Chromebase repeatedly dropping wifi connection for a few seconds each time

[garthur1]

** In order to post this I was forced to select between 4 irrelevant categories, which is bizarre, an HP design flaw in the forum? I chose Bluetooth as the closest, and while yes, I've had some Bluetooth problems also with the Chromebase, this is only about wifi.

I have had my Chromebase for over a year, in the past month it has developed a wifi connection problem which is random and inconsistent, but seems to be at least daily. This morning, in the course of 5-10 minutes I had 5 disconnections for a few seconds each. When I check my other devices I'm not seeing it.

[Raj_05]

Hi @garthur1,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

If your HP Chromebase is repeatedly dropping the Wi-Fi connection for a few seconds each time, there could be several possible causes for this issue. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try.

• Move closer to the Wi-Fi router: Weak Wi-Fi signal strength can lead to intermittent connectivity issues. Make sure you are within a reasonable range of your Wi-Fi router and see if the problem persists.
• Check other devices: Determine if the Wi-Fi connection issue is specific to your HP Chromebase or if other devices connected to the same network are experiencing similar problems. If multiple devices are affected, the issue may lie with the Wi-Fi network itself, and you should troubleshoot the router or contact your internet service provider (ISP) for assistance.
• Restart your Chromebase: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary software glitches or conflicts that may be causing the Wi-Fi connection drops. Try restarting your HP Chromebase and see if the issue improves.
• Update Chrome OS: Ensure that your Chromebase is running the latest version of Chrome OS. Updates often include bug fixes and improvements that can address Wi-Fi connectivity issues. To check for updates, go to the Settings menu, then click on "About Chrome OS" and select "Check for updates."
• Forget and reconnect to Wi-Fi network: Sometimes, removing and re-adding the Wi-Fi network configuration can help resolve connection problems. Go to the Settings menu, click on "Wi-Fi," and locate your network. Click on it and select "Forget." After that, reconnect to the network by selecting it from the available networks and entering the password.
• Reset network settings: If the problem persists, you can try resetting the network settings on your Chromebase. Go to the Settings menu, click on "Advanced," then select "Reset settings." From there, click on "Reset settings" again to confirm. Note that this will reset your network settings to default and remove saved Wi-Fi networks, so you'll need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network afterward.
• Check for interference: Interference from other electronic devices or neighboring networks can disrupt your Wi-Fi connection. Try relocating your Chromebase away from potential sources of interference, such as cordless phones, microwave ovens, or Bluetooth devices. Additionally, you can change the Wi-Fi channel on your router to avoid conflicts with other networks.

I hope this helps. 
 

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4
HP Support 

[garthur1]

Curiously in the past 2 days the issue hasn't occurred. And I did have a restart (for a system update) which may have solved things. I forgot about removing and re-adding the network as a possible solution, which I'll try if the problem returns. Other recommendations have already been met. 

Being a long-term multi-device HP customer I am too familiar with the high rate of bugs in most products, including software, websites, in fact even the "save login" didn't work on this website, nor was I informed by email of your response! And there was, as noted in my question, no option for adding a question for this sort of problem. It puzzles me why HP doesn't address these things, as website issues --in particular support resources-- have been bug-ridden or broken for years.

It is also noteworthy that the Chromebase was discontinued in its first year, though a brilliant product. I love mine, except for all the bugs and many hours I've spent with phone support and case managers to resolve a range of problems, including bad phone support intervention. But still, overall, having purchased a ton of tech over the years, I mostly stay with HP, always hoping they'll do better. Thank you for your wise advise, and until I am sure this problem is resolved I am going to keep this one open.

[Raj_05]

Hi @garthur1,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

Due to limited support, I would request you contact our HP Support and our Support Engineers should be able to sort this out. HP Support can be reached by clicking on the following link.

https://www.hp.com/contacthp/

Please feel free to contact us here anytime you need any further assistance.

Have a great day!

Alden4
HP Support 

[garthur1]

This is a predictably sad and quick end to what is billed as a "support community".

The solution you initially offered was the same template I already found, making this support limited to a search database that anybody can access. Since most problems I have are HP quality issues or OS issues --both of which some other companies will address-- it seems this support community is a ruse. Is it limited to your support because users have not gotten onboard with the community idea?

Directing me to contact support, when the product is out of warranty (in my case by a couple of months) and they offer none without a plan is a plan for losing customers. Given the high rate of software, bios and build bugs, and defective hardware in HP products (I've owned many and currently own 4) a better system is needed for small annoyances. I'm writing this not to rant at you, but in hopes that people above your level can see this.

If an agent were to look into my history with HP (I've lost count of how many products I've purchased and how many times I needed to access support and how many endless hours and headaches resulted) it would be a good reality check. In the past year I have gone through the hoops to get 3 warranties keyboard replacements (2 products) one duplicate one was apparently to shut me up as I figured out that the read problem is motherboard related. 2 years ago there was a problem with a new PC from BestBuy, where the Geek Squad was unable to help due to severe limitations in what they are equipped to do, and so they suggested contacting warranty support. That call center destroyed the new laptop, requiring me to get a replacement. After that I was given wrong info (also from warranty support) to upgrade the RAM.

Since I reported this I ran into a silly problem with my printer: repeat changes in printer driver software (designed to push users at every turn to buy an HP subscription for ink!) has removed local support instructions/guides. I need to clean the cartridges, something I hadn't done in long enough to forget the procedure. It turns out that they removed it from the driver software, which is now a very slow and buggy HP Smart (what an irony that name). Every place one would expect to find something as simple as basic user interventions was missing this, trying to drive users to either replace units or buy tech support (or buy new cartridges). I eventually found the method in a surprising place that in the past was not revealed in any of the support documents or driver procedures.

So the bottom line is that I am feeling forced to leave the HP world, too much grief, too much manipulation, too many lost hours of productivity chasing solutions that they hide from users. I hope this message makes its way to somebody who can pass it up the line.