# Ralink wireless card keeps disconnecting



## bimbobarbie (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi I hope you can help me

I have an Advent 8117 laptop.

I have had it for 18 months now and the past couple of months I have seen a big decline in performance on all aspects.

Firstly the computer was running very slow, so I bought an external HD and system restored the system. everything seemed fine. I installed all the drivers and everything, again all working great

Its just that the past few weeks I have noticed a very bad decline in my internet. 

I thought the problem was my internet browser ( I am using explorer 7) so I reset the explorer 7, which got rid of all the add ons and so on.

Again it seemed to be running very slow.

On occasion I would noticed that the wireless icon in the bottom corner of the screen would all of a sudden appear offline, and then the internet would stop being connected. I could never understand why this would happen, I would then try and reconnect but it would tell me there is no wireless networks available. I would then have to either reboot the modem downstairs (which would sometimes fix the problem) or restart my computer which normally fixes the problem and when it restarts the computer, my wifi automatically connects

but lately I had problems with my browser so i decided to install google chrome. I have to say it seemed much faster and more efficient but then i noticed the wifi disconnecting without notice, just completely timing out. so much so that I couldn't even find a network connection when i tried to search for one even though i know there is multiple available.

to remedy this i have to restart the computer. I have also tried to disable the wireless LAN card in the device manager which causes me problems, because when I try to disable or uninstall it freezes my computer up and doesn't allow it, and when i try to shut down via task manager it freezes forever on the shutting down screen.

can anyone help me, it has to be something with my card, the other computer is wired to the hub, my laptop is the only wireless device.

My modem is the netgear rangemax DG834N

windows system is vista home premium

processor -genuine intel(R) cpu T2080 @ 1.73Ghz 1.73Ghz

Memory Ram- 1014mb

System Type - 32 Bit

The network adapters are

Realtek RTL8139/810x Family fast ethernet NIC
RT73 USB wireless LAN card

I also use the Ralink wireless utility 

please could you tell me what other info you will need to help tell me what is wrong, sorry i am not a computer whizz to most people standards on here!!

I would love if someone would be able to help me!!

Please just tell me if you need any more info and were to find it!

kind regards

and thanks in advance!

Arlene


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## bimbobarbie (Mar 24, 2009)

update ---

I just tried surfing the net and its almost everytime when i go on facebook, i can almost be certain it will shut off my wifi, to the point where i have to restart my computer.

Do you think it could be the google chrome? i have read a few other stories about this and the only advice was to go into my router settings and disable the port scan and Dos Protection.

Can this leave my computer open to virus?

please help!


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Some things to try ...

Make sure you have the latest driver for the wireless adapter.

Make sure you have the latest firmware for your router. And then reset it to factory default settings and reconfigure it.

See if you can use the adapter w/o the Ralink wireless utility; just using the utility in Vista.


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## bimbobarbie (Mar 24, 2009)

thanks for your reply terryNet

Ok so i have the latest firmware on the router.

in regards to the driver update, i dont know if i have the most recent only because i try and search the net and i cannot find it anywhere and also when i try to get the computer to search its not coming up with anything, its taking about 15 mins to search :S

i also dont know how to not use the ralink wireless utility.

dont know if this helps but i downloaded explorer 8 and i have been surfing for about 20 mins now and no disconnection, i did try chrome again which after 10 mins and going on facebook, it crashed and i had to restart my computer.

something is telling me its chrome but i just dont know how to be sure?

so terrynet i think i have done 2 of the 3 suggestions above, that being my driver is the most current one. and its still working.

hope this helps


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I kinda shudder when I see names like Realtek and Ralink and Advent.  Prefer seeing D-Link or Netgear or Intel or Dell or some other brand that has drivers for their products easily available on their web sites.


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## bimbobarbie (Mar 24, 2009)

yeh very true terrynet, i shudder at the actual thought of me buying this piece of crap laptop. to be honest though it has done me very well over the last 18 months, but just recently its annoying the hell out of me. just the internet is getting me down.

as i said earlier, have been running on explorer 8 now, even though it isnt as fast as google chrome i am not getting any wifi disconnections. very strange, it just seems to much of a link...

i know for a fact if i go on chrome it will disconnect, i really think it could be chrome causing it, which is a shame because i actually really like the browser speed and how easy it is to use.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Strange that a browser would cause a wireless connection to actually drop. I have no ideas. Hope that at least IE8 continues to work for you.


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## DAParker (Apr 22, 2009)

hey both, I have had a similar problem with my advent 8117 for some time now..the connection just dissappears when I use the browser...I dont cut out when i connected hard line into the router. I believe this to be a problem with the wireless card.I have a tmobile doggle for internet and it doesnt cut out, however I am now having problem with the usb ports as the doggle has put too much stress on the ports!! 

I have tried downloading film torrents and it goes to blue screen of death but when I download music it is usually ok!!

Going to try replacing the wifi card soon in the next week or two!! will let you know if it goes to plan!!


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