cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
cancel
68328
Views
11
Helpful
67
Replies

Intermittent dropouts Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205

chris.brunt
Level 1
Level 1

We are having big problems just with this particular adapter in our environment. We are getting intermittent dropouts. The connection will freeze and stop responding to the point where you have to do a windows repair or restart the adapter to get it working again. You can be connected for a whole day with no issues or it could happen at random eg after 20 mins of being connected. Other devices in close proximity e.g. an intel 5100 and 5300 agn are working perfectly.

You get no indication that the connection has dropped and the adapter in the systray looks as if it is still transmitting packets but not recieving any. Cisco WCS troubleshoot indicates no problems. Events in the debug stop and dont start again until you do a repair on the machine.

Intel and Lenovo support have been really unhelpful (they basically don't want to know, apalling service), so now i am turning to Cisco just in case its a configuration issue, which i don't believe it is as we have no reported issues at all with other clients.

On the machine sides we have:

Lenovo x220 Tablet with Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 mini pci-e adapter.

Also happening with Fujitsu T730 tablets also with with Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 mini pci-e adapters

We have tried all intel driver versions from the latest 14.2.0.10 down to the OEM versions supplied.

they are running Windows XP SP3. We have also tried it with Windows 7 and get similar issues.

We are using Windows Wireless Zero Configuration, WPA2-AES with PEAP and machine (computer) authentication against Cisco ACS v5.2 talking to AD.

On the Wireless infrastructure side we have:

Cisco 1142N (-E-K9) APs connected to 3750G w/poe stacks

The controller is a 3750G-24-WS-50 model running version 7.0.116.0

managed by WCS.

The wireless has 20mhz channels on 1,6,11 on the 2.4ghz side (N is disabled) but we do have N enabled with 40mhz channels on the 5ghz with all UK country channels.

The machines connect at up to 300mb/s and signal quality is excellent. AP density is quite high in the room. DCA, TPC and Tx power control are enabled and set to automatic.

Can't think of more detail to include but I would appreciate any ideas anyone may have.

67 Replies 67

Hi Jason;

Did you make any progress with this? I've got a similar issue but not exactly the same, certain clients will randomly get the exclamation mark over the WiFi icon in the system tray. This has happened after we upgraded to 3702s and 7.6.130 (we hit the bug on 7.6.120). 

Thanks;

John 

John,

Did you ever receive any feedback.  I'm assisting a hospital that has recently upgraded to 7.6.130.0, and the Intel 6205 card issue seems be be happening with more frequency.  Did you disable MFP as well to get the work-around?  I assumed optional was good enough, but I'm willing to disable globally as well.  

 

Nate

Hi Nathan;

Not that I can remember. Anyway I deliberated disabling MFP for a while and decided against it, I played around with a few things which made the issue less common. Anyway we have never fully resolved it so on advice from TAC, I am going to disable it ASAP (waiting approval) I will let you know how I get on.

Have you managed to capture an issue as it happens? What do you see on the client or the controller?

Thanks;

John

John, Nate.  We resolved our issue by disabling rogue detection on the the APs which is enabled by default.  One of the caveats in leaving it on that clients could drop whenever the AP scans for rogues per Cisco docs.  I'll be curious to know if this workaround fixes your issue or not.

Hi Guys;

To clarify the symptoms of my issue aren't that the client gets disconnected the WiFi connection stays up but they lose all L3 connectivity - User can appear in a state of DHCP_REQ.

I've tried removing the DHCP_REQ config but that does not assist either, I am begining to believe/hope MFP will fix it.

Cheers;

John

John,

 

This is more in line with the issues I am seeing.  This particular site I don't mind disabling MFP and rogue detection.  I'm willing to try both, potentially one at a time and see what works.  I'll keep you posted.

 

Nate

Not much from me. 

 

I've been dragged into this fiasco because of CoWs with Intel 6205.  The NICs are loaded with the latest Intel package drivers (package version 17.13.11 and Centrino 6205-specific driver at 15.13.0.1) dated December 2014.   The first thing I've done disable 802.11n on the CoWs and set Aggressive Roaming to "Aggressive".  

 

This seems to work better.    WLC on 7.6.130.X.  No changes done on the WLC-side.

Hi Guys;

Thanks a lot for the advice and links, I've definitely got a lot to go on now:

I'll start with the disabling MFP asap whilst I gather some info on the client devices, OS, Version and NIC etc.

Nathan - Have checked event viewer on the device after the event, I often see DNS errors (can't reach DNS server), if you can check that at least we would know we have the same issue.

Thanks;

John

What we observed is the client does stay connected -- shows on the network but can't pass traffic so its interrupted as disconnected. 

 

What driver are you on ?

"Satisfaction does not come from knowing the solution, it comes from knowing why." - Rosalind Franklin
___________________________________________________________

I work for a VAR and was on site for a wireless project and got pulled into this.  I did some basic troubleshooting and narrowed it down the the intel 6205.  First thing I did was upgrade to latest available on intel site which was I believe 15.13.0.2.  They are just getting complaints, and there is no consistency.  They lose their connection to the EHR application, which is a remote desktop, see that the wireless icon has the exclamation point.  They are associated, but cannot pass traffic.  If they disable/enable it works fine, or even move to another AP it seems.  I have not witnessed it live, just gathered info from nurses.  Regardless, it is primarily on the one type of card, so that's where I started to focus...of course they have many of them. 

You should really open a new post for this as this post is 3 years old. 

 

I will tell you we have a AWO ALL WIRELESS OFFICE and we standardized on INTEL NICS. We work very closely with Intel so much so we are testing the new 7265 11ac samples. 

 

A few things, you want to be on the latest driver release. Make sure UAPSD is disabled. There were 2 main issues in the last few drivers. 

 

1. Application sequence problems which caused disconnects 

 http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/CS-034535.htm

 

2. Disable UAPSD.  (This applies for 11ac adapters) 

http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/CS-034535.htm

 

I would suggest updating to the latest .. We have 6205 on the latest 17 and we are working fine.

"Satisfaction does not come from knowing the solution, it comes from knowing why." - Rosalind Franklin
___________________________________________________________

George,

 

I agree, a new post is probably best.  What code are you running on your WLC?  This issues seemed to get exacerbated on 7.6.130.0.  I'll have them disable the UAPSD feature.  Thanks for feedback.  

 

Nate

Our entire enterprise including out AWO (All Wireless Office) is on 7.6.130.0. We have 8 wireless distros and few thousand access points. 

 

We also test our NICS and drivers before deployment and update them through  pushing as needed. Im providing you first hand account not second hand whispers .. so to speak :) 

"Satisfaction does not come from knowing the solution, it comes from knowing why." - Rosalind Franklin
___________________________________________________________

I have had clients upgrade from v7.0 to v7.4 or newer and the issue happens 100% with these cards. Upgrading the nic is one of the fixes another was to disable 40mhz on the 5ghz side.  I had not had to disable MFP since it didn't fix the issue with some of my clients. I always tell my clients prior to upgrading, to make sure their devices have the latest drivers. It prevents having to downgrade which is indeed faster to resolve the issue however. 

-Scott

-Scott
*** Please rate helpful posts ***

We don't have Windows 8, but running Windows 7 64bit on all of our laptops. I'll try both of these. Should we compile a list of "helpful" adjustments that aide in correcting the issue?

Getting Started

Find answers to your questions by entering keywords or phrases in the Search bar above. New here? Use these resources to familiarize yourself with the community: