Vista - Intel® WiFi Link 5100 Randomly Stops Working

This has been happening for the past three days. I just recently bought a laptop, the Toshiba Satellite A305-S6898, with Intel® WiFi Link 5100.

I would be just surfing on the internet and then the WiFi link would randomly just stop working. I would go to the available connections window, and the network i'm connected to would say 'Connected with limited connectivity', and then it would disconnect and then it would not be able to detect any networks, even though it previously did before. I know it's not a network problem because the same problem occured on two different networks I have set up in two different places. The device manager does not report anything wrong with it, and I did not randomly turn off the wifi for any reason. I would have to reset my laptop in order to fix the problem.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Owner>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ******-PC <---i personally blocked that out.
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 5100
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-21-5D-74-13-0E
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2d9b:2e89:e0b8:2d2a%11(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.3(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, December 07, 2008 2:19:10 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, December 08, 2008 2:19:09 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : access.bestbuy.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8102E Family PCI-E Fast Ethern
et NIC (NDIS 6.0)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-33-69-17-D3
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 6TO4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.access.bestbuy.com
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{84AFA9BD-6C1D-490A-915C-0F060A6DE
130}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\Owner>

Yes! Agreed! Same thing happening here. Any ideas?

Bumpity Bump.

I have a HP Pavilion dv4 with the Intel Wifi Link 5100. I have the same problems that you have with the wireless conection. I think that the problem begins with a windows update. Yesterday I had 4 windows updates to download, I install them and then when I restart my computer the problem with the wireless began. I had to restore my computer and download the updates one by one and the problem seems to be " Definition Update for Windows Defender". Is the same for you? or you don't have the problem with the update?

The complete name of the update is:
Definition Update for Windows Defender- KB915597 (Definition 1.49.1289.0)

I have the same issue with my Toshiba Satellite E105-S1402. Since I got this (11/26/08), I lose wireless on this laptop as well as the other 3 in my home. I have replaced my wireless router and cable modem per Geek Squad and the cable company. I need help

I've had the same problem on my Toshiba A305-S6872. I even disabled windows update after my third system restore. It still stopped working.

The same situation Lenovo SL500 any idea? Anyone figure this out?

No answer but similar issues:

Dell M6400 running Windows 2008. Connects fine to some WiFi networks (e.g. the one here at well known computer company). Connects intermittenly to 2 networks I own (Devolo power line based WIFI device and [old] Linksys). Connects very intermittently to network in a Mercure hotel I use in Munich (always worked before getting the WiFI 5100 based computer). Wouldn't connect at all to BA lounge in Munich (loads of others could - I am a networking enginneer and did a lot of trouble shoooting over a 3 hour flight delay and a week in the hotel. Tried every setting and several driver versions - no luck. Odd things like only seeing broadcast traffic e.g. DHCP offer but noe repsonse to ack etc.). [of course Intel and Dell would say they don't support Windows 2008 server].

I also have an Acer Aspire 8930 - which has the same card running - this is running Vista Ultimate 32 bit. It hasn't left home - but guess what? - unreliable on both my home networks. Needless to say my Toshiba M400 and my Computing in Motion panel (and various unbranded WiFi cards) all work fine - as do my Slim Devices players, my Sony VAIO T1400 (forgot number). Common factor - they don't use this card.

(The Toshiba also works in the BA loung and the hotel...)

Weirdly the card works fine with some access points always.

Can anyone report mobile happiness with this card? It seem to work, not work at all, or hang up depending on your AP.

So that's 2 computers, different OSes, same card, same problems

Just found this (hope it wasn't there before and I missed it).


Intel® WiFi Products - Power Save Polling (PSP) causes connection issues with some access points

Sounds promising though ...

Haven't been able to try the workaround as the option described does not appear in my OS - downloading proset

YES!

The post above is exactly the problem!

This also goes with wireless hardware (IE mouse) plugged into the and my SD host card reader. All affected by 'power saver' mode

Just change it so that it stays on all the time so that there are no conflicts.

man I wish I cam back to this forum earlier instead of having to figure out everything on my own =P

Hope it helps!