Internet issues on Windows 8.1

[raine]

So I am currently stuck using a laptop (nowhere to permanently setup a computer) and am having issues with wireless (no hardwiring option available).

The dedicated wireless card is a Qualcomm Atheros AR5BWB222 and I have had issues with it for the past 3+ years using it for wireless (it would connect for max of 2 hours and require a full pc reboot and a network hard reset to reconnect) so I don't really have that as a viable long-term option. Recently I have been using my Galaxy Note 9 and supplied internet via USB-tethering (sharing wi-fi not LTE data) and it was going well until about a month ago, where I would get net for about half an hour and then it would just change to no internet access (even checked on the phone and it's wi-fi was fine) I would have to turn off USB-tethering shut off my phones wi-fi and then do the reverse and after doing that I would get 10 minutes if I am lucky and have to rinse and repeat if I wanted to do anything on the computer requiring internet. I have searched endlessly on the net trying to find a fix for these issues, the wi-fi card I have tried all the available firmwares and the USB-tethering hasn't gotten any better since the recent update for my Note 9. The wi-fi I can use is charged on a monthly per-device basis (the USB-tethering is a workaround as it is all seen as net used on my phone) I don't have the ability to reset the internet here so getting my laptop a month long net access pass for a short period of working wifi time would be a waste of $. I was wondering if anyone has any bright Ideas, I know all over the internet people are saying 8.1 has tons of networking issues (I have spent the past 6 months (approx 200+ hours) searching for a fix to no avail .. so I am beginning to think there isn't a fix to this but I have been surprised by the knowledge of some of the people here so I figured I'd give it a shot as the worst that can happen is bricking the PC that has a deep hatred of the internet ...

[Guest]

well first of all consider updating to Windows 10 just because of drivers stability, and the one for tethering works definitely better than the previous ones

Than also try the preinstalled Windows 10 wifi driver

 

To exclude any hardware problem, try to use a live Linux USB to test the chip and if the problems comes here again, it's probably the wifi chip

[raine]

I would update to windows 10, but in doing that it would be both tedious and potentially cause irreversible issues ...  I have looked on the manufacturer site (the PC came with no OS/Driver installation media, just a few different recovery partitions that I don't want to mess with). I understand that drivers from Vista and newer will work on Windows 10, but I don't really have the time to try and hunt down a proper chipset driver for windows 10. The USB is an idea, but the issue is that to boot from USB I need to get into the bios (which is easy to access, but the manufacturer has set a BIOS password). I tried talking to their support team, but they weren't any help.

I know this is all negative, but I was hoping for some ideas that don't involve a full OS installation (which I would have to run when I get home from work, which isn't really an option).

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, raine said:

I would update to windows 10, but in doing that it would be both tedious and potentially cause irreversible issues ...  I have looked on the manufacturer site (the PC came with no OS/Driver installation media, just a few different recovery partitions that I don't want to mess with).

I understand that drivers from Vista and newer will work on Windows 10, but I don't really have the time to try and hunt down a proper chipset driver for windows 10. The USB is an idea, but the issue is that to boot from USB I need to get into the bios (which is easy to access, but the manufacturer has set a BIOS password). I tried talking to their support team, but they weren't any help.

I know this is all negative, but I was hoping for some ideas that don't involve a full OS installation (which I would have to run when I get home from work, which isn't really an option).

The fact is Windows 10 has a set of preinstalled driver + better windows update support, so eventual OEM drivers will be installed automatically

Btw a CMOS reset should blank the BIOS password

[raine]

The only issue is finding that battery somewhere under the chiclet keyboard on my ultraslim laptop. I've taken the bottom off before to clean out dust, but I didn't see a way to remove the motherboard from under the keyboard.