14 DAY TRIAL // Just like its predecessors, the Surface Pro 3 is a tablet that suffers from limited Wi-Fi connectivity, and judging by the number of complaints posted online, there’s no doubt that this is a widespread issue impacting a lot of devices.
Today, Microsoft introduced a brand new firmware update for Surface Pro 3 tablets that, among others, also brings Wi-Fi improvements, thus trying to fix the problem once again after months of work.
The new release, which shows up in Windows Update as System Firmware Update – 10/28/2014, includes not only stability and performance enhancements but also the so-called Wireless Network Controller and Bluetooth driver update version 15.68.3059.117, which should address limited wireless connectivity scenarios for the majority of tablets.
At this point, it’s not yet clear whether this new firmware update has completely fixed the limited Wi-Fi issues, so all Surface Pro 3 owners are recommended to install it as soon as possible.
Out of band improvements
This new pack of improvements for the Surface Pro 3 comes two weeks after Patch Tuesday, the day when Microsoft releases security patches for its software, as well as new firmware versions for hardware devices, such as tablets.
This could be an indication that Microsoft has only recently completed development of all these improvements and wanted to make them available to users as soon as possible, without the need to wait until the next month’s Patch Tuesday.
The last Tuesday of the month, however, slowly becomes the day when Microsoft rolls out non-security updates for its products, so improvements for its tablets could be released twice a month.
Also affecting other Surface models
The Surface Pro 3 is not the first model that suffers from limited Wi-Fi connectivity, as its predecessors were also hit by the very same bugs.
Just like it’s happening right now, Microsoft needed several months to address the problems, so after several firmware updates and improvements, the limited Wi-Fi connectivity bug was, in the end, squashed completely.
The very same problem, however, exists right now on the Surface Pro 3 and was first reported in May, after the launch of the tablet, but since then, no fully working fix has been developed.
Of course, all those who bought a Surface Pro 3 have tried all kinds of workarounds, such as reinstalling the drivers and turning the Wi-Fi adapter on and off, but nothing has done the trick until now. It remains to be seen, however, if today’s firmware update fixes the bug.