Whirlpool

I'm using a Broadcom Wireless network adapter (802.11g) on my (Dell Inspiron 9400) Vista machine, and it is driving me nuts trying to browse the web with it.
Whilst network notification tells me I am online (local and internet) and I am able to access email via SMTP (but not HTTP) web access usually lasts about 2 or 3 minutes, then things seem to stop working and everything times out. The only solution is to manually disconnect, wait a while, and then reconnect, then I get another 3 minutes or so. My modem and router are D-Link (as in my specs) and attempting to update the driver from the Network Adapter properties tells me that the driver is up to date (Driver Version 4.82.28.56, 21/06/2006). The network connection works fine if I connect it (physically via a LAN cable) to the router, so I really think this is a problem with either the machine's wireless network card, or Vista. I'm using WPA-Personal TKIP Encryption.
All help gratefully received, alternately stand outside my window and be ready to catch a new laptop as it gets thrown out ;-/

I was having the same problem up until tonight when I though I had better do something about it.

I have an Intel 3945 card in mine.

I was running the driver recommended on the Dell site with no luck, the problem you described above kept happening.

I then upgraded to the latest on the Intel site which introduced the other problem, a BSOD every hour or so.

From there I went into the device manager and disabled "Allow this computer to turn off this device to save power" uption and the problem seems to be fixed!

Try going to the Dell site and looking for the latest driver - support.dell.com/support...?c=us&l=en&s=gen

If that fails go to the broadcom site and download it from there.

Hi
I had the same problem and also have a dell computer.........I fixed it by doing these steps:
1)  Download Broadcom Wireless LAN Driver for Microsoft Vista  (even though this is made by hp it does not matter)

h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf...&os=2093&lang=en

2)Run the file once downloaded and files should be extracted to a folder called "SWSetup" in your Local disc (C:).  (Do not open the file)

3) Now go into the control panel.....then into Hardware and sound icon.......then device manager........then a prompt will come up press "continue"

4) In the device manager go down to the "Network adapters" and to the left of it click the small  "+"          .....then select your broadcom wireless network adapter......then double click on it to get to its properties

5)  In the properties click the "driver" tab and then go down and click the "update driver"...

6) In the update Driver software box click " browse my computer for driver software"
then click "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer"

7)Next click the "Have Disk" button and then click browse.    In the "Look in" box select from the dropdown menu Local disc (c:).....then click "SWSetup"....then click  "SP34488A"

8) Finally click on "bcmwl6"  .........let the drivers install and that should be it fixed.