Having Trouble Staying Connected. Please help!

[CloudedSkies]

I have a Latitude D520, and I cannot, for anything, keep it connected to my wireless internet. The connection time varies --it can go from an entire hour of being connected, to less then a second after it's been repaired.

And I'm not sure what the problem is. I've tried everything. Even being in the same room, with no obstructions between the router and my laptop, and it doesn't work. Even if it's the only thing connected.

This used to be my dad's work laptop, and he has said that it used to work fine for him. I've always had this problem, but it has progressively gotten worse throughout the years. It wasn't so bad in the beginning. This laptop has been wiped clean about three times by a well known/trusted, local computer shop in my hometown --and regardless, it still has this issue.

I also cannot connect it via Ethernet cord, as my apartment complex is whack and there is only one port that you can connect to (which my wireless router is connected to, because I have roommates) and that is in my roommate's room. I can't just go sit in there for several hours and work on my laptop

Can some one help me? I'm in college, and I really don't have the money to go buy a new laptop. (And I really want to make sure that this isn't a user error, so if I do go buy one, I won't make the same mistake).

 

[darkbreeze]

Onboard wifi adapters can just develop problems with age. I'd recommend getting a usb adapter for the wireless. You can get one pretty cheap at any office supply store, Walmart, or wherever you buy tech. First though I'd try to check and make sure I have the most recent drivers installed for the onboard adapter. Windows may have installed an updated driver that the hardware doesn't like.

 

[CloudedSkies]

Onboard wifi adapters can just develop problems with age. I'd recommend getting a usb adapter for the wireless. You can get one pretty cheap at any office supply store, Walmart, or wherever you buy tech. First though I'd try to check and make sure I have the most recent drivers installed for the onboard adapter. Windows may have installed an updated driver that the hardware doesn't like.

I've tried to diagnose the problem with the Window's website, to see if the drivers were all up to date and etc. But it will never last long enough to complete the test. I doubt it has been updated in the last little bit, though I do know that whenever it was wiped, the shop would update the laptop completely --be it drivers, or software, etc. I'll try and double check with the drivers, before I look into buying the usb.

 

[darkbreeze]

Well, there are several different adapters possible on that unit for the wifi as well as several Bluetooth adapters. I need to know which of the possible wifi adapters you have. If you can type msinfo32.exe into the search or run box on the start menu to open system information and then click on the plus sign next to components. Next click on Network and then adapter. On the right hand side of the window there should now be the information on network hardware.

Find the listing for the wifi adapter and then select all the text pertaining to the wifi adapter using the cursor. Go up to the edit menu and select copy and then paste the information here. Right click copy will be unavailable so you'll have to use the top menu of the system information window.