Internet cuts out after going to Windows 10

[Teck1015]

Greetings everyone and thank you in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.

I've recently..."updated" to Windows 10 and I've now run into the problem of my wireless connectivity periodically cutting out, even whilst idle.

I connect to the internet via a Netgear A6200 Wireless Adapter, as I've done for the past 2 years. It has worked perfectly fine on Windows 7 yet doesn't seem to enjoy Windows 10. I've also installed the latest drivers for this device through the Netgear website (V1.0.0.35) which are advertised as fully Windows 10 compatible.

I usually get a good 2-4 hours of solid internet connection and then it cuts for about 5-30 seconds before reconnecting. Upon running the Troubleshooter whilst offline I typically get one of two errors: "The default gateway is not available" OR "The connection between the wireless adapter and computer may be broken"

Now some things I've tried as solutions simply so I don't end up repeating myself and so you all know what I've done:

1. Different USB ports for my Adapter (failed)
2. reinstalling previous drivers (failed)
3. reverting to older drivers and installing via Compatibility Mode for Windows 7 (failed)
4. uninstalling the A6200 via Device Manager and resetting completely (failed)
5. Complete reset of Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) via cmd with *netsh int ip reset* (failed)
6. Use of other "bootleg" drivers claiming to provide higher connectivity (failed)
7. Complete reset of PC via Windows 10 reset utility (failed)
8. Manual assignment of local IPv4, Subnet mask, and default gateway (failed)

At this point I'm desperate and am willing to try anything. (going to snake a CAT-5e cable to my room as a temporary fix)

Again thank you very much for anything you could offer.

If you have further questions about my network setup, hardware, software, etc. don't hesitate to ask and I'll try to answer as best I can.

~Wyatt

 

[Slashgeek]

Try performing a clean installation of Windows 10, using new USB or DVD installation media created through the Windows media creation tool:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

A clean install will negate any software- or driver-related issues that you may be having. This differs from a "Reset this PC" operation and is more comprehensive.

 

[kingtj]

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to re-open it because I'm experiencing the exact same issue as the original poster. I purchased a Netgear A6200 USB wi-fi adapter recently on one of these "daily deal" type web sites (only about $12), but am starting to realize it must be selling so inexpensively because of all of the issues with it?

Under Windows 10 Professional, 64-bit edition, on a clean install, I plug in the Netgear adapter and Windows reports it has no device drivers available for it. I tried both the most recent "release" version of the driver and the newer beta version. Despite Netgear's claims of Windows 10 compatibility, neither of these drivers gave me reliable results. I experience the wi-fi connection dropping intermittently when transferring large amounts of data (such as watching streaming video content). The wi-fi icon in the bottom right-hand corner of my screen gets a yellow exclamation point next to it, and clicking it indicates my wireless is connected but has no Internet connection. Telling it to "disconnect" and then to reconnect to my wireless router's SSID gets it going again (as does physically unplugging the adapter and plugging it back in to the USB port).

Additionally, if I put the PC to sleep, the adapter is non-functional when it wakes back up. I have to do a reboot to get it working again.

There's quite a bit of discussion about problems with the A6200 and Win 10 on Netgear's own forums, but several threads I followed were eventually closed as "problem solved" despite it not being at all clear than any of this was really solved.

IMO, it's unfortunate because this adapter appears to be a well made product from a strictly hardware perspective. It has an integrated antenna that swivels to a position perpendicular to the rest of the USB stick, or snaps into place so it appears like a "layer" of plastic that's part of the stick itself. Plus, it comes with a USB extension cord and "base" you can plug the stick into so it sits on your desk.

When it's functioning properly, I get as much as around 117mbit download speeds according to speed tests I've done (far superior to a Tenda branded 802.11ac USB stick I have that can't get much over 40mbits).

I don't have a lot of hope that Netgear is going to do much to fix the drivers for this product,as they appeared to just discontinue it instead? But perhaps someone has an alternate driver that can be made to work with this?

 

[Uklander]

An Alternative Solution Found:

Dear all. After a lot of troubleshooting and getting nowhere, I decided to try one last thing before giving up and reverting back to Windows 7.

I purchased a powerline adapter kit - basically to use the sockets and wires in my home to provide a "wired" internet connection from my router (downstairs) to my PC (upstairs). I'm happy to say that my internet connection is stable since my purchase almost 4 weeks ago. It has cut out a couple times but nothing as terrible as how it was before.

I understand this is not a solution for the wifi but a workaround. However, I thought I would share this solution anyway in case anybody might consider investing in this option. The powerline adapter I ended up going for is the TP-link 1200 mbps. (This is not to endorse that particular company or model type but thought I would add it in, in case it helps). Best regards, Pierre