Major Issues with Wireless Connectivity in HP Pavilion Notebooks
A few months ago, I purchased an HP Pavilion DV6000 and wrote a review about it on PCMech. I gave it a positive review and was really satisfied with it. To my surprise, the review received a tremendous amount of attention, making it the ninth most popular article on the website according to the “Most Popular” list on the homepage. But why? Well, the reason is because many users have been leaving comments about different problems they’ve encountered with the device. The most common complaint? Issues with the wireless connectivity.
One reader named David (no, not me) directed me to Berlind’s Testbed blog on ZDNet, where there were numerous discussions about the wifi problems faced by users of Pavilion notebooks. The HP support forums were overflowing with complaints about this issue. You can check out this support thread on HP’s website for detailed information on the wifi problem with the DV6000. However, be warned that the thread contains an overwhelming number of comments and may take some time to load if you have a slow internet connection.
ZDNet contacted HP to inquire about this issue, and eventually got a response admitting that there is indeed a problem with the wifi on these Pavilion models. HP supposedly released a BIOS fix on the support forums, but it seems like it doesn’t work well and fails to resolve the problem for most users. In reality, many users who attempted to fix the issue using the BIOS update ended up having to get their motherboard or entire system replaced. This is a hardware problem that cannot be resolved simply by updating the BIOS.
Is HP Support Truly Supportive?
The response from users to HP’s handling of this issue has been overwhelmingly negative. People are not only upset about the problem’s existence, but also because HP remained completely silent on the matter until very recently, despite their support forums being flooded with complaints. HP’s lack of engagement on their own forum gave the impression that they do not actively monitor it. Suggesting a BIOS update to resolve a wireless card failure is almost comical.
To be honest, I find HP support to be on the verge of being laughable. Recently, I had to contact HP because of a failing battery in my DV6000. While the person I spoke to was quite pleasant, the diagnostic steps they took seemed rather pointless. I’ve also had a less than satisfactory experience dealing with HP support for my laser printer in the past. I understand that this is purely subjective, but it seems like HP’s technical support often resorts to trivial solutions and disregards common sense when it comes to troubleshooting. Perhaps they should rely more on their own expertise rather than blindly following the pre-written flow charts provided to their technicians.
A Dose of Reality
While I am sharing this article based on other people’s observations, the sheer number of posts about this problem on PC Mechanic and HP’s own site indicate that there is indeed a widespread issue with failing wireless cards in HP Pavilion notebooks. I hope that HP takes full responsibility for this. If you are experiencing this problem, make sure to reach out to HP before your warranty expires. HP has a habit of replacing faulty hardware, so chances are high that you will receive a free replacement.
It’s important to face a harsh truth: You can’t expect to purchase an all-in-one notebook computer with such specifications for around $800 and have it be of the highest quality. The affordable price tag, given the specs, is the main reason why so many people are buying these Pavilion notebooks. However, it’s important to be aware of the fact that there is a potential weak point.
Update – May 30, 2010
Comments for this article are now closed. This decision was made because people were using the article as a means to seek HP support. Please note that this article is not an official channel for HP support regarding any issues you may have with HP products. If you require assistance, please visit HP Customer Care at support.hp.com. Thank you.
Comments for this article are now closed. This decision was made because people were using the article as a means to seek HP support. Please note that this article is not an official channel for HP support regarding any issues you may have with HP products. If you require assistance, please visit HP Customer Care at support.hp.com. Thank you.
