using Centrino/Notebook Hardware Control since it was released. I used to have Asus M6800N and it worked really good on it. No problems with my old 2200. I could do whatever I wanted with CPU, Ati clock, fan, voltages, disk... you name it. It also controls different power saving modes.

    Now, I already suspected there must be something with the power state of the card, or better said, I know that i2915 acts differently in different power conditions (power management slider for example makes changes in that). I usually don't have battery in my notebook but still use battery optimized power mode (it keeps CPU downclocked -> cool. Fan noise really makes me mad and my job is of a sort where I need silence and concetration), so therefore there is always some kind of different power mode that notebook uses. It was more convinient and easier to choose different power modes through CHC.
    ...
    And guess what. Network stopped. Again. IE cannot reach URL. No traffic. Intel ProSet says 54Mbit, excellent link. What to do? Here is what I did - right click on CHC startbar icon -> Exit. Voila! Everything starts again. IE happily :) loads the page. I continue to work on my network etc. And what is more important I did it three times in a row (loaded CHC, waited for network to stop responding, unload CHC and it worked again). Then restarted my computer and did it again. I must admit that on one occassion there was a 10 seconds pause and I already thought that it wasn't going to work, but it managed to restore power, and it finally worked again! I'm writing this post after 4+ hours of working (54Mbit, excellent quality) network.

    Now check this out: I have Intel turbo mode on (just to see what happens, although people recommend to disable it), Power management on default (highest) - that used to kill my network after some time for sure. And all other settings on default except transmit power - slider is in the middle - gives 20mW (somehow I get rock solid 54 MBit this way all the time). I didn't touch my Siemens Gigaset SE515 router. WPA personal - TKIP, turbo mode on, mixed networks... - default settings in two words.
    ...
    I see two possible causes for this behaviour:
    1. CHC/NHC needs Net framework. First ver. 1 now version 2. I installed Net framework 2.0 beta and maybe it has something to do with power management (but very unlikely, I wouldn't bet on it)
    2. CHC probably loads some other driver or whatever to control power modes or closely monitors windows built-in power modes and changes them on its own. For example if I change power mode from CHC - it doesn't change power mode in Control panel/Power. But if I change power mode in Control panel then CHC gives you a warning that it is going to adapt to the new power mode! Although computer works well and practically doesn't care, it surely affects my Intel 2915 a/b/g wireless card.
    ...
    So if you have similar problems you might find worth checking if some software you use (or came with notebook) also has its fingers in power modes like CHC. Try unloading. Maybe it helps. I'll test it more, and although I find CHC/NHC (the newest) very good program it might have issues with power modes and thus with wireless cards so for now no more automatic loading when windows starts.

    If anybody can confirm this observation I would be most happy to read the post. Otherwise I might be just lucky (or unlucky).

    Cheers