Unable to connect to network with a new Laptop. ( WRT160n v3.0.02/3 and WRT54G2 v1.0.01)

Question

Hello, 
I have never had problems with a Linksys router before until I recently got a new laptop. It was fine for the first few days, but then the connection started dropping and wouldn't come back unless I turned off the router and back on. This started increasing in frequency, so I decided to tweak with my router to find the problem and see if I could solve it.
This was for a WRT160n v3.0.02 I looked up several suggestions online and decided to update the firmware to v3.0.03 This seemed to only make it worse as I could no longer connect, and when I turned the router off and back on it would allow me in for about a minute and drop me right away. I decided to do a factory reset and set up the network all over to see if this would fix it. Nothing.
I started tweaking with the settings, and came across some posts here such as this one, started tweaking with the channel settings and everything. Nothing. If anything I somehow made it worse since now instead of dropping repeatedly it wouldn't connect at all except for about a minute after restarting router, then it would drop completely (I would either get the limited access notification or I simply couldn't connect and windows said to unplug the access point. (...again)
Fed up, I recalled I had another Linksys router that I wasn't using in storage, a WRT54G2v 1.0.01 so I set that up, no problems... at first. All other devices picked it up right away, but once again, my new laptop decides it's too good for the freaking network and drops it repeatedly telling me there's a problem with the access point. 
So at this point I'm thinking it might NOT be my network, but my wireless card or something, I uninstalled and reinstalled, updated drivers, (I use a Realtek RTL8723AE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC) I even came across this article and disabled browser service and NETBios (including all other devices on my network). It brought back the network on my laptop for a bit, only to smugly come crashing down again. 
I've tried setting a static IP, I set my priority to highest on QoS, I've tried factory resetting both routers TWICE. I'm at my wits' end and I dunno what else to try, I'd greatly appreciate any help I can get.
I have a cable connection, modem works just fine, signal is fine if I connect it directly to modem, also if I connect it through the router, no problems whatsoever, the only problem seems to be the wireless on my new device. OTL

Answer 1

Hi roseyrosho,
You may try this link below on how to determine the correct  MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) size. I hope this will help.
Determining and setting up the correct MTU size