Wireless connection constantly dropping signal

[SoCalMisty]

ok. So I have 2 desk top computers. One is wireless the other is hardwired. I use a Linksys WRT54G router and a Linksys WRE54G Range Expander and my sony desktop has a Sony Wireless LAN card. It was complete HELL to setup the range expander but after about 6-7 calls to Linksys tech support, I finally did get it working and had an overall pretty good signal going on my wireless comp. Sometimes I would lose the signal but most of the time it would hold it and I would have it for a good amount of time. When it would lose the signal I would unplug the router and unplug the range extender, wait for about a minute and then plug them back in and that would normally bring my connection back. There isn't anything that could be causing an interference yet as of yesterday it dropped the connection and now (even though everything is working, the router and the range expander are pinging fine on my hardwired computer) I can no longer hold a connection for more than a minute at a time. The amount of time I have put into this wireless network is making me tired. I bought the range expander for close to 90 dollars and it really works good... when it is working. So basically its worthless because it never does! I have all the updated firmware for everything and my drivers for my card are fine. Everything appears fine, so why can't I hold a signal? I seriously need some help with this. I am literally exhausted and fed up with this Sh**. It's not even like my computer is really all that far away from the router. Even before I bought the expander I would get an extremely low signal from my router and would be able to work off that for a time. Someone HELP!

 

[G0AOZ]

There are two signal levels to consider here. Signal from wireless router to range expander, and then signal from range expander to computer.

I'm not familiar with the facilities available on the range expander. Can you plug a PC into it to check what signal strength it's receiving from the router? Maybe it's only getting a weak signal from your router. Does your PC show signal strength from the range expander even if the wireless router is turned off? This at least would tell you if this part of the link has a good chance of working ok.

Try switching off the expander, move your PC temporarily to the same position as the expander, and check signal strength direct from your router. Signal needs to be reasonably strong. If it's weak, then move the expander nearer to the router. Or you could try bigger antennas perhaps.

It could be there are other sources of 2.4GHz signals interfering with your WiFi link. How about cordless phones? If you have them, temporarily switch 'em off and see if your wireless link stays up. Do you have close neighbours using WiFi? Can you see any other WiFi networks if you ask the wireless software on your PC to scan for signals?

It may be a pain to do it, but try changing channels.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[wybnormal]

Its been my experience that the range expander is rarely needed or even wanted. The problem is several parts.

1: transmit power or lack of. The average is 30mw but normally there is a crappy antenna attached to the AP or NIC. All the power in the world will not overcome a lousy antenna. I run several different APs and they all worked better out of the box with a pair of +5db antennas.

2: Crappy code. On the Linksys and several other APs, a rebuilt firmware can go a long ways to correcting problems. Alchemy or a pay for version work well as do many found on Sourceforge.

3: Trying to use Windows to manage the card. Dont bother, the management software except in rare cases, from the vendor is a much better solution. My own Dell 700 is a classic case of the Intel card working like crap with Windows till I used the Intel tool.

4: Old drivers. Always update the drivers and save yourself alot of frustration. Windows with their "security service packs" tend to break alot more things nowdays. And not always in a apparent way.

5: Get off the default channel 6. Go to 1 or 11.

MikeS

http://www.packetattack.com

http://www.packetpress.net

Home of the book "Network Security Using Linux"

 

[TonyScarpelli]

I have a Toshiba laptop with windows xp sp2 on it and went wireless to a Linksys router with a Linksys pc card.

After one of the xp updates, I would get logged off after about 15 minutes. I'd reconnect, but again I would be kicked off. Took me a month to figure it out.

I also re-installed the original software that came with the wireless network pc card. The update I downloaded from the Linksys didn't work too well.

It turned out that I had installed Zone Alarm but had just turned it off. After un-installing Zone Alarm I had no further problems.

So if you don't have Zone Alarm installed maybe windows firewall is turning you off. Try shutting it down. If you are going through a router you might not need a firewall.

Hope some of this helps.

CU


Tony Scarpelli
Clinical Engineering Dept.
Maine Medical Center
Portland, Maine 04102

 

[wybnormal]

A router is not a firewall. Do not make that mistake. A good software firewall that has worked with every wireless network I've tried is the McAfee personal firewall. Also, the Kerio firewall is very nice and it's now sold by Sunbelt Software.

MikeS

http://www.packetattack.com

http://www.packetpress.net

Home of the book "Network Security Using Linux"