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
    2015-08-22T01:21:44+00:00

    Thanks for the well-reasoned suggestion.  

    It has only been a few days since I tried this but so far so good.  I would normally be disconnected or limited several times by now.  

    I have a Netgear wireless AC adaptor that has been my fallback for the HP win8.1 laptop so my experiment has been to run without that using your suggestion.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-08-11T16:30:38+00:00

    Finally sorted mine and simple. Disable Ethernet. Hope it works for others, took me a year to find a solution

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-07-12T10:04:09+00:00

    lets everyone go online right now and announce to everyone about this windows issue. spam social networking sites like twitter and facebook and tag microsoft in each and every post so that people know what they will be getting when they buy a windows machine.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-07-03T00:39:02+00:00

    I will not state categorically that this fix will work, but it has worked for me so far.

    I believe the problem lies with Win 8.1's bizarre power management of the wireless adapter.  One or two posts have alluded to this already, and it's worth attempting.

    Hold the Windows key and hit X.

    Click on Power Options.

    Whatever power save scheme is selected, click on Change Plan Settings.

    Click on Change Advanced Power Settings.

    Click the + on Wireless Adapter Settings.

    Click the + on Power Saving Mode.

    Click on each condition available (plugged in or battery in the case of a laptop) and select Maximum Performance.

    Click on Apply, and exit the whole area.

    It might be that this works only on my HP laptop, I don't know.  But it worked like a charm for me.

    My theory:  Win 8.1 introduced some screwed up new power management scheme for the adapter.  I have read complaints that distance seems to make the problem worse, and I found that myself.  Also, being on battery power seems to make it worse.  My theory is that the power management software looks for signal strength, and, if you are, for example, sitting on your deck on a breezy day, whenever there is a drop in signal strength, it just shuts off the adapter.  This lines up with facts:  on battery power, the adapter is already getting slightly less juice, and sitting far away from the access point makes the signal strength highly variable.

    If I may rant for a few sentences, I also am angry with Microsoft, who either know about this and haven't fixed it, or don't use their own product.  But I want to add that I am SICK TO DEATH of these multi-billion dollar corporations blaming each other for our problems.  Every one of these incompetent weasels tries to tell us that it's the other guy's fault.  They are supposed to work together, are they not?  No wonder people love Apple-- one company holding all the software and hardware developers for ransom, but making sure it all works.

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-06-30T06:46:59+00:00

    I never have this problem with my iPhone, iPad, or MacBook Pro... But my windows 8.1 is constantly dropping connection ugh!

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