Troubleshoot Intel Wireless-AC 7260 Connectivity Issues

The Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 may keep disconnecting if its driver is not compatible, outdated, or corrupt. Moreover, improper configuration of the network adapter properties (like HT Mode or U-APSD) may also cause the issue at hand.

The issue arises when the AC 7260 card keeps disconnecting from the network and makes it quite difficult (if not impossible) for the user to use the Internet.

You can fix Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 by trying the undermentioned solutions but before that, check if disabling/enabling the AC 7260 adapter in the Device Manager sorts the issue at hand.

Edit the Router Settings

Then Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 may keep disconnecting if the settings of the router (like Self-Organizing Network) are not properly configured. In this case, properly configuring the network settings may solve the problem. But before proceeding, make sure there is only one DHCP server present in the network (so that no other DHCP servers are causing the issue).

Disable Self-Organizing Network in Verizon Router

1. Launch a web browser and navigate to the admin portal of the router.
2. Now select Wi-Fi and open Advanced Settings.
3. Then expand Other Advanced Wi-Fi Options and enable “Self-Organizing Network”.

   

4. Now apply your changes and check if the AC 7260 card is working fine.

Disable Smart Connect in Netgear Router

1. Navigate to the admin portal of the router and select Wireless.
2. Now toggle off the switch of Smart Connect and check if the AC 7260 is clear of the connection issue.

   

Run the Network Troubleshooter and Disable IPv6

The disconnecting issue could be a result of a temporary glitch of the network modules or if your adapter tries to communicate over the IPv6 protocol. In this context, running the network troubleshooter and disabling IPv6 may solve the problem.

1. Click Windows and open Settings.

   

2. Now select Update & Security and steer to the Troubleshoot tab.

   

3. Then open Additional Troubleshooter and expand Network Adapters.

   

4. Now click on Run the Troubleshooter and follow the prompts to complete the process.

   

5. Then apply the suggestions by the troubleshooter and check if the AC 7260 is working fine.
6. If not, then check if running the Internet Connections Troubleshooter solves the problem.

   

7. If that did not do the trick, then check if disabling the IPv6 sorts out the disconnecting issue.

Edit the Advanced and Power Management Properties of the Intel AC 7260 Adapter

The dual-band wireless-AC 7260 may keep disconnecting if its advanced and power management properties (like HT Mode or Roaming Aggressiveness) are not properly configured. In this case, properly configuring the relevant properties may solve the problem.

Disable Power Management of the Device by the Computer

1. Right-click Windows and select Device Manager.
2. Now expand the Network Adapters and right-click on the AC 7260 adapter.
3. Then select Properties and head to the Power Management tab.

   

4. Now uncheck Allow the Computer to Turn Off This Device to Save Power and click on OK.

   

5. Then check if the wireless disconnecting issue is resolved.
6. If not, right-click Windows and open Power Options.
7. Now open the Additional Power Settings (in the right pane) and in the new windows shown, click on Change Plan Settings.

   

8. Then open Change Advanced Power Settings and expand Wireless Adapter Settings.

   

9. Now expand Power Saving Mode and set both options (i.e., On Battery and Plugged-in) to Maximum Performance.

   

10. Then apply your changes and check if the AC 7260 issue is resolved.

Edit the Advanced Properties of the AC 7260 Adapter

1. Right-click on the AC 7260 adapter in the Device Manager and select Properties.
2. Now head to the Advanced tab and set the QoS Mode to WMM Enabled.

   

3. Then apply your changes and check if the disconnecting issue is resolved.
4. If the issue is still there, check if setting the Transmit Power to the Lowest (in the Ac 7260 Advanced Properties) sorts out the wireless issue.
5. If that did not do the trick, then check if setting U-APSD to Disabled resolves the connection issue.

   

6. If the issue persists, then check if setting the HT Mode to HT Mode or Disabled sorts out the issue (this setting may limit your connection speed).

   

7. If that did not do the trick, then check if setting the Throughput Booster (or Throughput Enhancement) to Enabled solves the 7260 issue.

   

    
8. If the issue is still there, then check setting Roaming Aggressiveness value the Lowest resolves the disconnecting issue. You may have to set the dropdown of Transmitting Power setting (discussed at step 4) to Highest.

   

9. If that did not do the trick, then check if setting the Wireless Mode to 802.11n or 802.11g clears out the connection issue.

   

10. If even this doesn’t work, then check if setting the Preferred Band to 5GHz (if your router supports) solves the connection problem.

    

If none of these works, then check if disabling the Power Management of all the devices under Bluetooth, Sound Controllers, Network Adapters, Mouse and Pointing Devices, and HID Devices resolves the connection issue.

Change Network Security Type and its Encryption

The dual-band AC-7260 may disconnect randomly if the network security type and its encryption is not properly configured. In this context, properly configuring the network security type and its encryption may solve the problem.

1. Right-click Windows and open Network Connections.
2. Now open Change Adapter Options and double-click on your network.

   

3. Then open Wireless Properties and head to the Security tab.

   

4. Now set the Security Type to WPA2 and its Encryption to AES.

   

5. Then apply your changes and check if the disconnecting issue is resolved.

Clean Boot the System and Disable/Remove the Conflicting Applications

You may encounter the disconnecting issue if an application or device on your system is hindering the operation of the Wi-Fi card. In this scenario, disabling/removing the conflicting applications (like Microsoft Teams) may solve the problem.

Clean Boot the PC

1. Boot your System into the safe mode with networking and check if the AC 7260 adapter is working fine.
2. If so, then Clean boot your PC and check if the Wi-Fi adapter is working fine.
3. Then you may enable the services/processes/applications one by one till the problematic one is found. Once found, either disable or remove the problematic application.

Remove the Problematic Applications

Many of the affected users have reported that the following applications created the issue:

For illustration, we will discuss the process for Intel PROSet, you may follow the instructions as per the device causing the issue for you.

1. Right-click Windows and select “Apps and Features”.
2. Now expand Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and click on Uninstall.

   

3. Then follow the prompts to uninstall the Wireless Software and once completed, reboot your PC to check if the system is clear of the Wi-Fi issue.

Disable the Problematic Devices

Following devices are also reported by the users to create the issue (In some cases, users have to disable some devices, like Bluetooth, in the system’s BIOS):

For illustration, we will discuss the process for the Virtual or VPN Adapters.

1. Right-click Windows and open Device Manager.
2. Now expand the Network Adapters and right-click on the Virtual Network adapter (e.g., Virtual Box Host-Only Ethernet Adapter).

   

3. Then choose Disable Device and afterward, confirm to disable it.
4. Now repeat the same for any other virtual or VPN adapter and check if the Intel AC 7260 is working fine.

Roll Back, Update and Reinstall the Wi-Fi Driver

The AC 7260 adapter may keep disconnecting if its driver is incompatible, outdated, or corrupt. In this context, rolling back, updating, or reinstalling the Wi-Fi driver may solve the disconnecting problem.

Roll Back the Wi-Fi Driver

1. Right-click Windows and select Device Manager.
2. Now expand Network Adapters and right-click on the AC 7260 adapter.
3. Then select Properties and in the resulting window, head to the Driver tab.
4. Now click on the Roll Back Driver button and follow the prompts to complete the process.

   

5. Once completed, check if the AC 7250 disconnecting issue is resolved. If so, then you may stop the driver’s updates (till the issue is reported to be solved).

Update the Wireless Driver

1. Manually update the PC’s Windows to the latest release (make sure no update is left pending) and check if the Intel AC 7260 is working fine.
2. If not, update the device drivers to the latest release and check if the disconnecting issue is resolved.
3. If the issue persists, right-click on the AC 7260 adapter in the Device Manager (as discussed earlier) and select Update Driver.
4. Then choose Search Automatically for Drivers and let the process complete.
5. Once completed, check if the wireless problem is solved.
6. If that did not do the trick, repeat step 3 and select Browse My Computer for Drivers.

   

7. Now select Browse My Computer for Drivers and open Let Me Pick from a List of Available Drivers on My Computer.

   

8. Then choose another Wi-Fi driver (not currently being used) and check if that resolves the issue.
9. If the issue is still there, try the other Wi-Fi drivers at step 8 (you may uncheck Show Compatible Hardware, select Intel as Manufacturer, and try the driver by Microsoft) one by one to check if any of the drivers sort out the issue.

Reinstall the Wi-Fi Driver

1. Firstly, download the latest driver from the Intel (or OEM) website and right-click on the Intel AC 7260 adapter in the Device Manager.
2. Now select Uninstall Driver and in the resulting window, checkmark Delete the Driver Software for This Device.

   

3. Then click on Uninstall and follow the prompts to uninstall the Wi-Fi driver.
4. Once uninstalled, reboot your PC and upon reboot, check if Windows installs its default Wi-Fi driver.
5. If so, then let it complete and check if that solves the dual-band wireless adapter issue.
6. If not, repeat steps 1 to 3 to uninstall the Wi-Fi driver (make sure to checkmark Delete the Driver Software for This Device) and open the Action menu.
7. Now choose Scan for Hardware Changes and if another driver is applied by the system, uninstall it (make sure to checkmark Delete the Driver Software for This Device) as well.

   

8. Keep repeating the above process to uninstall the Wi-Fi drivers till no driver is shown (or the option of Delete the Driver Software for This Device is greyed out).
9. Then reboot your PC and check if the issue is resolved (if a driver was applied by the system).
10. If a driver was applied by the system, then uninstall it as well (as discussed above) and keep repeating till no driver is left out.
11. Now reboot your PC and install the Wi-Fi driver (not the Wi-Fi Management utility) downloaded at step 1 and check if the AC 7260 is clear of the disconnecting issue.

If that did not do the trick, you may reinstall the driver in the compatibility mode to check if that sorts out the wireless issue. If none of the solutions did the trick for you, then you may get the Intel adapter checked for a hardware issue.