ad hoc WLAN not working as it should... most of the time

[Mengbillar]

Okay im trying to connect my desktop with a WLAN dongle to a notebook with a WLAN PC-Card.
Now i set the wlan up and all that, so far even without security to minimize the source of problems.
it does show as connected on both ends, too (signal strength: excellent)
However, most of the time, they arent able to transmit data. They are both on dynamic IP and when i try to have them ping each other, there is 90-100% loss. for some reason, there is a response once in a while, but its like something is blocking the communication. when i try to access the other pc with something like \\pcname i get "not found, please check spelling". the air distance is less than a meter, and no firewall (not even the windows one) is running on either. 2 or 3 times so far, i managed to get them "actually connected", sending data hence and forth etc. however i dont know what was differnet there, and why its not working now :S Im trying around for several days now, and so far, i have no clue why it sometimes is and sometimes isnt working..

any ideas? theres also (apparently) no other wlan running in range, so that cant be it either..

 

[G0AOZ]

If they're both set to dynamic then where will they get their IPs from? You mention only a desktop and a notebook, and assuming there's no server or AP lurking anywhere, I'd have thought you'll need to assign Static IPs (in the same range) to both computers.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[Mengbillar]

idk how they do it but they both end up with one in the end.
currently its 169.254.y.x and a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 on both, they do get assigned when both are on and in range.. (both y and x vary on both, however, i had it work with this configuration already as well...) i also tried the usual 169.192.0.1 and .2 fixed, but that didnt work out either

 

[micker377]

What type of WiFi (A,B, or G)? You realize that 2.4 gig appliances (Microwave, Cordless Phones, etc.), will interfere with 211/B.

 

[Mengbillar]

Yes its a B connection.. so.. what can i do? put my phone away as far as possible? :S

 

[Mengbillar]

okay, i have a different pc-card now for my notebook, so they both support G now (and presumably use that) but now i have a different problem: while its no longer a problem to get a connection per se, im now getting the "Wireless network connection is now connected" messege roughly every 5 seconds. copying data between the PCs will result in a "network abc is no longer available" messege after a few seconds. so.. hm.. what can i do about stability?