# D-Link DWA 525 (Wireless Adapter) Not Working



## Vyom (May 4, 2015)

So, I bought this DWA 525 Wireless Adapter about 15 months ago. First of all it's funny that most of the product stops working just after the warranty period. So does this adapter.

I tested the adapter under Windows as well as Ubuntu, but doesn't work in both of them. In Windows, it does get detected, but even after I install the drivers, there's no Wifi network to catch.

So I took the card our and shot a couple of pictures. Here are they:

*i.imgur.com/VSEKKGb.jpg

*i.imgur.com/HBJQWhm.jpg

Does it look that the gold area have been exposed to some carbon or something? Is that the reason it have stopped working? Can it be fixed?
HD Resolution of first pic: *i.imgur.com/EhrmSYI.jpg (3.3 MB)


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## Vyom (May 5, 2015)

Anyone?


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## bssunilreddy (May 5, 2015)

Vyom said:


> Anyone?



1st clean the rust using alcohol or any cleaning solution

Try this:

Start >> Right click "computer" >> Properties >> Device manager >> Network adapters >> Right click "D-Link DWA-525 Wireless", and select "Properties"

Then Select "Power Management", and uncheck the option "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".

Restart.

Another problem might be is that you dont have configure the driver

Go to start >> computer >> system properties >>device manager >> network adapters >>D Link 525 (Secondary) >> properties >> advanced >> enable all items

Also have a look at this site for Ubuntu drivers and installation:*steveswinsburg.wordpress.com/2011/...wa-525-wireless-network-card-in-ubuntu-10-04/


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## Vyom (May 5, 2015)

Well, the card did use to work before. It stopped working just one fine morning. So don't think it's a driver issue. I install drivers from the official cd which came with the card.  
I will try to find alcohol to rub it with. Will nail polish removal work?


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## kkn13 (May 7, 2015)

you can also use an eraser to rub out carbon from the filings
Ive done it multiple times 
also works well for battery contacts etc


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## Vyom (May 9, 2015)

^^ Thanks for the tip. So I took a Natraj eraser and rubbed the heck out of the card. But it didn't work.
Then I used nail polish removal and with cotton rubbed it vigorously. After which the card seemed to work.

But it's unstable. Like it remains connected for few minutes but then disconnects me again. (Red cross on network icon). Seems like the contacts have become loose somehow. I am trying to see how unstable it is. Currently I am connected since few minutes. 

Only time will tell whether I would require to buy a new card altogether.

Btw, the D-Link site shows the product is still in warranty. (FK showed 1 yr warranty, but it seems the product had 36 months warranty.) Which means I still have 18 months warranty left). But would D-Link replace a card that shows sighs of carbon? I have doubts.


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## kkn13 (May 9, 2015)

Vyom said:


> ^^ Thanks for the tip. So I took a Natraj eraser and rubbed the heck out of the card. But it didn't work.
> Then I used nail polish removal and with cotton rubbed it vigorously. After which the card seemed to work.
> 
> But it's unstable. Like it remains connected for few minutes but then disconnects me again. (Red cross on network icon). Seems like the contacts have become loose somehow. I am trying to see how unstable it is. Currently I am connected since few minutes.
> ...



best way is to try and see
you have nothing to lose by trying i guess


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## whitestar_999 (May 9, 2015)

that is why i prefer usb wifi adapters.cost a little higher but without all the hassles of pci cards.


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## Vyom (May 9, 2015)

whitestar_999 said:


> that is why i prefer usb wifi adapters.cost a little higher but without all the hassles of pci cards.



Well that's the thing. I have tried USB adapters too. TP-Link one. It also stopped working after a while. It ended like other USB devices usually do. With following message:

*www.online-tech-tips.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/usbdevicenotrecognized.png

So I bought a PCI-e card. Thinking it might last very long. Just set it once and forget it. But as I learned now, they are prone to carbon etc too. I guess nothing is perfect.


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## whitestar_999 (May 9, 2015)

in my experience failure of usb devices also depend to a certain extent on usb ports.e.g.in my cousin's 2 years old laptop there is one usb port that usually returns the above error with many usb devices & one of his usb device also malfunctioned which i suspect was because of this port.on the other hand backside usb ports of mobo seems to be the most reliable ones even after long usage.


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## Vyom (May 9, 2015)

^^ Well, yea.

Btw, the D-Link DWA 525 doesn't seem to be holding up. Looks like I will have to get it RMA, or buy a new one. But I can't do that now till next Saturday.


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