ATHEROS NETWORK wireless ADAPTER problem on aspire one.

This happens to me CONSTANTLY, several times a day. It rarely happens while I'm using it (well, comparitively rare; even it happens about once every 2-3 days).

I've got a routine: First, check to see if I still have a "Connect To>" option on my start menu (sometimes it just disappears when the wireless craps out because my wired networking is disabled too). If it's there, I go to "Network Connections" and disable the wireless adapter. Sometimes it already shows "Disabled" even though I was just using it and have done nothing to disable it! In that case, when I "Enable" it a dialog appears and says "Enabling" (like usual) but it you watch closely it will say "Connection Failed!" and close instantly. What kind of error message doesn't acknowledge that you got it?! Anyway, if I do successfully enable it, sometimes it reconnects to the wireless network and I'm good, othertimes it can't lease an IP (it confused the router), and about half the time it just says "No Networks Found" even though there are plenty. The wireless light doesn't even blink and the switch doesn't do anything. In that case, I go to the Device Manager and disable/enable it. Sometimes this works but often it disappears. Someone mentioned "Scan for New Hardware" but I'd like to point out that that often doesn't work either, even when the option is available (it isn't always), so it then requires a FULL restart (I shut-down, power-cycle, and restart to be safe... had an nVidia problem that required that on another PC long ago)... This is BS. Every time I'm doing something and I get asked to leave it for a minute I *KNOW* that I will return to find it disconnected, evenwhen it hasn't gone to sleep. I set mine to "do nothing" when I close the lid but it seems that this is far more likely to happen when I close the lid, which is unfortunate because that saves battery/backlight. Half the time the XP Zero Configuration Utility is gone even when the network adapter is supposedly enabled.

I am not kidding when I say that I have to deal with this over 10 times a day: it is ridiculous. It isn't just Windows XP either... Linpus would do it too but I had no idea how to do the same techniques in Linpus to avoid restarting all the time.

I get the ridiculous WiFi bandwidth issues too. I was really impressed with the WiFi on my last Acer laptop (one of those ones that Acer brags about with some trademarked WiFi technology name), so I wasn't expecting this crap from my Aspire One. I have a feeling that these wireless cards were thrown in Linux PCs because people aren't experienced enough to troubleshoot them there. How many having trouble in XP have one that was originally intended for a Linux AAO?

Has anyone found a cheap aftermarket one I can replace it with (preferably one that works in OSX)? What about alternate drivers from another notebook manufacturer? I think it's a hardware issue if it does it with the Linux drivers also, but I'd still like to see (perhaps it uses a software driver "wrapper" with the same flawed drivers).

I once left an IRC client open and the laptop open for a full day and didn't have the problem (AMAZINGLY), so perhaps inactivity is somehow related? Even so, I have had it just quit on me in the middle of loading a page and found the adapter "Disabled" again.

 

I'd like to add a couple things... I think that it could partially be caused by the magnegtic relay switch used for the lid open/closed sensor considering the highcorrelation with closing or sleeping.

Also, I have been told that the driver was preventing me from putting thelaptop to sleep.

I resent changing the driver's power saving functions to "Off" because my AAO already seems to die VERY quickly (me thinks that I shouldn't use it on laps and covers so much the battery gets toasty).

I pretty sure that I had MORE problems with newer drivers than the one on Windows Update but I will try them again anyway and report back.

 

My wife's AAO has been having a similar problem as many described here, though not exactly the same.

She received the AAO for Christmas and after about a month it wouldn't recognize any wireless networks in the area. I know that there are wireless networks because my laptop picks several up. I can't figure out why all of a sudden it won't find any available wireless networks. I have updated the bios to v3309 and updated the driver to 7.6.0.264 but neither has fixed the issue. I am by no means a computer expert, but know enough to get myself in trouble, so I am out of ideas.

Can anyone help?

 

After having similar problems to those stated elsewhere in this thread my wireless adaptor too gave up the ghost completely this morning and now won't recognise any wireless networks at all. Having spent all afternoon and a fair part of this evening researching others peoples' issues and often time consuming and ultimately unsuccessful workarounds my main question is this. How easy would be it be just to get hold of one of the Intel wireless adapters and install that instead? I realise it will have implications for the guarantee, but having bought mine from Canada I'm not sure where I stand with my guarantee here in the UK anyway. Even if I am covered the idea of posting my netbook off for repair is none too appealing. While I can't claim to be at all technically gifted I have managed to install various bits of hardware to my roomy PC, but am a bit wary of doing this with a netbook where my gut feeling is that there is a far higher margin for error/disaster. I'd be interested to hear anybody's thoughts.