Surface Pro 3 - Windows 10 - WiFi (slow or limited connectivity )

Anonymous
2015-07-30T14:16:39+00:00

Have a Surface Pro 3 that worked fine till I updated to Win10.  Now the wireless connection seems to randomly go to a "limited connectivity" mode.  Fortunately was purchased from Costco a coupe of weeks ago so it is going back there if we can't get this figured out by Sunday.

The Surface Pro3 is a flagship device - why in the world would you subject your customers to have to resort to looking for help in forums like this?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2015-11-13T10:20:54+00:00

Everyone,

Build 10586 - the November Windows 10 update - was released yesterday, and it contains a newer Marvell wireless driver 15.68.9032.47 - people are reporting that this greatly improves wireless connectivity. Please download the large update, and if you used the registry hack, reverse it as follows:

Press Windows button. Search for regedit. Open it

  1. Navigate to the following path:

 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\mrvlpcie8897

  1. Find the item labeled “TXAMSDU”. Double tap and modify the value from 0 to 1
  2. Restart the machine

Then test your connectivity, and post results.

Was this answer helpful?

40+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2015-11-13T10:44:26+00:00

Fred,

the November Windows 10 update to build 10586 has new wireless drivers. Can you download and install the update (it should be offered via WU) and let us know if this changes your connectivity?

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2015-08-05T18:12:39+00:00

Penny,

These kinds of issues WERE present on 8.1 for months but they mostly all cleared after several driver updates.

And that particular router is not one known to exhibit slow wifi. I'm suggesting you trade it because it is SP new and you can now get one with 10 pre-installed and not have to go through an upgrade AND because you have this issue. Getting it swapped will rule out a hardware issue and would be a step forward.

This is what *I* would do if in this situation.

For what it's worth - Microsoft needs to fix the driver and any underlying Win 10 OS issues. It took them 9 months to get a "good" Windows 8.1 wireless driver. For now, consider an external USB wireless adapter. I carry around a http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811UTC-Dual-Band-Connectivity-Exceeding/dp/B00FW6T36Y

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments

417 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-01-19T15:55:48+00:00

    I've asked umpteen times for a list of routers and have not gotten a reply. And yes, it is only the Surface 3/Pro 3/Surface Pro 4/Surface Book with the Marvel wireless AC chip that has this issue (and other devices work just fine).

    IMO, Microsoft does not properly test drivers. Or worse, they release with these known issues.

    I've just gone and bought one of these...

    http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/cat-11\_TL-WN823N.html

    it was under £10 and is now sat in my USB port, doing its thing and getting me the full 55-60Mbps I expect, through my TP-Link Router. So a couple of things.

    Yes it works on Win10. Yes its plug and play. Yes its small and neat and as you've suggested, could be carried anyway in case of unforseen wifi issues elsewhere. But unfortunately, no, one shouldnt have to buy one of these, especially for what was until a few months ago, the flagship ipad competitor. However, I have found that generally life really is too short to get mad or stressed. So this time I've sorted the problem and its history. In some point in the future, my Surface will be as useful as my old 386 workstation (remember those) that gathers dust in my loft and we will all laugh about this episode.

    But, one thing. If anyone does have a way in to MS (not techies or shop staff - I mean REALLY in - to those who matter) please make them well aware of this rediculous issue, so that users may not get patronised by 'resetting' or 'refreshing' or any other dumb solutions because its 'not recognised' and that in the future MS may produce something ready for market.

    There, rant over.

    J

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-19T14:34:35+00:00

    My router model is Technicolor MediaAccess TG788vn v2 (firmware 10.5.2.S).

    I have connected a Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 via bluetooth dongle. Wifi speed is greatly slowing down when the Surface Pro 3 is close to the Wifi dongle / mouse is in use. As suspected, SP is a poorly designed product not able to shield itself properly from bluetooth frequency interference and thus not able to honour its promises.

    A couple of things - Wireless 2.4GHz (b/g/n) shares the same channels as Bluetooth. This isn't a Microsoft thing, it's a consequence of how these protocols were established. You can search for information that explains this. You MIGHT get some relief by configuring your TG788vn for a specific channel/change the channel, etc. You WILL have better performance if you got yourself a newer 802.11ac router and configured it as an access point, connect it to your router and connect to the 5GHz SSID.

    You mentioned a similar issue in this discussion thread http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfpro3-surfhardware/surface-pro-3-problems-with-wifi-and-bluetooth-how/fff9e3dc-f12c-4231-93f6-4ffb948d54d9

    I know you don't want to hear a suggestion to spend money/buy a different router, but in this case, Bluetooth vs 2.4GHz WiFi isn't just a problem with the Surface. Lot's of other things that operate in the 2.4GHz band cause issues with 2.4GHz WiFi - older cordless phones, microwaves, etc.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments