USB Wifi Dongle

[richieuk]

Hexus, we have a problem...

We have a Logilink (Realtek) Wifi dongle on my old PC at my girlfriends and it is giving me a bit of headache...

It is the same problem on every USB port on the computer, but not my laptop as when it is in device manage, it stays there consistently.

The computer has been rebooted, formatted, the drivers removed and reintalled and updated but with no luck.

The problem is this, the light on the dongle will light up, then fade to black every 10 seconds. The computer recognises it, then for a split second dissapears from device manager and returns resetting itself in the process.

I'd think it was the dongle, but another dongle, my spare netgear one did the exact same thing the other day on the computer (only to now finally die a quiet, dignified death).

Is the computer giving the dongles aids?

[TAKTAK]

mebbe the mobo is chucking too many volts out down the USB's have you tried the dongle isn a different USB header?

[richieuk]

Aye, front USB ports are connected to spearate connections on the Mobo and tryed too on the i/o panel on the back, same results.

Had thoght something like that but clueless how to fix, i'm a nub at this.

Where can i check the volts that are being suplied?

[peterb]

Not so much too many volts, but the port cannot supply enough current. The USB spec states thatthe port should rovide 500mA - what I guess is happening is that the WiFi dongle is drawing probably no more than that, but the port can't supply it, so the voltage is dropping, the dongle switches off, voltage rises - it switches back on - etc. It is a problem more oftenly encountered with USB disc drives.

If that is the problem, how to fix it? USB drives come with a dual headed cable, so that two ports are used for power, but only one for data (obviously) but they usually use miniature USB connectors at the far end - no use to you. If you can find one with the correct connectors, that might work (only might - no gurantees at ong range diagnosis!)

Otherwise, get a USB hub with an external PSU (a powered hub) and try it with that - the data should pass through, but the power will come from the USB hub power supply.

If that doesn't, the problem could be either the mobo - just cannt supply the power, of the PSU - isn't supplying the power. It is a trivial amount in PSU terms, so I would suspect that the mobo isn't up to it, if it is old, or a component is failing. (The symptom is typical of a capacitor discharging and recharging - so that might be a reason - again - only might)

Sorry I haven't given you a definitive "Do this and it will fix it" - there are too many possibilities.