IEEE 1394 audio / PCI wireless network card conflict

[jimnandi]

I'm at the end of my rope here. I've been building systems and working
on computers as a hobby for many years but I cannot figure out this
problem. Please excuse me if I'm not clear. I am self taught and might
not be using the correct language.

I have a Linksys Wireless-G PCI Network Adaptor and a IEEE 1394 enabled
PreSonus Firebox which I use as an 'external audio card'.

When both are active in the control panel and I surf the internet the
audio becomes jumpy and fragmented. When pages are loading it sounds
terrible. When I disable the wireless card the audio is 100% perfect.
Great for listening to music when I working on other things but I would
like to listen when working online.

I've tried updating the drivers for both. I've tried the wireless card
in all slots on the motherboard. Same problem.

Looking in the contol panel they both share the same IRQ, 16. No matter
what slot I put the card in it's the same. I also notice that IRQ 17
and 19 are not being used. I thought that I could change the IRQ for
one or the other but I cannot uncheck 'Use Automatic Settings' in the
Rseources tab of the Properties of each.

Thank you to anyone who could possibly help me. My last resort is to
fish a CAT5E line to this area and give up on the wireless but that
would be expensive and I really don't want to be cutting into wallpaper
and fishing wires. The motherboard has a built in network connection
that I used at our other location which worked fine with the Firebox.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Robert Bollinger]

That sounds interesting... It looks like its definitely an IRQ issue (or
some other resource conflict). Assuming of course you've update drives etc
(which you have).

Have you tried any other Wireless NIC's? I know that's a lame answer but I
bet it solves your problem.

Also... Are there any other oddities with this system? Are devices being
automatically redetected everytime windows starts (i.e. Is windows
reinstalling H/W all the time).

If so.. Disable plug n play bios... (doesn't actually disable pnp).

To fix...

I would reset the bios, reset escd data in the bios, disable p n p bios,
make sure that your buit in sound card is not installed and is disabled in
the bios.

This really is just a resource issue...


Robert Bollinger, MCP.

 

[jimnandi]

Thanks for the response but I've been doing research all day and think
I found the answer....

Found this review this morning on PCstats.com....

"My qualms lie with high bandwidth devices running through the PCI bus
specifically. Asus equip the A8N-SLI Premium with a PCI IEEE 1394a, a
PCI Gigabit LAN and a PCI Serial ATA controller, the latter two can
bottleneck the PCI bus by themselves."

Also from what I understand (PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I"M WRONG) and have
read a wireless PCI card bogs down the PCI bus in and of itself. That
with the PCI firewire and PCI serial ATA controller I am having PCI bus
bandwidth issues. Pushing too much through a small space from what I
understand. This causes the audio to become jumpy and fragmented.

I am going to pick up an external 2.0 USB wireless network adaptor. The
2.0 USB is driven by the chipset and not the PCI bus so there should be
no bottleneck issues.

jim

 

[jimnandi]

You are right. I spent $80 on an USB wireless access point and I still
have the problem. No SCSI cards. I can't figure it out.

I guess I'm going to have to rip walls and fish wires. Trouble is this
is an old house and I'm looking at 4+ hours work and probably $200+ in
damage and supplies. This is killing me.

jim

 

[Robert Bollinger]

I really doubt that your bottlenecking the pci bus; usually stuff just slows
down it should never fail to work.

And I don't see how a wireless NIC would use all availabe bandwidth on the
PCI bus.

If your using an AGP Video card which I know you are then you have removed
the greatest badwidth hog of all.

Do you have any SCSI cards? I have 2 + Plus an SB Audigy gamer card and I
don't have prblem playing games (which should test your system)_.

I think this is not a badwidth issue.

Robert Bollinger, MCP.

 

[Robert Bollinger]

Well don't do that there is a solution here...

Have you tried another sound card? I would go buy a SB Audigy (99.00)
And use that instead...

Also you disabled the on board sound first right?

All this is a resource sharing conflict... Its not impossible to fix.

Robert Bollinger, MCP.