I have a Dell Inspiron 5520 with Windows 7, connected wirelessly via a Comcast Technicolor gateway. My wifi will randomly cut out, though all I have to do is disconnect/reconnect to the wifi network to fix it. It seems YouTube exacerbates it, though it happens without YouTube as well. I have confirmed that is an issue with my computer, as other devices that connect to the network do not experience this problem.
When the internet cuts out, half the time Windows will not show there's anything wrong, and the other half an exclamation will appear over the wifi signal saying there's an error. In both cases, the signal strength is still fine.
I have tried the following (at least these are the ones I can remember):
every suggestion on this thread (related to resetting winsock protocol)
disabling anti-virus software
different browsers
disabling add-ons/plugins in browser (I use Firefox)
defrag
disabling all hardware acceleration
disallowing the computer to turn off network devices to conserve power
updating drivers (I am fairly certain I have the most up-to-date drivers, though the Dell System Analysis app does not work on my computer. This app seems like the most foolproof way to be 100% certain, but I'd rather not spend $30 unless absolutely necessary.)
The only other thing I can think of trying is a Windows reinstall, but I really don't want to do that. Here's my ipconfig /all and some pings when the internet is dead:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Sasha-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection 3:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
#3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-65
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : D4-BE-D9-3B-96-CB
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 5:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #
4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-62
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 4:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #
3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-62
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 2230
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-61
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b1db:3003:95a3:73f5%17(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.4(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, April 28, 2015 3:22:06 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, May 06, 2015 1:51:37 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 409492803
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1A-E7-7B-CB-68-5D-43-93-47-61
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 75.75.75.75
75.75.76.76
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : PdaNet Broadband Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-26-37-BD-39-42
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{56B28B35-80A5-45D3-AFDB-B9A6E374817A}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{1E2A7170-8716-408C-B981-AC76792D8DB3}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{0E6D86CE-F63C-4E50-88EB-A922D249872D}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{1EC7B89E-F199-4C8D-BDD1-FB283FE451F0}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{76BE49FD-B547-4A4D-BE38-6ED5B3A58E36}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{EE101BB2-CFB2-4DF6-B82F-6EEFAA6693B6}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #6
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
D:\Sasha>
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
D:\Sasha>ping 10.0.0.1
Pinging 10.0.0.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 10.0.0.4: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 10.0.0.4: Destination host unreachable.
Ping statistics for 10.0.0.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),
D:\Sasha>ping 209.183.226.152
Pinging 209.183.226.152 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Ping statistics for 209.183.226.152:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),
D:\Sasha>
When the internet cuts out, half the time Windows will not show there's anything wrong, and the other half an exclamation will appear over the wifi signal saying there's an error. In both cases, the signal strength is still fine.
I have tried the following (at least these are the ones I can remember):
every suggestion on this thread (related to resetting winsock protocol)
disabling anti-virus software
different browsers
disabling add-ons/plugins in browser (I use Firefox)
defrag
disabling all hardware acceleration
disallowing the computer to turn off network devices to conserve power
updating drivers (I am fairly certain I have the most up-to-date drivers, though the Dell System Analysis app does not work on my computer. This app seems like the most foolproof way to be 100% certain, but I'd rather not spend $30 unless absolutely necessary.)
The only other thing I can think of trying is a Windows reinstall, but I really don't want to do that. Here's my ipconfig /all and some pings when the internet is dead:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Sasha-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection 3:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
#3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-65
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : D4-BE-D9-3B-96-CB
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 5:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #
4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-62
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 4:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #
3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-62
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 2230
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 68-5D-43-93-47-61
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b1db:3003:95a3:73f5%17(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.4(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, April 28, 2015 3:22:06 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, May 06, 2015 1:51:37 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 409492803
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1A-E7-7B-CB-68-5D-43-93-47-61
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 75.75.75.75
75.75.76.76
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : PdaNet Broadband Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-26-37-BD-39-42
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{56B28B35-80A5-45D3-AFDB-B9A6E374817A}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{1E2A7170-8716-408C-B981-AC76792D8DB3}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{0E6D86CE-F63C-4E50-88EB-A922D249872D}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{1EC7B89E-F199-4C8D-BDD1-FB283FE451F0}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{76BE49FD-B547-4A4D-BE38-6ED5B3A58E36}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Tunnel adapter isatap.{EE101BB2-CFB2-4DF6-B82F-6EEFAA6693B6}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #6
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
D:\Sasha>
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
D:\Sasha>ping 10.0.0.1
Pinging 10.0.0.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 10.0.0.4: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 10.0.0.4: Destination host unreachable.
Ping statistics for 10.0.0.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),
D:\Sasha>ping 209.183.226.152
Pinging 209.183.226.152 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Ping statistics for 209.183.226.152:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),
D:\Sasha>