Intel Centrino Wireless N-2230 keeps dropping connection unless a specific driver version is used.

[techuser10]

In regards to INTEL CENTRINO WIRELESS N-2230 CARD ON AN ENVY M6-1158CA

Ok, my computer is being sent into the shop for the following reason.

Wireless connectivity keeps dropping on me unless I use the driver that comes from a clean factory HP restore.

The driver in question that works is: INTEL  15.10.3.2 - Released on 2013-08-22

Driver version INTEL 15.5 works as well.

All other versions, including the latest intel wireless pro drivers, I get connectivity issues and they are pretty bad. I have to keep resetting the wireless adapter every 5 minutes or sooner!

Which makes me think the following. Is there a problem with the card OR are these drivers specifically configured to work with this card.

It doesn't make sense that the latest and greatest drivers shouldn't work - unless the card is starting to fail intermittently. I say this because the WLAN MODULE check passes in the BIOS diagnostics. But just becaused it PASSED, doesn't mean that it is not bginning to fail. I doubt that the diagnostic program examines every single circuit in the card to see if it works or not.

So, I am putting the question out to you guys. Because, if the techs decide to change the card and put in another INTEL CENTRINO WIRELESS N-2230, I'm gonna have the same issues.

And you might say: So what is the problem? Just use the drivers that work!

And I would say good idea BUT these are Windows 8 drivers and I wantto use WINDOWS 10 and the Win 8 drivers will not/should not work. And the drivers that Windows Updates provides do not work. And HP does not provide Windows 10 drivers for this computer model. They say to rely on Windows update.

So, as of being as PC tech since the early 1990's, I think I know what I'm talking about.

But, no man is an island of information on their own so I put the question out to you guys and see what you say!

Thanks.

[techuser10 · Accepted solution]

I think I have found a solution to my problem.

First thing to note is that I am running on battery power.

The solution appears to be setting the advanced power saving options for the wireless adapter from Medium Power saving to MAXIMUM Performance.

Once I did that, I had connectivity again!

Now let's see if this solution will work for Windows 10.

This solution applies to Intel driver version 15.18.0.1

[Michael_JP]

What's weird is my Envy dv7 worked fine for a year. It wasn't until I installed Win10 that this behavior started. I went back to 8.1 but the problem continued.

I verified that as soon as I went back to a different power mode from MAX for the wireless card the problem returned.

[rhinmass]

I'm adding this solution in case it helps anyone else.  First I changed the battery to MAX. I don't think that made a difference, and anyway I was plugged in when I had the problem.

Next I went into the Inel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 Properties (right-click on Wifi, choose Properties)

Configure

Advanced tab

For the property "Ad Hoc Channel 802.11b/g" -> 11 was selected, I randomly chose 3.

OK, etc.

Wifi works fine now.

So I'm not sure if changing the ad hoc chanel made the difference, or if it was a delayed effect of the power plan change. But I'm happy now, as I was so close to taking it in to have the wireless chip replaced.