WiFi stopped going online when I change networks

device_node

Commendable
Feb 23, 2016
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0
1,570
I have a Toshiba Tecra Z-50. I connect to several WiFi networks: at home, at several work locations, at friends' houses. It used to be that when I put my computer to sleep at one location and woke it at another, it would connect to the different network (remembering its WPA key) and I'd be online.

At one point about a month ago, it stopped doing this. Now when I wake the computer at a new location, it connects to the network, but does not route traffic.

On close examination I found that the NIC is holding onto the DHCP settings of the previous network to which it was connected (judging by subnet numbers). When it connects to the new network, it is supposed to ask for a new DHCP (or ask it it can use the one from the old network, which will be invalid), and the new router will give it new DHCP values. it has stopped doing this.

It won't go online until I disable the network connection and re-enable it. In the alternative, I can use "ipconfig wireless* /release" followed by "ipconfig wireless* /renew" at a command prompt (or in a script). But this is aggravating and unnecessary. Every other computer and device switches IP numbers automatically.

I turn the WiFi subsystem off and on and force a re-connect. No joy.
I have removed the Intel ProSet Wireless manager. No joy.
I have reinstalled the NIC driver, and upgraded to the latest version. No joy.
I have deleted all the stored networks and re-created them one by one. No joy.
I have verified that the DHCP Client Service is "started" and is set to "automatic".

How can I get my Toshiba automatically switching networks again properly?
 
Solution
Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling your wifi adapter driver? You probably did im just trying to help you the "easy way"

device_node

Commendable
Feb 23, 2016
12
0
1,570


Thank you for your reply.

Reinstalling the OS will cost a week to restore my applications and environments (I run various hardware and software development systems for my contracting work). Of course it will work, but it's not a solution. It's an act of desperation, of last resort. And since it will cost me thousands of dollars of lost time, I will probably resort to just using a script, which I do now and is irritating and infuriating but doesn't cost me so much.