# Limited connectivity/No Internet with Windows 8 - Help please!



## eenwahs (Jan 1, 2013)

Hi i've had my new laptop acer v3-571 since October and after a month the internet started going to limited connectivity and not loading anything at all. We've never had this problem with any of the laptops before and it also did it at my uncles house so it's not just my wifi provider. My old laptop (Windows 7) still works perfectly fine and never disconnects or has limited connectivity. I've been looking through various forums and have done the Device manager > Network adapter > Power managment unticking settings which worked perfectly for a few weeks. My laptop then did an acer wifi update and it started going to limited connectivity again. 
I've tried the ipconfig /release" - "ipconfig /renew" on command prompt and that hasn't worked either. 
And also the Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: netsh winsock reset catalog
Reset IPv4 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log
Reset IPv6 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log

I have also made sure I have the most recent driver software.

Someone please help!


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

What firewall / security suite or anti-virus do you currently have on the PC - or you have ever had on the PC in the past - any trial ware - like Norton, Mcafee , AVG , Webroot etc


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## eenwahs (Jan 1, 2013)

Norton 360 - year subscription. I had avast free before I installed that. It did it with both.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

remove Norton with the removal tool - make sure you know any subscription keys - so you can always re-install 
remove any other virus/security suites and use the removal tools
*--------------------------------------------------------------*

* Norton Removal Tool *
I would recommend that you restart the PC and run the removal tool for a second time - I have found instances where the removal tool needs to be run twice to fully remove all traces of norton and symantec from the PC
https://www-secure.symantec.com/nor...t=Norton Core&pvid=f-core-cur&version=current

All Versions - The Norton Removal Tool uninstalls all Norton 2010/2009/2008/2007/2006/2005/2004/2003 products, Norton 360 and Norton SystemWorks 12.0 from your computer.
http://majorgeeks.com/Norton_Removal_Tool_SymNRT_d4749.html

*--------------------------------------------------------------*

*Uninstall Avast Utility*
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
Detail on how to Uninstall Avast
http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=504


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## eenwahs (Jan 1, 2013)

Why do I need to uninstall it? It was doing it before we even installed it?


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

security suites like norton etc cause all sorts of issues - so its best to remove and at least eliminate all those first


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## eenwahs (Jan 1, 2013)

Okay uninstalled it  what now?


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

and avast - so no security suite on at all now - correct ?

lets see a xirrus screen shot
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Run Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector  
Download and install*
If you cannot access the internet with this PC, then you will need to copy the program across to the faulty PC
Save the file to a USB flash drive or other removable media. Plug it into the working computer with internet access and copy the file and install the program. 
You will now need to take a screen shot and copy that back to the working PC and attach the screen shot in a reply on the forum here.

http://www.xirrus.com/Products/Wi-Fi-Inspector.aspx
Direct link to the program is here http://info.xirrus.com/Wi-FiInspectorConfirmation.html

_{If the above link does not work heres another link http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,77196-order,4/download.html}_

Then run and install the program - on a wireless enabled PC/Laptop
if you get an error - You need will need to have NET Framework installed for the WiFi Inspector to function.
On windows 8 - (i do not have windows 8) but, it would appear that, When you first try to run, you may get a message that .net framework is needed, and included in that message is a link to download/install.

Run the program

A user guide is available here http://www.xirrus.com/cdn/pdf/Xirrus-Wi-Fi-inspectorguide-1-2-1-RevB-6.aspx

post a screen shot of the program running.
if there are a lot of networks showing can you click on *"networks"* top lefthand area - so we can see all the network information.

*post which SSID name is yours, its located in the list, under network "Adapter Name" (1st column) 
*
To post a screen shot of the active window.
1) hold the Alt key and press the PrtScn key. Open the Windows PAINT application (Start> All Programs> Accessories> Paint) and Paste the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file. 
OR
2) if you are using Vista/Windows 7 you can use the "snipping tool" which is found in Start> All programs> Accessories> Snipping Tool

To upload the screen shot to the forum, open the full reply window ("Go Advanced" button) and use the Manage Attachments button to upload it here.
Full details are available here http://library.techguy.org/wiki/TSG_Posting_a_Screenshot

Note:
For a reliable (or robust as the Xirrus user guide says) wireless connection you need a signal of about -70 dBm or better. "A desirable signal level for a robust Wi-Fi connection will be green".
note: the signal level is a negative number, so for example -88 is worst and -40 is better

If you are using the Mac OS then use http://www.istumbler.net/

if you want to optimise base station position and signal strength / dead spots use
http://www.chimoosoft.com/products/apgrapher/ which has a graph function to monitor signal
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*


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## stocker340 (Oct 8, 2002)

What do you suggest for antivirus If Norton and others are the problem?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

If <fill in name of security suite or firewall or anti-virus> is, or may be, causing a problem we recommend to uninstall it, run the Removal Tool if one exists for it and then test. Then reinstall it if you desire to continue using it.

Personally I use the included Windows Defender with Windows 8 and Microsoft Security Essentials with earlier versions of Windows.


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## eenwahs (Jan 1, 2013)

Does your internet go off at all with windows 8? how do you get the included windows defender to work? Mine will work for a few days totally fine then just suddenly starts disconnecting again.


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