Oh windows 8, how much I hate you: first you came with a bunch of useless junk I had to uninstall/burn, then I had to use another app to get the fucking start menu back, and now you decide to GTFO the internet every 5min. So my new laptop is refusing to keep a connection to the internet while maintaining the one to the access point (router) forcing me to reconnect manually every time. Nothing else in my house connected to that router is giving me any trouble, I got another laptop running that crapola OS (win8) and a desktop running good old win7, the desktop even has an atheros card just like the laptop and it gives no problems whatsoever. I already did the usual like cleaning the registry, disabling IP helper, even uninstalling my VPN thinking one of the virtual connections might be screwing up with the network manager, but nope still the same shit. For a moment I thought utorrent was the culprit but even if I keep it closed the connection craps out anyway. The laptop is almost a month old by now but it just started doing this a couple days ago. It didn't do this before not even with other access points. So, anyone had the same problem before? what did you do about it?
What wireless card you got? The drivers for intel cards on Windows 8 do not work properly and have this issue. I have one and have win8 and had to figure what the hell was going on. Rolling back to the driver that ships with win8 fixes it. edit: nm, see you mention the card in your post. Check to see if there has been a driver update (via windows update) and roll it back. Might be the same issue.
If Ad's suggestion doesn't work you could always just do a refresh or whatever they call it, you can do what is basically a reformat or there's a less drastic one, all available from the settings menu. I've had to do this to my windows 8 laptop 3 times since I bought it last November, though it has behaved for the last 3 months or so
I find that swearing loudly helps when I have a problem in windows 7. It doesn't fix the problem but it most definitely helps, it's been my automatic initial response to all windows related problems over the years. If you're not in an environment conducive to loud swearing, just grab the nearest cushion and scream into it. Then uninstall Windows.
I've had this issue with windows 7 and 8, although it may vary well be a driver issues as previously suggested. I was using an old cheap TPLink Access point, no issues on anything other than windows 7 and 8. I bought a new access point and the problem was solved. I never did much testing on it to figure out why it was always dropping connection, but i knew it was getting flaky as it didn't used to do it.
I did, there are only security updates and such, no drivers I could see. Maybe installing the drivers from the OEM site?
id suggest: Try "updating" the drivers, but select "pick from a list" and try the oldest there (if there are multiples) - this would give the driver windows 8 ships with. Try the latest from atheros, they dont give out drivers directly, but you can get them here: http://www.atheros.cz/ Try the latest driver from the maker of the laptop (this could vary from the ones from atheros). hopefully one of those 3 will help you
That used to be common with Netgear routers. The solution was to upgrade the firmware on the router. You might be having problems with interference. Try changing the channel your router broadcasts on - your ISP should give advice on channels to use and avoid. Another common problem was Windows trying to save power. In Windows 7 at least, you right click your wireless connection in Network Connections, go to Properties then click Configure. Go to the Power Management tab and untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. That usually sorted it, although there's also a Power Saving Mode for your wireless card in your power management that you can bump up to Maximum Performance (both plugged in and on battery) if you want.
