Vaio Wifi adapter won't connect to Virginmedia superhub

[drjdarling]

Dear All

I have a Vaio model PCG7183M (18 months old) running Windows 7 (an alternative model number is VGN-NW26M when I put the serial number in on the Sony site). It used to connect fine to my 20Mb Virginmedia router, but since upgrading to the 30Mb superhub (netgear VMDG480) (which is wireless N) it won't connect to the internet.Virginmedia support have tried everything, but say it must be a problem with the Wifi adapter. I have purchased a USB adapter from them which works, and the computer also connects fine over a wire. However, I would far prefer to connect wirelessly with the internal wifi adapter. I have updated windows, the adapter drivers, turned off firewall and other security, all to no avail.

My Wireless Manager says the computer is connected to the superhub, but tells me that the superhub is not connected to the internet. However, I know that the superhub is connected to the internet, because other devices (both wired and wireless) all connect fine.

Does it seem correct to assume it is a problem with the Sony driver for the Wifi Adapter card? Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks

Jonathan

[Blencogo]

Hi Jonathan,

You could look for an updated driver.

Check which Wireless Card you have installed by going to Device Manager -> Network Adapters and double-click on the wireless adapter.  Get the name and model of the card -

It will be either Intel or Atheros - and Google for a driver update.

[drjdarling]

Hi

Thanks for your reply. I have already updated the driver for my Wifi adapter (which is Intel) but it didn't help. is there any likelihood of Sony doing a new update? What's the best way to ask for this?

Thanks

Jonathan

[nimajuk]

Hi there,

I am also having an issue with my vaio and the wireless connection to my virgin media superhub...

Just like Jonathan I cannot make a connection to the wireless network using the built in (atheros) wireless chip. However, I have a generic usb wifi adaptor which works perfectly fine when plumbed into the laptop via a usb port, or indeed an old fashioned cat5 cable directly linking laptop to router.

Some troubleshooting has revealed that my VPCEJ1Z1 (running win7 home prem) will find the wireless network using the native atheros chip, but cannot (for some strange reason) connect to the wifi network if the virgin media superhub has any form of encryption enabled. I've tried updating the atheros drivers (9.2.0.113 is the latest I can find as at Aug 2011), but still the issue is not fixed.

I did spend a fair amount of time fiddling with firewall settings, but even removing the internet security program and disabling windows firewall made no difference, regardless of the number of resets of both hub and laptop.

Using anything from WEP to WPA (AES / TKIP) seems to prevent the atheros chip from being able to attach to the network, but the second I disable encryption on the superhub it connects beautifully and gives ~20Mb speeds wirelessly. Very frustrating.

As far as I can tell the firmware on the virgin media superhub is up to date, and there are no issues with the other two laptops (neither of which are vaios, or have atheros chips) in the household connecting wirelessly with encryption. I also have a phone which connects wirelessly, so it is clearly the vaio alone which is suffering from the issue.

I've not tested the atheros chip on another wireless network with encryption, so it could be that chip and the superhub do not get along, and that encryption alone is not the issue...

For now I am reduced to plugging an ugly usb wifi adaptor into my shiny laptop in order to get more than 1m away from the superhub.

As an aside, the wireless connection number 2 (usb wifi adaptor) doesn't seem to be using the vaio smart network software (which tells me categorically that it is not connected to anything), so maybe there is a conflict between the vaio software and the superhub. Either way, some form of permanent fix would be good without having to resort to usb wifi adaptors...

Anyone have any ideas as to whether Sony / Atheros / Virgin (Netgear) will step up to the plate to resolve?

Thanks

***EDIT - 2nd September 2011***

I had an update through this morning for the atheros driver (now at ver 9.2.0.427). Installed, restarted the laptop and hey presto! I can now connect to Virgin Media's superhub with encryption enabled. Well done Sony.

Any guesses on how it takes for a windows update to break things again???

Message was edited by: nimajuk

Message was edited by: nimajuk

[greengoose1]

Hi Johnathan,

I have exactly the same problem with my computer PCG7183M with Intel Wifi adapter. Did you ever get your problem fixed?

Any help would be grately appreciated.

Cheers

Gus