Wireless connection dropping out

[Jerricho]

I've just got a new wireless router for my internet connection and it seems to be dropping out every 15 mins or so. I'm using XP on a HP Pavillion zv5000 (with a built in Broadcom 54g 802.11g Network card, and the router is also "g" rated as well.

I am wondering if something is interfering with it, as I have picked up that one of my neighbours is running a wireless system as well (when the connection drops and does a search for wireless connections, his connection comes up as well as a connection option)

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[longarm]

Simple answer, if next doors connections seems reliable and allows you to connect, use his. Cancel broadband sell router on ebay. With money buy beer.

[Jerricho]

Ahhh, if only life were that simple Longarm. He (like myself) has encrypted his signal, and if he's as much of a tight arse as he makes out to be, he's probably only got "DSL lite" as it's referred to here, which is only about 5 times faster than dial up.

[mikeddavies]

Try changing the channel used by your router - most use channel 6 by default - could try say 9.
MikeD

[Jerricho]

Ahhh, good thinking mate! :ok:

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Also if you are happy that your encryption is working Ok, try turning off MAC filtering and see if that improves things.

[longarm]

Arggg! If it wasn't for those pesky kids we'd have gotten away with it.

[BEagle]

Have you got a 'dial on demand' option set as a default on your router? If so, there is a possibility that the ADSL connection will drop after a period of inactivity.

Is it the W-LAN connection or ADSL internet connection which drops? If it's the ADSL, try looking into the router configuration and changing 'dial on demand' to 'always on'. But if the W-LAN drops out even with the computer right next to the router, it must be something else.

[Toxteth O'Grady]

it must be something else.

No sh1t Sherlock :} LOL

[Jerricho]

I think I've got it sussed folks.

Thank you very much one and all (especially you there Longarm ;) )

[BEagle]

So what did you do?

[Jerricho]

I chucked the router out the window and tried to crack into the neighbour's connection :E ;)



Seriously though, silly me, the ethernet cable port on the laptop was still enabled. I think it was trying to connect every 10/15 mins or so and may have been conflicting with it. I disabled it and it seems to be behaving itself.........for the moment. I haven't really had a chance to use it for a longer time. Damn work getting in the way of things. ;)

[Jerricho]

Actually folks, I was wrong. it's still doing it. HELP!!!!

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Is there a firmware update available for your router?

[Jerricho]

Hi guys,

I thought I would just bump this to the top once more. The damn thing is still doing it. *Scratches head*

[BEagle]

Which component is dropping out - the wireless link or the ADSL connection?

[HughMartin]

Do you have any other wireless devices in the area? I have a wireless webcam connected to another computer which if switched on will cut out my WiFi connection.

Some cordless telephones, microwaves or other similar devices (including bluetooth) will upset WiFi.

[Jerricho]

The ADSL connection is fine (as we have it through our cable TV provider, there is a status light on the set top box shoing the connection, and it's fine)

The actual wireless connection on the laptop drops, then reconnects after about 5 seconds. And it seems to happen every 14 mins, almost to the second. It's a pain in the a$$ when in the middle of a download. I've checked all the processes that are actuive to see what may be running to conflict with it, and can't find anything there.

Hugh, I hadn't thought of the cordless phone thing, as the router does sit on the desk next tot he phone base unit. Bluetooth hasn't exactly made it this far to Winnipeg yet (much to my disgust ;) ) so it's nothing there. I think you're onto something. Something around must be interfering with it.

Thanks again guys.

[Tonkatoy]

Two questions.

Are you using XP to manage the wireless connection and have you upgraded to SP2?

I've noticed that XP SP1 regularly dropped my wireless connections only to reconnect seconds later.

The old solution, use the tools that came with the card (clear the tick in the box "allow windows to manage this connection" or upgrade to XP SP2.

Of course, this may not help at all...

Ian

[Jerricho]

Thanks Ian.

I haven't upgraded to SP2 simply because I like to manage my security settings, and that damn thing drove me nuts.

*Sigh*

[Tonkatoy]

I know exactly what you mean. I ended up turning the whole lot off. Didn't pay good money for a firewall to have to put up with Microsofts's half-baked effort.

If you don't want to install SP2 (understandable) try to stop XP from managing the wireless network and use the tools that came with the card wireless card. They should have been installed when you loaded the drivers.

let me know if have any success.

Ian

[BahrainLad]

Did you say you had sorted out what signal your network was working on?

I live in a 3-flat block and it seems that everyone's had wi-fi for Xmas....out of the 6 networks that I can see in Macstumbler, 5 are on channel 11 (the other is mine, that wasn't working until I changed it.)

They must all be having horrendouse problems. :)