Windows 8.1: WiFi dropping and/or "Limited"

It is most likely an 8.1 issue.  My laptop with Windows 7 connects via wifi with no disruptions.  My desktop after the recent upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 is now disconnecting from the network once or twice a day.  My hardware is NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller.

If that were true you would see millions of people not being able to connect and it would be headline news. Could be a bad driver or the radio signal.

Try these, if they don't work start a new thread to get the issue fixed. http://www.vindamedia.com/windows/help/troubleshooting-your-network

FINALLY found a solution to this! !!!

The many replies on this thread included a solution to revise the power settings so the laptop didn’t save power when plugged in. Many found relief here. Didn’t help,

But there was ANOTHER setting, only accessible by going into devices and selecting the network adapter. Within that menu, I found a box to uncheck that said the computer could save power and shut down the wifi periodically. GOOD GRIEF! That explained why it would go out after a revved-up whirring sound in the laptop.

Thank you for all your suggestions. If any of you are still having issues, try unchecking the setting for the network adapter that allows the computer to shut the wifi down.

I was about to give up on the computer and Windows and head into the Mac world.

Diana K.

There are now >192K views to this post. This is a serious problem that needs one of the vendors, preferably MSFT, to take the lead on fixing this. I have the same issue on my Dell XPS, not only with the Intel NIC driver, but also with a brand new Netgear USB WIFI adapter. It does not seem probable that both Intel, who has not provided a fix for my driver, or Netgear, who has no suggestions at this time, have both incorrectly written driver code. As an MSDN developer, I have tried all posted and known fixes, short of writing my own driver. I feel for those of you with this problem. It is annoying to me, but as I have several laptops and tablets, I can deal with it.

Not sure what you mean by a MSDN developer since it is a development network, perhaps they have a certification I am unaware of. If you are capable of writing drivers you would know that Microsoft can't write drivers for every device and rewrite others software. That would mean they are also responsible for updates. With one device using several pieces of software that would be a illogical plan.

The issue of a limited connection is generic and only indicates there is no connection to a LAN or the network has no connection to the WAN. That could be any number of things from a corrupt driver to router having issues, radio interference. Software, usually anti-virus software or firewalls or any other number of things. While there was an issue early on with drivers that were using an update and more strict security protocol those issues are gone. Most of those issues were the routers weren't correctly performing the 4 way handshake. Microsoft provides the driver foundation and leaves the rest up to the vendors. If people would flood the vendors who are actually responsible and have the ability to fix the issues the problem would get fixed.

Now we have issue that can't possibly be fixed by Microsoft. As a developer I would expect you to know that. The amount of views is not a good measurement.