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OEM Network Drivers Are Always Outdated. Is That Actually A Problem?

driver-updateinteloem-driverwifi18 replies · 456 views · started
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  1. Sami E.
    @solid_nomad

    My gaming laptop came with a network driver from the manufacturer that's quite old. Intel has PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers 15.8.0 available directly on their site. I care most about low ping in games. Should I install the chip maker's newest driver, or stick with the PC maker's version?? I've heard both "always use OEM" and "OEM drivers are ancient, ignore them". Curious what you all actually do in practice.

    1
  2. Theo C.
    @theoc38

    PC makers sometimes customize drivers for their hardware: antenna configuration, power management, or combined Wi-Fi/Bluetooth behavior. the chip makers generic driver usually works fine but may not include those tweaks.

    1 0 helpful
  3. Kofi Tanaka
    @ktanaka
    in reply to @theoc38

    chip maker drivers get bug fixes and security fixes sooner... if teh OEM version is very old, theres a real argument for the newer one, especially for security. lmk how it goes

    4 0 helpful
  4. Theo C.
    @theoc38

    lol this thread is gold. same issue here on my moms pc. following this thread

    0 8 helpful
  6. Dario Brandt
    @mutex_bench

    not gonna lie this is driving me nuts ok this thread just saved my weekend

    15 tabs open and chrome ate all 32GB of ram again

    0 1 helpful
  7. Kenji Celik
    @kenji.celik

    @ubanerjee-3jw thank u this worked!!

    14 0 helpful
  12. Ibrahim Banerjee
    @uplinkloop

    A sensible approach: try the newer driver, keep the OEM package downloaded, and note what changes. if sleep, battery or stability gets worse, go back to the OEM one.

    somewhere an AI is confidently telling someone the wrong fix rn

    6 1 helpful
  13. Una B.
    @ubanerjee-3jw

    ok this thread just saved my weekend

    4 2 helpful
  15. Dario Brandt
    @mutex_bench

    for Wi-Fi + Bluetooth combo cards, update both drivers from the same source and generation. mixing an old Bluetooth driver with a new Wi-Fi driver can cause odd issues. worked for me anyway 🤷

    6 5 helpful
  16. Una B.
    @ubanerjee-3jw
    in reply to @mutex_bench

    ok so read the release notes on the Intel support page. If it lists fixes for issues u actually see, update. If not, theres no ugrency.

    thinking

    1 2 helpful
  17. Dario Brandt
    @mutex_bench

    hmmmm quick q dumb question but how do i even check teh extension. ok this thread just saved my weekend

    13 0 helpful
  18. Kenji Celik
    @kenji.celik

    ps page 1 lets gooo... came here to say exactly this

    1 0 helpful
  19. Theo C.
    @theoc38

    yeahhh make a bcakup before u touch teh antivirus, learned that the hard way fingers crossed 🤞

    5 2 helpful
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