I was visited by everyone’s worst nightmare; a computer that crashes in the middle of a vital project. As I browsed the local computer store, I decided to lean on the old adage of “you get what you pay for” and decided to pay the extra money for a Sony Vaio Fit 15E. Much to my surprise, I got less than what I paid for as this Sony notebook computer fails at the critical task of maintaining a wireless or wi-fi connection for more than a couple of minutes.
Sony Vaio FitE won’t keep wi-fi connection
My vital project is helping individuals and families enroll in the new ACA health plans. As the 2014 open enrollment comes to a close and my clients are dispersed throughout California, the only viable enrollment path is through the internet based Covered California system. Without a computer that can connect to the internet via wi-fi, I virtually useless to my clients. The Sony Vaio Fit 15E’s inability to stay connected to the internet through the my household wireless router was maddening as important connections to the health insurance exchange and health insurance carriers would stall out.
No problems with home wireless router
For the previous four years my old Gateway notebook had only minor problems connecting and staying connected to our family’s wi-fi router. The iMac a few feet away routinely connects with no problems along with several smart phones and our Netflix streaming video connection that is twice the distance away from the router. Obviously, the Sony Vaio Fit was unfit for the simple task of maintaining a wireless connection.
Internet wi-fi is crucial in 2014
My first trouble shooting attempts focused on internal diver problems or issues with the router. As far as I could tell, the Broadcom BCM431142 network adapter with driver software 6.30.223.181 was up to date and working properly. Some people mentioned that it was Windows 8.1 that was causing the problems. In an act of desperation, remembering my old childhood days reading about antennas, I plugged in a D-Link wi-fi antenna I had for long defunct notebook computer. Whoa, it worked; I was able to stay connected to the internet for more than five minutes.
Good old solid wire antennae
Sony’s solution to poor wi-fi connections is to mount an antenna on your roof to improve the reception.
The following day I changed the USB port the D-Link antenna was plugged into from the right to the left side of the Sony Vaio Fit 15E. I did this so the cable wouldn’t be in the way of the mouse pad since I am right handed. Oddly enough, the better internet connection I had experienced the night before failed. At this point I figured my little experiment with the antenna was a aberration and I tried working on the router. I was able to do nothing with the router to change any settings that might improve reception. As I fell further behind in my work, I plugged the D-Link back into the right side USB port and a more stable wi-fi internet connection appeared.
I paid how much for a computer with no wi-fi?
Mr. Sony, if I may call you that, how could you build a top of the line computer for which I paid over $1,000 for and have such a faulty component as an antenna installed? This is the wireless age. My 2014 computer acts no better than the one I bought in 2000 that needed the D-Link antenna to connect to the internet wirelessly. Maybe it’s not the antenna and perhaps it is all Window’s 8.1 or the Broadcom network adapter that is at fault. Either way, Mr. Sony, you should fix it. If you supply me with a repair or update that makes the wi-fi connection work like it should, I will report it here on this website and blog.