Very strange home wifi issue

Kuhan · 3 Feb 2017 at 20:58

Hi All,

Recently bought a Dell XPS 13 laptop as I needed some portability, really good product but having some issues around the internet connectivity which is rather annoying and I am debating if I will be keeping it or returning it if I can't find a fix.

I have contacted Dell who have been helpful and raised a call with them but they haven't experienced an issue like this before either so waiting for their reply.

I connect the Dell Laptop to the home WIFI then it shows connected, I load up the Edge browser and the front page appears I put in one website then it flags up (no internet) exclamation mark, at this same point it also brings down the internet for all other devices in the house, phones, tablets, xbox, desktop.

soon as i disconnect the laptop from the WIFI i regain internet on all other devices.

My internet is with BT and I am running a homehub and all drivers are up-to-date, the device is running windows 10 and is the only windows 10 device in the household, all others are running windows 7.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions it would be appreciated.

thanks

koolpc · 3 Feb 2017 at 21:01

Have you tried with a different browser like Chrome?

Kuhan · 3 Feb 2017 at 21:02

I have been trying to download it but I get as far as the download button and it internet goes offline

Steve_bullockuk · 3 Feb 2017 at 22:08

Does the same thing happen if you plug into the router with an ethernet cable?

bremen1874 · 4 Feb 2017 at 00:46

There wont be wired connection to try unless the OP has a suitable adapter.

mad_allan · 4 Feb 2017 at 07:40

Have you tried assigning yourself a static IP?

kitfit1 · 4 Feb 2017 at 07:42

I would download Chrome or Firefox onto your desktop pc and then copy the file to a USB stick. You can then install either onto the Dell from the USB stick.

It might be worth checking if you have a homegroup set up in the Network and sharing centre.

firstborn · 4 Feb 2017 at 10:08

I recently had a problem with a home hub 5 (first ever BT BB related problem since they introduced Broadband) - any load on the wifi would knock it out of action. Swapped the hub as BT had originally sent me 2 by mistake and all was then fine.

So it may not be the laptop.

Kuhan · 4 Feb 2017 at 13:20

Thanks for the tips,

I downloaded chrome and installed it to the laptop but the problem still exists

I followed a guide to run a static IP but still no luck there

I haven't solved the issue but I have a temporary fix in place, I removed the BT homehub, and set up my Netgear N600 router again, I can connect fine via wifi with no issues or disconnections.

Soon as I connect it to my powerline wifi extenders I receive the same symptoms as before, so this is leading me to believe their may be a issue with my netgear powerline extenders?

It seems strange because all other devices work fine off them, soon as the Dell connects the wifi stays connect but the internet disconnects from all devices including the dell.

APM · 4 Feb 2017 at 15:08

Is there a proxy set up in internet options on the lappie?

ChrisD. · 6 Feb 2017 at 12:29

Boot a live Linux USB and see if it persists.

pc-guy · 6 Feb 2017 at 14:26

I am pretty sure this is some level of software/driver issue.

Have you tried another device in the same location and connects and works no problems?

if another device works (assuming connecting to the same wifi) then it is definitely something up with the laptop and more than likely it is software. Update the driver if not done so. and play around the setting in the network adaptors such as roaming aggressiveness, broadcasting power etc. also disable power saving features.

if all of that fails it means the wireless card is at fault which will probably need to be sent to dell. that is assuming you have similar problems connecting to wifi elsewhere.

bootywizard · 20 Jun 2017 at 18:32

Chiming in here as I too have the same, or a similar problem, HH5 + Dell XPS 13 (Linux).

Randomly, not always, when I open up my XPS it kills the wifi. Sometimes straight away, other times after 20 mins or so. Took a few times of this happening before I realized it was the correlated with the laptop.
Wired connections to the router continue to work, but all wifi devices get dropped, and can't reconnect. My only solution so far has been to reboot the home hub.

Did you get anywhere? I am tempted to ask for a replacement home hub 5, I've seen a few problems online where a replacement has fixed whatever issue was being had.

I'd be a bit surprised in my case if it was load related, I've had several other wifi devices connected simultaneously hitting the network pretty hard at the same time and no problems.

bledd · 20 Jun 2017 at 18:40

Sounds like there are 3 options..

New driver from the wifi chipset manufacturers website.

Replace WiFi card in the laptop.

Replace router.