Have realtek 8185, vista, keeps loosing signal

There are two optional updates through Microsoft for the realtek wireless card. I've had to reboot my computer 3 to 4 times a day, and I finally got sick enough of it that I went onto Microsoft's windows update site. Since my computer only downloads the "mandantory" updates, who kows how long the optional ones have been waiting. Since I downloaded the updates this morning I haven't had any problems. Keeping my fingers crossed! Good luck to you!

There is tremendous variation in the hardware between devices that contain the Realtek 8185 chipset. If there wasn't a vista driver in the box that came with your card, then the chances are you are using the generic one that comes via Microsoft update.
I am using this one too, and it is rubbish. The device randomly stops functioning and I have to disable and reenable it to get it working again. Basically, it is not 100% Vista compatable. Buy a new card that comes with a Vista Driver. Or solve all your problems and upgrade to Windows XP SP3.

Go to the Device manager and bring up the properties to the realtek 8185 device. There is a tab called Power Management. Click on this tab. There is a checked checkbox that says Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. Uncheck this box. This should stop the random disconnects.

My Realtek 8185 wireless adapter on Vista and I also have the same constant problem with the adapter dropping the signal for no reason at random times all day long. This Realtek 8185 is a total POS.

anyway, the "solution" I came up with is to open device manager and disable then re-enable the 8185 network adapter. This works about 75% of the time. The other 25% of h time rebooting is necessary. Seems like the suggestion to get another wireless card is the best one. The Realtek 8185 SUCKS. ...and Realtek apparently doesnt care at all because they have not released a new driver and this has been a problem for a long time.

its easy all you folks roll back your driver in the control panel for your realtek 8185 wireless card. this exact same thing happended to me when i bought my laptop. I installed the lastest driver and all of a sudden it didnt work so what i did is ROLLED BACK THE DRIVER.
1. Control panel
2. Device manager
3. Network adapters
4. Find realtek 8185 card and right click on it to select the properties tab.
5. Go to the driver tab on top of the page which will bring you to the drivers tab.\
6. and last click roll back driver and restart and you should be good.
Dont ever install the new driver again i havent since ive had my laptop and i havent had a problem since

if you update the drivers from microsoft, your wireless adapter will stop functioning properly, use the default drivers or the drivers that came with the laptop. DO NOT USE THE WINDOWS UPDATE DRIVER.

Over all this Realtek 8185 Card is a POS, it's even a problem under Linux. very unstable card with horrble range. Thats why i like atheros chipset wireless cards, broadcom chipset would be my 2nd choice.

I went into the device manager and went to Roll Back Driver it now it connects and is stable. I guess the latest driver is just ****... Hope this works for you guys.

If nothing else works and you are using a secured network i suggest downgrading from wpa2 to normal wpa, this greatly improved my signal stability and range. Remember as long as your using better than WEP it is your passphrase that is the weakest link so if thats strong WPA-WPA2 not much difference for home user

Try installing this driver from Realtek

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/RedirectFTPSite.aspx?SiteID=1&DownTypeID=3&DownID=430&PFid=1&Conn=5