Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 Problem

[m0usey929]

My Lenovo Y50 laptop's WiFi is not working for some reason. Either I'm connected to my network with no internet connectivity or I'm connected and it says "Limited". After uninstalling drivers and installing new drivers, it still doesn't work. Nothing I do seems to help.

 

Can anyone help me with this problem? It's really bugging me! >~<

Thank you!

[Blade of Grass]

What router are you using? Do you have any other devices on the network? Do they work or do they also experience this problem?

[m0usey929]

What router are you using? Do you have any other devices on the network? Do they work or do they also experience this problem?

I'm using a Verizon Actiontec router that they provided me. I have many other devices on the network. They all work except for my laptop.

[SlayerOfHellWyrm]

If your router isn't broadcasting in AC, chances are, it's because the network is so saturated at the N level, and the other devices are getting priority. If it's set to mixed, then I'm not sure myself, I've yet to work with wireless AC during my Cisco studies

[m0usey929]

If your router isn't broadcasting in AC, chances are, it's because the network is so saturated at the N level, and the other devices are getting priority. If it's set to mixed, then I'm not sure myself, I've yet to work with wireless AC during my Cisco studies

I'm not sure about what you said, however none of my router settings were altered before this started happening. It was working fine but stopped working after I didn't use my laptop for 4 days or so while I was on a trip.

[SlayerOfHellWyrm]

Well, that gives me the information I needed in around-about way. Oddly enough, try "forgetting" the network on your laptop. I'm not going to post a method, because it varies between Mac, Windows, and Linux distros, and I have no idea what you're using

I have no idea why, but for some reason, this tends to fix spotty connection issues. If you're on Windows, you can also use the built in wireless troubleshooting wizard (accessed by right-clicking the wireless icon in the task bar, and clicking troubleshoot)

[m0usey929]

Well, that gives me the information I needed in around-about way. Oddly enough, try "forgetting" the network on your laptop. I'm not going to post a method, because it varies between Mac, Windows, and Linux distros, and I have no idea what you're using

I have no idea why, but for some reason, this tends to fix spotty connection issues. If you're on Windows, you can also use the built in wireless troubleshooting wizard (accessed by right-clicking the wireless icon in the task bar, and clicking troubleshoot)

I have tried "forgetting" the network (I'm using Windows 8.1 btw) and it still doesn't work. The wireless troubleshooting doesn't fix the problem either.

[SlayerOfHellWyrm]

When all else fails, try resetting the router. Beyond that, unfortunately I'm of no help

[m0usey929]

When all else fails, try resetting the router. Beyond that, unfortunately I'm of no help

I've also tried resetting the router and it did not work either. Thank you for your effort though >~<

[tomsliwowski]

I'm not familiar with the AC-3160 but you seem to have the same issues I had with my AC-7260.

 

You said you re-installed the drivers but were they the 17.0.5 ones from Intel's site?

 

The 17.x line of drivers seemed to have fixed the "limited connectivity" issue people have been having. 

 

Give it a shot and see if it makes things better - https://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Wireless+Networking&ProductLine=Intel%C2%AE+Wi-Fi+Products&ProductProduct=Intel%C2%AE+Dual+Band+Wireless-AC+3160&ProdId=3776&LineId=1784&FamilyId=1783

[m0usey929]

I'm not familiar with the AC-3160 but you seem to have the same issues I had with my AC-7260.

 

You said you re-installed the drivers but were they the 17.0.5 ones from Intel's site?

 

The 17.x line of drivers seemed to have fixed the "limited connectivity" issue people have been having. 

 

Give it a shot and see if it makes things better - https://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Wireless+Networking&ProductLine=Intel%C2%AE+Wi-Fi+Products&ProductProduct=Intel%C2%AE+Dual+Band+Wireless-AC+3160&ProdId=3776&LineId=1784&FamilyId=1783

I've installed it and it doesn't say limited anymore, however I still don't get any internet connectivity. I ran the manual diagnostics tool of the Intel PROSet Utility and it says the Ping Test has failed "No Response: default gateway. DHCP server" What does this mean?

EDIT: Okay, 5 minutes later it starts working. Although the connectivity is extremely slow. Also, the "Ping test" seems to fail and pass every time i test it.

Edited July 14, 2014 by m0usey929

[tomsliwowski]

When you uninstalled the drivers, did you do it multiple times?

 

The way that the issue was fixed on my laptop running the AC-7260 (which I now know is the big brother to your AC-3160) is to keep uninstalling all stored version of the driver and making sure the checkbox for removing the driver files is also checked off. You will know you are done when you get to a version of the driver that's signed from Microsoft. At that point install the 17.0.5 Intel driver.

 

I never install the PROSet utility so I can't tell you exactly what the diagnostic finds but it sounds to me like your router didn't respond to a simple ping. This would indicate that wireless driver is still dropping the connection.

[m0usey929]

When you uninstalled the drivers, did you do it multiple times?

 

The way that the issue was fixed on my laptop running the AC-7260 (which I now know is the big brother to your AC-3160) is to keep uninstalling all stored version of the driver and making sure the checkbox for removing the driver files is also checked off. You will know you are done when you get to a version of the driver that's signed from Microsoft. At that point install the 17.0.5 Intel driver.

 

I never install the PROSet utility so I can't tell you exactly what the diagnostic finds but it sounds to me like your router didn't respond to a simple ping. This would indicate that wireless driver is still dropping the connection.

So how would I uninstall the drivers like what you did?

[tomsliwowski]

If you're on the desktop, right click the windows logo and select "Device Manager" from the list

 

Expand the "Network adapters" section and right click on the AC-3160 card

 

Select "Uninstall" and on the popup that comes in check off "Delete the driver software for this device." option.

 

After the device uninstalls click "Action" and "Scan for hardware changes" which should install the device with whatever compatible driver the system has. Once the install is done, double click the AC-3160 and select the "Driver" tab. If you see "Microsoft" in the "Driver Provider:" section it means you're at the earliest revision of the driver. At this point install the Intel 17.0.5 driver.

[m0usey929]

If you're on the desktop, right click the windows logo and select "Device Manager" from the list

 

Expand the "Network adapters" section and right click on the AC-3160 card

 

Select "Uninstall" and on the popup that comes in check off "Delete the driver software for this device." option.

 

After the device uninstalls click "Action" and "Scan for hardware changes" which should install the device with whatever compatible driver the system has. Once the install is done, double click the AC-3160 and select the "Driver" tab. If you see "Microsoft" in the "Driver Provider:" section it means you're at the earliest revision of the driver. At this point install the Intel 17.0.5 driver.

I've tried multiple times, but it still doesn't work. T_T

[tomsliwowski]

I've tried multiple times, but it still doesn't work. T_T

The only other thing I would say to try is disable U-APSD

 

To disable U-APSD go to the "Device Manager" -> "Network adapters" -> double click the adapter and click "Advanced". Find "U-APSD support" in the list or properties and change the value to Disabled.

[m0usey929]

The only other thing I would say to try is disable U-APSD

 

To disable U-APSD go to the "Device Manager" -> "Network adapters" -> double click the adapter and click "Advanced". Find "U-APSD support" in the list or properties and change the value to Disabled.

It was already disabled. Dang

[tomsliwowski]

I remember reading in the Intel forums that some people have had luck disabling bluetooth and making a change in the power management settings for the card.

 

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/36517iE7355D71FDDBA65A/image-size/original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1

[m0usey929]

I remember reading in the Intel forums that some people have had luck disabling bluetooth and making a change in the power management settings for the card.

 

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/36517iE7355D71FDDBA65A/image-size/original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1

Thank you for your effort on trying to resolve my issue, but I've decided to just return the laptop and purchase a different one.

Also, I have tried what you just said but it didn't work either.

[Pr0ving4Gr0undz]

I had the same problem. 

My fix was updating the network drivers.

Also disabling HT mode helped.

 

What laptop are you getting now? 

[m0usey929]

I had the same problem. 

My fix was updating the network drivers.

Also disabling HT mode helped.

 

What laptop are you getting now? 

I've tried updating the network drivers and disabling HT mode, it didn't work.

Anyway, I'm getting an ASUS ROG G750JM-DS71

[PM W]

So I've been battling this problem with a Verizon FiOS Actiontec router and an Intel AC 3160. I think I've tried every setting there is now. You'd figure if you matched your adapter's settings to the router you'd be gold. No. However, when I tried disabling HT mode my connection went from 65Mbs which is half of what I should have with this adapter, down to 54Mbs.