wifi problems, could it be Vista?

I have an MSI gt725. The network adapter is Intel(R) Wirelss WiFi Link 5100. It used to connect to the wifi at work and now will not. It connects only with limited connectivity and will not access internet. I have noticed that lately I have had to reset my router to get connection at home. I have read that Vista has problems with certain connections. I use a Dell with XP pro and have no problems. Anyone know of a solution for this problem?

 

Update, will not connect under Ubuntu as well! So maybe it is an adapter issue?

 

Intel adapters usually come with a diagnostic toolset (Intel PROset) that can be found and run through your Control Panel. Vista isn't likely the problem - I'd be willing to bet a recent update has changed your adapter settings, or your WiFi connection parameters at work have changed and you need to tweak your adapter settings to match.

Most people tend to only think about Router setups and not the adapter - the adapter has its own Wireless Mode settings as well. For example, if your adapter is set to run Wireless G, and your home and office Router are both G, then you'd likely have no issues. But if your office changed to an N router, the mode settings could affect your connectivity if you didn't adjust your adapter settings to match. As for your home Router, you said you reset your Router but didn't say how. If you just did a Power Reset (unplug for 30 seconds and plug it back in) then it won't change your wireless mode settings. However, if you used the Reset button, then you've changed your Router settings back to factory default. My point is that just because it might seem like one problem doesn't mean that it is, nor should you ever assume as much. Problems usually come in pairs or 3's.

Since your adapter won't connect at work, it's a good bet they've changed the Router/AP hardware or parameters and didn't bother to tell everyone, or at the very least you didn't get the word. You can always try deleting your current wireless profile, then doing a wireless search for your office wifi network again. It's a good bet they've got some type of security protocol in place, so you'll need the access information also if they've secured it.

The best way to really reset your router is to flash the firmware - standard Support policy for Linksys on all connectivity issues, regardless of whether or not the installed firmware version is current or not.

Consider any new electronic items that you may have added to your home or office near where you use your notebook. Anything like a cordless phone base can cause enough interference to lower connectivity, and even cause a signal break. I recently came across a support case where the owner determined that interference from his neighbor's cordless phone was causing his network connection to drop. His neighbor was kind enough to get another phone, though it would've been easier to adjust his router and adapter settings to get a better signal.

You can access your adapter's Wifi settings through the Device Manager or the Wireless Network panel in Network & Sharing. In the Dev Manager, right click on the adapter and click on Properties, then usually the Advanced tab for Intel adapters. Note that for Wireless N, N must be enabled, and when doing so it negates the B/G settings. Set your Power output to Highest, Roaming to Aggressive. Set the Mode to match your Router's current setup.

For your office setup, it's usually better to have a separate Wireless profile altogether as their Wifi setup is likely to be different than what you have at home. As an option, just use an external USB adapter at work and your internal at home. It's good to have a backup anyway.

Depending on your Router, you'll likely get more speed out of an external adapter anyway. I've never been able to get more than 180mbps out of my 4965, but my external Linksys USB averages around 270mbps. I use an external adapter because my Intel can't access the Dual-Band features of my network (the 5ghz channel anyway).

 

I replied to ur other thread here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=395681