Help with Broadcom wireless a/b/g/n!!!

I'm having so many problems with HP computers it's not funny.

I bought an HP intel based DV6000T computer and exchanged it twice because of very irritating high pitched noise - it was an intel centrino and the wireless was lightning fast and never had a problem with the wi-fi a/b/g connection (I share a wireless connection with my neighbor directly upstairs).

I hated the noise, so I went with an AMD processor. I no longer have that annoying whine but now the fan is on constantly, but that's another story.

So the AMD is different in that it uses a broadcom chip for wi-fi a/b/g/draft-n. Now, my connection upstairs is so weak it comes on and off. I can't connect because I think the signal is too weak. WTF is going on? I though draft-n wireless was supposed to be great!

By the way, my upstairs neighbor has a Linksys draft-n router so compatability shouldn't be a problem.

Please help - I'm on my third laptop and am about to throw it out the window and void my warranty.

 

Have you tried going to HP's site to see if there are any updated drivers for the Broadcom card?

Also try upgrading the router's firmware and change the channel it is using.

 

I need to be connected to the internet in order to update drivers. Again, I share a connection with my neighbor - he has the modem and router. Updating the router firmware isn't happening - and shouldn't need to.

Anyway, there isn't a problem with the router or my internet connection - I'm writing this now from my wife's 4 year old eMac via wireless. It's not the drivers, really, these things should work out of the box. Wi-fi isn't rocket science, it's either on or off.

I did uninstall and reinstall the Broadcom driver but nothing changed. I reboot the computer and a buch of other jazz with no luck. I even called HP tech support with no result (surprise). I was able to connect to the router but with limited access - it never caught the signal full-on.

There isn't a problem with signal or the router.

This is what I know: 1) at 8 o'clock I was surfing the web with speed untill I packed the noisy DV6426 and went to Circuit City for an exchange. 2) I returned at 9 o'clock and couldn't grab the wi-fi signal with my new DV6449 3) wireless is working fine (i'm using it now on my wife's eMac) 4) I was able to connect to the router but with limited access. This means that the settings should be ok and either I'm on and there is something wrong or the signal is weak and I'm almost on and nothing is happening. 5) The two DV6426's I had last week should have been problematic if there was an issue with distance, signal strength, or barriers. But they were very fast and never, ever dropped a signal. The signal should be fine and there shouldn't be an issue with distance or barriers. If there was a problem, I wouldn't be able to use my wife's eMac wireless. 6) calling HP tech support is a waste of time.

I think I ruled everything else out except the new laptop - the problem is there, but what is it?

 

Really?

Really?

Re-installing the same driver is not what has been suggested.

OK, wi-fi isn't rocket science, but it's very complicated. We are talking about a wireless standard "N" (you said Linksys N router) that isn't really set in stone yet. You also state that you have a B/G card. This means the router has to operate in "mixed" mode, which generally will slow the connection and can make other issues worse.

There are currently 3 (correct me if I'm wrong) chip makers in the "N" wireless game. Not all of these work well together, especially since the "N" spec isn't truly standardized yet. This is probably why your original laptop with an Intel chip worked well with the linksys router. The Broadcomm chip in your AMD based laptop may not like the Linksys router. How is that HP's fault?

The good news is the chip makers realize there are issues and update their software frequently to be more inline with the current "spec" of wireless "N" and provide better compatibility with other chipsets. This software is called firmware (router) and device drivers (laptop).

You need to ask (or help) your neighbor upgrade the router firmware. Then you should go to HP.com and locate the newest device driver for your Broadcom wireless and install them. This may very well fix your issue. Please do this and report back.

 

Ok, you may be right - but you don't have to be patronizing about it. I'm frustrated because this is my third laptop in two weeks.

I did update the Broadcom adapter and it doesn't work. Last thing is to update the router firmware, we'll see...

 

This is not an APPLE, what do you expect from MS ME II (Vista).

PC's & Apple's are out of date no matter when they are made and shipped. MFG load from a image file so it may have been up to date when the image was made.

You should always update drives and software when you receive.

11n is in DRAFT, and is still buggy, v2 is better but still needs work.

 

I understand what you're saying, but the ultimate goal for all consumer grade laptops is for them to work out of the box - and it's true 99% of the time.

I'm by no means a computer guru, but I've never had real wireless issues and had to update drivers and firmware on hardware that are relatively new (the router and adapter are less than a year old)....and I travel a bit and access wireless networks in hotels, airports, coffee shops, etc. The only time I had a problem was when my five year old PCMCIA wireless b card wouldn't log into a router with a new WPA2 encryption format. No big deal, it was time to upgrade because it was so old.

Even if it's true that draft n is buggy - isn't it also true that I still have a/b/and g to work with? Those standards have been around for quite some time. With my other draft n card, it goes automatically to the best connection. I also have a wireless b/g card that picks up the signal fine. I don't see how I can have problems just because the word 'draft' is lingering somewhere in the nomenclature.

 

I updated the card drivers and the router firmware and still the wireless doesn't work in my apartment downstairs. It does work when next to the router in my neighbor's apartment, but that doesn't help me.

What a waste of time! Three laptops from HP, with admittedly small, however inexcusable issues. This one is going back and never buy HP again.