Unconnections Occur Randomly
Unconnections Occur Randomly
I've noticed two problems with my desktop: sometimes it connects to the network automatically after login but disconnects when logging in, and other times it drops out unexpectedly. My roommate hasn't mentioned any issues either. I initially thought it might be related to the network card, especially since I live in an apartment. A power line adapter could be a good solution if that's the case.
You could be too far from the router. Consider getting closer. Power cords or microwaves might interfere with the WiFi signals. Switching to an Ethernet cable instead of using Wi-Fi helped a friend. My brother faced similar problems and resolved them by updating his WiFi card drivers.
This situation seems to vary depending on the network type. Occasionally the 5GHz connection works but the Windows interface shows "connected, no internet access." When trying to join the 2.4GHz network, internet becomes available then you can reconnect to the 5GHz. It doesn’t appear distance is the main problem. I’ve achieved speeds up to 80 Mbps here, which is solid for me. Restarting the router might help only on my desktop, not on other devices.
Restarting the router could still work. My laptop and phone sometimes miss the 5Ghz signal completely, while others function normally. In my case, 5Ghz feels a bit more erratic even when it does connect, though it’s much better than 2.4Ghz. Another idea is to switch channels. Some gadgets are more sensitive to interference, so changing your channel might temporarily disrupt the desktop but not others. It bothers me that Windows often fails to renew the DHCP lease after a drop, sometimes requiring a reboot to reconnect. Usually it doesn’t occur frequently enough to be major. Regarding the first point, my laptop had the same issue until I reinstalled Windows 10, after which it reconnected automatically. Overall, network behavior remains somewhat inconsistent, especially with WiFi. I’d also look into driver updates, as they can significantly impact reliable 5Ghz performance. The standard Windows driver might not be optimal.
I installed a driver update last night. Before checking this post, I needed to reconnect to the network manually, even though it was already connected before bed. I had to reconnect twice this morning within five minutes of each attempt. I plan to restart the router.
Automated driver updates seldom capture the newest versions, so the safest approach is to determine the specific chipset your NIC employs and locate manufacturers' sites for that information. Even motherboard suppliers often delay refreshing their older board driver pages beyond a few years.
I should also mention that in "device manager" I disabled my network card from being powered off, left the computer running for a few hours, and it went to sleep then reconnected when I returned. Everything was normal before this. I'm really upset.