Windows 8.1: WiFi dropping and/or "Limited"

I tend to agree with Eve at the moment. This is what I posted recently in a Dell forum about  the issue of 'limited connectivity' I'm having with a Win 8 laptop, and my experimenting with it:

As of today, I don't think this is strictly a driver issue. I've now tried several different drivers and gotten the same result. I started with the most recent Win 8 driver on the Dell site (Dell Wireless 1704 802.11b/g/n 6.30.223.215) and, after seeing something someone else tried, I've also tried the Win 7 driver (6.20.55.49), and then a pure Broadcom Win 7 driver I found online (BCM 6.30.223.228).

All of these work perfectly connecting to wi-fi at home, which is thru an AT&T 'Arris' wireless unit (typical U-verse setup. All of these also work perfectly at 3 or 4 local wi-fi hotspots around town, but they all fail to get to the Internet at two Starbucks locations, at a major entertainment venue, and at a small local shop. So, the hardware is willing to 'radio' connect to any hotspot router, and it connects that far every time. But in only some cases does it successfully acquire an IP address/connection and get thru to the Internet. In other cases, notably Starbucks (which is about as typical as the average user will encounter), it will not get beyond a limited connection (i.e. no Internet).

One thing I've noted that might be significant, not sure, but it's begun to make me wonder, is that the times the connection does go through fully to the Internet, there seems to be some kind of web-page authentication required. Meaning, the hotspot connects but you need to open a browser to click an 'accept' button in order to finally have Internet access. However, since it doesn't connect to the "Google Starbucks" routers or all the other places it fails, I can't know if those places also direct you to a webpage before granting Internet access, so this is just an observation. I think Starbucks may do that, but I don't know.

As an example of how odd it is: A few hours ago I went to a location where I could park directly between a Starbucks and an AT&T store, both of which have public wi-fi access. The wi-fi connection on the laptop could see both, and I could connect completely to AT&T's router by connecting and opening their web page and accepting the terms, etc..then have full Internet. But even though I was actually closer to Starbucks and could connect to their router just fine, it showed "limited" on the laptop and I never got any Internet access, couldn't ping anywhere, nothing!

  I actually got out and sat at Starbucks and uninstalled and reinstalled the various drivers (and rebooted several times) and proved to my satisfaction that at Starbucks I could not connect to their wi-fi router with any of the various drivers, but--I could still see and connect to the AT&T router about 75' away. @#$%...aggravating.

With all this easily demonstrable, I have to conclude that Dell and Microsoft must be fully aware of this problem by now and are either ignoring it to avoid having to take any responsibility, or just ignoring it out of lack of caring. I don't think it's a hardware problem since I can always connect to the sites that will connect, and I doubt it's a strict driver problem since both Win7 and Win8 drivers have worked equally well in my testing. That suggests an OS problem, or at least something in the OS is causing interference or keeping this WLAN adapter from communicating effectively with some very common and popular wi-fi routers/locations (Starbucks, for cryin' out loud!)

At this stage I think either Dell or Microsoft need to fix or replace these laptops (not to mention Win 8) and satisfy their obligation to customers who bought these in good faith. I bought this for my son for Christmas, and the experience has been nothing but an embarrassment.

Downgrading a driver to a windows 7 version has about the same effect as downgrading the OS. If a wifi adapter work on some routers an not others and windows 7 devices work the issue tends to be the wireless adapters manufacture created a new driver with updated features or security the an older router doesn't work with it and requires a firmware update to the router which may not be possible if you don't have access to the router

Cisco router have an issue where the incorrectly handle the four way handshake with newer protocols and they have releases an updated firmware for those routers.

I'm not defending Microsoft I just know more about how wifi is handled and it unfortunately Microsoft doesn't write function drivers for third party hardware makers

Great. Include more info such as downgrade the system to windows 7 how they would do that and keep their data protected, ensure they have all program keys and that they have the correct product keys to downgrade windows.

Also let them know they will have to format the entire partition that contains the OS and will lose all data and programs as well as saved settings.

It would be much better to advise people to downgrade the driver by going to device manager (windows key + x > device manager) and expanding the network adapter tree double click the wireless adapter and choose roll back to revert to the older version of the driver.

This issue is not the OS this issue is incompatible programs, Bluetooth interference or environmental interference. It can also be an issue with networks or ISPs not handling IPv6 correctly, security programs, or other issues causing improper handling private and public networks.

There are plenty of fixes that don't include wasting days http://www.vindamedia.com/windows/help/troubleshooting-your-network has a few.

Downgrading the Network Adapter Driver alone isn't always the 'fix' to the Windows 8 & 8.1 upgrade WiFi connectivity issues....  (Doing that ALONE sure didn't 'fix' all of the "Limited Connection" and WiFi dropping Connectivity issues for me, at any rate.) 

Downgrading to Windows 7 will more than likely not be any more 'problematic' or time consuming than the Connectivity 'issues' some will likely spend 'months' attempting to remedy..... (Such as I did... Why do you think I'm so 'invested' in this Thread? Like yourself, I AM trying to constructively HELP People find 'solutions' to their "Limited" WiFi and 'other' WiFi Connectivity issues.) 

I DO highly recommend anyone having these 8 and 8.1 "Limited" WiFi connectivity issues to downgrade to Windows 7 as a 'quick fix' to this REAL problem.... I also highly recommend they get Qualified Professional assistance however, if they don't have the 'technical expertise' and know how to do it themselves. Then again, this whole THREAD is filled with People being advised to attempt 'fixes' that is beyond their scope of PC Technical Expertise and/or capabilities.  Reason #1 being they are 'busy' People leading 'busy' Lives and not everyone has the time to WASTE (such as I do or you do) on these GEEK Forums. 

Unlike YOU, who is apparently not having any WiFi issues, you're free to sing the ***"Support Windows 8"***Songs of Praise, while the 'majority' are singing the Windows 8 blues...... you're not STRUGGLING to get your Work done from (in most Cases) brand new, Top of the Line Computers that won't/can't stay 'connected' for longer than 10-15 minutes at a time.... resulting in a big expensive "BRICK" you can't believe you can't use and no one (Not Micro Soft or your Manufacturer) wants to HELP you fix. I personally know DOZENS of People who have paid a LOT of Money to have their brand new 8 and 8.1 PC's 'fixed' by Qualified PC GEEKS, only to go home to discover this "Limited" and other WiFi connectivity issues are STILL not fixed.. while every OTHER Windows 7 or 'other' Device on the Same MODEM or ROUTER is staying connected with no issues whatsoever..... all running the SAME anti-Virus, firewalls.... what have you.

Oh, and this 'fix?' (http://www.vindamedia.com/windows/help/troubleshooting-your-network)  - How would you KNOW the outcome of these fixes for everyone experiencing issues and that these fixes won't result in days to fix on every system? How many People will even DISCOVER this page? I didn't discover it until now....... 

Bottom Line: Due to these "Limited Connection" and other "WiFi" Connectivity Issues, Windows 8 and 8.1 is a head ache and a problem for most. It's an Operating System that was 'released' before it was adequately 'tested'..... and WHEN I have more time in the Future, I will definitely 'downgrade' this Current 8.1 PC to Windows 7 (Otherwise I'll never be able to run Windows Updates)... and I will NEVER upgrade to another Windows System UNTIL I know for a FACT that it's a stable one. 

For someone who likes to point out that this is NOT a discussion thread... you sure like to keep it one.

Great. Include more info such as downgrade the system to windows 7 how they would do that and keep their data protected, ensure they have all program keys and that they have the correct product keys to downgrade windows.

Also let them know they will have to format the entire partition that contains the OS and will lose all data and programs as well as saved settings.

It would be much better to advise people to downgrade the driver by going to device manager (windows key + x > device manager) and expanding the network adapter tree double click the wireless adapter and choose roll back to revert to the older version of the driver.

This issue is not the OS this issue is incompatible programs, Bluetooth interference or environmental interference. It can also be an issue with networks or ISPs not handling IPv6 correctly, security programs, or other issues causing improper handling private and public networks.

There are plenty of fixes that don't include wasting days http://www.vindamedia.com/windows/help/troubleshooting-your-network has a few.