Do I need to replace my NIC or how is there a software based solution?

Question

My connection intermittently fails and it is not because of my home phone or a microwave oven.

I have a Realtek RTL8190 802.11n Wireless LAN (Mini-)PCI NIC. My signal strength is excellent. My router is about 30 feet away in another room. I am on a desktop machine with a newly installed version of win 7 x64. My Verizon router was replaced yesterday. Both the old and new routers do not fix the problem. My software for the wireless adapter is up to date. I do not have third party antivirus software or external firewalls installed, just vanilla Windows. I have had this problem for over a year now but it is not consistent.

There are no other networks to cause problems. Take a look at this screenshot from inSSider. It shows no internet access yet I have all green bars plus inSSider shows great signal strength.

I think its the wireless LAN. But how can I be sure without replacing it with another wireless NIC?

Answer 1

You have two options - 1. Use an Ubuntu/Debian build on USB and see if you get the same effect. 2. Get hold of a DIR-615, (ebay for $5/10) install DD-WRT and use as a wireless bridge, connecting to your ethernet port.

If it still fails on USB it's the card, if it still fails using the bridge it's either the computer itself or your router.

Answer 2

Obviously, check for the latest driver, but I assume you did that. Just buy another wireless NIC. If it works, great. If it doesnt, return it saying it doesnt work, which it didnt. However, if it doesnt work, that means the problem is your PC.

Answer 3

I have a different brand of wireless card, but the connection was slow/dropping and I had pings around 500 ms. device manager>update driver said driver was up to date, and when I connected with ethernet the connection was just fine. I went to the manufacturer website, there was a new driver dated Aug 26. I think the device manager doesn't check in the right places. I just uninstalled my Nic and drivers using device manager, then downloaded the new one, ran the installation program, works like a charm. I didn't find that model you gave on the realtek site, maybe try the computer manufacturer? did it come with the computer? You'd need to save the new driver first before you uninstall the old one of course, where the desktop is too far from the router to connect with ethernet.