WiFi tethering crashes Windows 7

[Kuldahv]

When I create a WiFi hotspot with my Xperia V, any computer that connects to it gets a blue screen of death, with "IRQL not less or equal" within a minute.

I have tried with several computers and both 32bit and 64bit Windows 7.

Both WPA-protected and unprotected modes cause a BSOD.

I updated phone software to the latest available, both the shipped and updated versions were Android 4.1.2.

The phone has other bugs but this one is most annoying.

(If I tether via USB or Bluetooth, the connected computer randomly loses Internet connection while the phone itself retains its Internet connection).

I see that someone experienced same with Windows XP:

http://talk.sonymobile.com/message/462484

I wonder what the phone hotspot can do to bluescreen a Win7 computer? A DDOS attack? Malformed packets?

[Johan]

I have no idea what could possible cause that and it seems that no other users have replied stating they have the same problem so I suggest that you check if this still happens if your reinstall the phone software using SUS.

http://www.sonymobile.com/gb/tools/update-service/

If it still happens I think that this needs to be looked at by a repair center. In that case contact your local support team.

http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/support/contact-us/contact-info/

[Kuldahv]

I updated using the phone's internal updater because I couldn't get either PCCompanion or SUS to do it (I later heard that they don't work if an SD card is in the phone).

There are many other bugs, so the phone very likely has something wrong with it. Funny but one bug, frequent restarting during calls, seems to have almost or completely disappeared recently by itself without any changes on my part.

I need to do a full backup before trying factory reset or sending it to warranty repair. And it seems I need to root it first to get a full backup. And then unroot before giving it to repairs. I also have to survive without a phone for quite a while then so I've been looking for other solutions.

There is one report of Wifi tethering crashing WinXP, http://talk.sonymobile.com/message/462484, no other reports.

[Kris_1]

I have the same issue with WiFi tethering and Windows 7.

[qcpxf]

they don't work if an SD card is in the phone?   why?  can you explain for me? thank you !

[chrisyeowc]

I'm using xperia Z and my notebook is running on Windows 7...i am facing the same problem. It crashed my PC every time i attempt tethering. It was fine before i updated my phone to 4.2.2

How do i solve it?

[Rickard]

I recommend that you first try updating the drivers for your computers wireless network card and see if that helps. If the computers wireless network card is connected using USB, also try another USB-port and install the latest USB-drivers for your computer.

If that doesn't help, what driver/file is your computer referring to when you get the blue screen? I believe you should also see a filename with this error (usually a .sys or .dll file).

[Duraptus]

I've had the exact same problem from the start with my phone here in Finland! Both with the initial Android 4.0 and later the 4.1 on my Xperia V: when trying to connect to my phones' WiFi my laptops crash / go into blue screen. This both on my older Thinkpad T61p with Windows XP and my newer TP T410 with Windows 7 (64bit Pro). The only solution is to connect the phone via the USB cable when traveling and use the built in USB tethering - not so elegant.  My previous Samsung Galaxy worked fine sharing WiFi.

With our iPad's and my kids different iPod Touch devices the WiFi tethering works fine, but there seems to be a severe Windows allergy somewhere on the way with the Xperia V. Shame on an otherwise good phone.

[chaotixc]

Hi,

i had almost the same probleme twice last week, but window 7 64 bit blue screened and crashed after trying to update my xperia V -.- via the usb cable or after the installation of sony software

[JakobE]

I have solved what has to be the same problem on Windows 7 by going into the properties of the wireless network card used and making sure to "Enable FIPS" (Federal Information Processing Standards). With that, I have two different Win7 machines work with the WiFi hotspot of the Xperia V.

This is nothing unique to the Xperia, by the way, it seems to happen with all kinds of Android 4.x devices. It is part of the core OS.