Range of Wireless Network?

[Keef]

I'm sure someone knows...

My elder daughter has an ADSL modem/router, which includes an 802.11g wireless facility, with two aerials (diversity, I'm sure) on the top. It's a Belkin 4-port device.

She wants to use her laptop around the house (particularly in the lounge and in her bedroom). The PCMCIA card in the laptop is 802.11b but works OK with the 802.11g.

I've set up the security (64 bit WEP since that was easiest) and that's OK.

HOWEVER... the range of the WiFi seems very low, and the signal strength fluctuates. From the lounge, maybe 25 feet from the study, across the garden, the signal varies from "Good" to "Low" and frequently drops altogether. This is with everything "static" and nobody moving about. Is that normal behaviour for a WiFi network at that range?

I have a WiFi (802.11b) in my own house, and the signal is stronger and more stable over a similar distance (from the upstairs at one corner or the house to the downstairs at the other corner).

Is there a config setting that I should be looking for to improve the performance of the WiFi? Maybe lock it to a particular set of frequencies?

All advice much welcome!

[minus273]

Hi there Keef

Well I have Linksys router that I run purely on G. The problem that I have been having recently is that there are now so many other wireless networks in my apartment complex that it interferes with my signal.

I have set mine upto 128-bit WEP, the other thing that I have done is shift the channel to either 11 or 1. These are suggested as the best ones as most routers shipped usally send out on channel 6 by default.

Also items such as portable phones and microwaves can interfere with the signal, basically anything that works in the junk frequency of 2.4GHz

You may if you can want to see about moving the modem and router to another location to see how well it works.

The structure of the house will also effect how much transmission there is.

I was lucky as well in that my router is a Linksys one and there are some nice linux hacks that allow you to overboost the power transmission.

Anyways I would say try moving it to somewhere else, and try moving the channels.

-273

[mikeddavies]

Had the same problem which was cured by setting the 802.11g modem to operate in 802.11b mode only.

miked

[Keef]

Ah - now THAT is an idea! ADSL isn't going to get even close to 802.11b speeds. Thank you!

[Keef]

Well, I think I've solved it.

I was a bit surprised the signal strength was fluctuating so much, so I took the laptop into the office and stood it next to the WiFi. It still dropped the line every few minutes.

After messing with lots of settings (locking the modem/router to 802.11b rather than b and g; changing channels etc) I found a toggle that said "Allow Windows to manage my connections" on the controls for the WiFi card.

I turned that OFF so Windows can't mess with the card, and the line has been up and working with no hiccups for the last 7 hours. Fingers crossed.

[FunkyMunky]

Disabling the Wirless Zero Configuration service (type services.msc in Start>Run) can make sure windows doesn't try to re-enable the windows wireless management setting if you get another wireless card or reset your existing one. Basically the same thing as what you done but a more semi-permanent measure (semi-permanent in that you'll have to reenable the service as well as tick the box again)

[Keef]

Sadly, it dropped the wireless connection later, and hasn't managed to keep it alive for more than about 20 minutes at a time since. After much research on the web, I found that there is a "known bug" with the Belkin modem/router/wireless access point that I've bought. Lots of people offer lots of "worked for me" fixes, but none of them did it in this case.

One problem seems to be that Anna connects to a VPN during the working day. That shouldn't matter, but the device doesn't see it that way. The office machine is connected to the VPN, the laptop via WiFi should be to the Internet itself, but doesn't work at all.

And even when the VPN is "off" and the office machine working the internet normally, the wireless signal drops with alarming regularity.

So I'm bidding on a separate wireless access point and will disable the Belkin one. Mutter!

[amanoffewwords]

Have you tried upgrading the firmware? - I have a similar Belkin wifi router (802.11b flavour) which was dropping out every so often when I got it a couple of years ago - a firmware upgrade sorted it (available for the Belkin.co.uk site).

Ditto with any D-Link equipment I've had to install for my customers (5-6 G604T's so far, very good but never supplied with the latest software).

Charles

[CarltonBrowne the FO]

I just bought a Linksys WAG54G modem/router/gateway. It came bundled with one wireless PCMCIA card, bundle price £80.99 including shipping. Mine came from http://www.simply.co.uk
Delivery was quoted as 3 days, but in fact the courier was at my door within about 26 hours of me placing the order...

[spannersatcx]

On a recent excursion to Turkey, you could be sat one end of the pool with the bar 40 yards away, and the waiters would take your order on a handheld that was connected by wifi and by the time he got to the bar the drinks were ready for him to bring to me, with the bill as well all charged to the room. Excellent service, now that's what modern technology should be used for.:ok:

[Lost_luggage34]

Charles is spot on.

Much networking kit is shipped with 'older' firmware.

With relatively new technologies such as WiFi, there are bound to be bugs. Manufacturers often release new firmware on a regular basis, often with fairly extensive release notes.

You just have to go and hunt it out. Worth a read of the release notes beforehand to establish if it is likely to assist with your particular issue.

Sometimes by moving forward to a newer version of firmware one can actually introduce new problems/features. So I emphasise the reading of release notes.

[Memetic]

firmware one can actually introduce new problems/features..

Oh look here comes XP SP2....:eek:



(Ok not fair it is not firmware but IBM have banned staff installs until it's tested!)