Windows 8.1: WiFi dropping and/or "Limited"

Anonymous
2013-10-20T17:01:27+00:00

Since installing 8.1 Pro, I'm having issues with WiFi dropping internet connectivity and always showing "Limited" when clicking on the system tray icon.  When I troubleshoot the problem using the system tool it is always the gateway that is faulty.  I have uninstalled/reinstalled the device drivers several times, installed the newest drivers directly from Intel, restarted the computer, etc.  I can restore connectivity by turning WiFi off then back on, but the connection will drop at what seems to be random intervals.  My applicable system specs are as follows;

Lenovo Y510P  Laptop

Windows 8.1 Pro

Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230

Apple Time Capsule router w/newest firmware

Needless to say this is quite an irritating bug that didn't exist prior to the update to 8.1  I hope this can be resolved quickly. Thanks!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T23:52:41+00:00

    Having the same exact problem. 

    Got rid of an old Dell for connectivity issues.  Had my Y510p for less than a year, one update and I'm dead in the water, with no clear fix between Lenovo or Intel.

    Lenovo, please be the hero here, TAKE THE LEAD AND FIX THIS!

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T09:47:14+00:00

    Thank you!!! Worked like a charm to solve my problem to connect to my Apple airport express router after upgrading to windows 8.1. Everyone are pointing on Apple, blaming them.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T00:30:38+00:00

    *TRY RE-INSTALLING YOUR CHIPSET DRIVERS!!!*

    The problem is somewhere in the:

    Wifi + Chipset + Software

    Step 1: Drivers: Uninstall and re-install BOTH your chipset (motherboard) driver and Wifi driver.  Make sure to use a real WiFi driver specific to your hardware - usually found at the manufacturer's website.

    Step 2: Don't allow windows to turn off WiFi device :

    1.  Go to Control Panel >> Device Manager >> View (menu) >> "Show Hidden Devices".
    2.  Click Network Adapters.

    3a.  Right-click "Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter".

    4a.  Go to properties >> Power Management.

    5a.  Unclick "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power."

    Also in device manager:

    3b.  Right-click the name of your WiFi adapter and do the same:

    4b.  Go to properties >> Power Management.

    5b.  Unclick "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power."

    Step 3: Disable Win-8 Metering:

    1.  Hover bottom right corner, click settings charm.
    2.  At the bottom - click "Change PC Settings".
    3.  Click the devices tab on the left.
    4.  Scroll down and turn "Download over metered connections" ON.

    Step 4: Try Display settings/PCI Link State: 

    1.  Open control panel.
    2.  Go to System >> Power options.
    3.  Set display to turn off *never*.
    4.  Click "Change plan settings".
    5.  Click "Change advanced power settings".
    6.  Go to PCI Express >> Link state power management.
    7.  Select off.

    If Step 4 changes do not fix the WiFi, undo them.

    Step 5: Try changing netsh settings from command prompt: 

    Try the netsh commands in this article:

    Article.

    Step 6: Try changing netsh settings from command prompt: 

    1.  Task Manager >> Services tab >> Sort by description "Base Filtering Engine" service, named "BFE".
    2.  If it is "Stopped", right click on the "Base Filtering Engine" entry and click "Start".

    Step 7: Try Installing all windows updates :

    You must be desperate if none of the above attempts worked LOL.

    Step 8:  Consider hardware and router issues?

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-03-09T20:28:33+00:00

    For all of you with Intel Wireless adapters.

    I ran the utility on this page:-

    http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect/wireless

    And for the first time it detected that there was a newer version of my driver.

    I have the Intel Centrino wireless-N105 adapter.

    I downloaded and clicked on the exe file and within a few seconds the new driver was installed.

    Hope I'm not tempting fate but I have not had any dropouts for 4 days either from boot up or from sleep mode.

    This driver is not a dedicated Windows 8.1 it says for Windows 8, but its worked for me and I hope it works for all of those with Intel drivers.

    The driver covers multiple Intel adapters but the utility will detect the one you have. 

    I really hope this helps you all.

    Acer Aspire E1-571

    Intel Corei5

    Intel Wireless-N105 Adapter

    Just thought I would re post my solution in case anyone with INTEL adapters may have missed it.

    Mine is still working after doing this.

    Again I hope this works for at least some of you.

    Acer Aspire E1-571

    Intel Corei5

    Intel Wireless-N105 Adapter

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  5. Anonymous
    2014-03-09T18:20:51+00:00

    Well.. The current status is that since I uninstalled by the setup the driver, removed the installed driver in the device manager too for the Wifi, rebooted, installed the .279(got it from the Asus Support), but even that this alone didn't helped itself, I also had some updates from MS(they came some days later after I got the driver and around one week from now back) and since installed them, since the 07.02.2014 I haven't drops anymore.. Don't want to paint the devil on the wall, but till now no drops. anymore.. I think for Fyreman907, you could have a hardware fault or just driver fault as the win7 driver for the AR9485 are even there not very know for "stability"...  I think that for most user there is a special mixture of driver fault and OS shits..

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