At wits end: wifi issues. Toshiba satellite, realtek adap

Before I begin, I appologize if this comes off as abrasive. I am trying my best, but am incredibly frustrated. So, I'm sorry in advance if I come across as bitchy, since thats not what I intend.

I have a Toshiba satellite c855d, with a realtek rtl8188ce wifi adapter, came with win 8, wich I updated to 8.1, then 10, then reverted back to 8.1 with a clean install after the bulk of my drivers not cooperating or being available and the computer crashing or hanging something fierce as a result.

I have had challeneges with this computer and wifi, off and on, since it's purchase. From the (exhaustive, albeit amature (I get computers, but am not formally trained, and am less up-to-date on both resources and troubleshooting techniques than I used to be)) research I've done over the last few years, it would seem that this has been due partially to win 8 being high maintenance when it comes to wifi signal, toshiba being lazy and completely lacking in interest or care for consumers of their product, and my model of realtek wifi adapter badically sucking butt.

However, having to reset my adapter every several hours is hardly normal or acceptable in my mind.

And, while I understand that fluctuations in wifi signals can vary drastically, I dont understand why the network I wish to connect to is only visable when my adapter needs to be reset, and disappears once I do so, nor do I understand this newest excitement, in which no less than 10 networks of varying strengths are visible, but turning the wifi adapter off and then back on after 10 or so seconds renders the adapter unable to see ANY available networks for a good several minutes. I am sure I must be missing something.

No, neither the laptop nor the routers have moved.

Yes, I have done my best to ensure I have the current adapter driver (have used win update, as well as toshiba and realtek's websites. Currently I am using 2012.3.913.2013).

While the problem is not entirely new, as I mentioned before, the amount of unreliability has greatly increased since doing the fresh install of 8.1 when downgrading from 10. I have been experiencing more frequent hangs when using flash in chrome, ie, and firefox, as well as spikes in cpu usuage where it will stay above 90% if I am trying to use any of the above browsers, generally when having no more than 2-3 tabs open: gmail or hotmail, some facebook game, and perhaps craigslist.

Well, except for now--I can't even get online atm. "Can't connect to network"...and then it trieds to take me to online help, which then informs me that it cant get online to help me with my connectivity probs.

I am one broke ass broad. Finding even a small amount of $$ to spend on upgrades to my laptop or adapter is damn near impossible on my budget.

No, the arrangement I have does not permit a hard line connection, wifi only, although I can remotely rest the modem, when I can log in. I have run scana by both win defender and malwarebites, both of whom have failed to return any negative results. I am also up to date on my windows updates.

Please help, I'm at my wits end.

Pls gimme time to respond... I am currently restricted to my phone for any internet communications, and its a p.o.s.

Please help me not defenestrate my only laptop. No one ever likes it when I snap and make the morning news!!!

One solution would be to replace the WiFi adapter in the Laptop with a good one. This is usually pretty easy to do, but it depends on the laptop: good wifi card

How to replace the WiFi card

You could also try a USB WiFi dongle in place iof the onboard WiFi (also shown in the Google link above).

That is the same adapter that came with both of my C850d's. Had no issue with either one of them, unless my son would use his at school and because of the construction of the dorm rooms and bad placement of the Access Points. He had to get a Netgear USB adapter that came with a USB cord and a stand, if he needed to move it where he could get a better signal.

The biggest issue is not the adapters, but the signal strength and channel overlap of Access Points in your area. I replaced both Realtek mini-PCIe cards with the Intel 7260 Dual Band's, that I got from CDW for $30. You do have to order an extra antenna, so that you can get 300 mbps. I placed the antennas on both units so that they are on the back of the cases, to the right, but have to sit in the battery compartment, because there is really no way to get them up into the right side of the lid, unless you want to spend the time carefully removing the ring and get the antenna down through the hinge.

I use the engenius ECB350 as my main A/P. Have had no problems with the new adapters, nor when I have used my laptop elsewhere.

The only thing that you will not get with the 7260, is Blue Tooth.