Wireless connection dropping...

[ChristopherP]

Hey guys... just posting to rack your brains!!

*frustrated chris*

I bought a Belkin 54G PCI card the other day...

Installed it all ok, and it works absolutely great!! It gets 100% signal through 3 walls and about 20 feet away from the not so great wi-fi router.

BUT

It randomly (every maybe 5 hours or so) looses all signal and windows tells me that no wireless networks have been detected (having just being able to see 2 @ 100% strength)

Problem is fixed by simply repairing the connection in the windows "network connections" window or disabling/enabling it in the same place...

Wondering what would be causing this??

Is it faulty or is it just buggy software?

Cheers

 

[Techy]

Use summut like net stumbler and have a look whats going on around you, check what channels they're using and pick something different.

 

[ChristopherP]

I doubt its anything to do with the channels as my laptop is sitting next to it sucking the same connection 24/7 flawlessly... surely?

 

[AbsoluteKevster]

Hi Chris,

Set your Wireless AP to broadcast in G mode only.
(Unless someone HAS to use B mode?)
Set your PCI Wireless Card to receive in G mode only.

Turn off any 'speed boosters' as they are not usually compatible with varying hardware manufacturers.

If your Wireless Router has a 'PnP mode' - Disable it.

Check that large metal objects such as ironing boards aren't in the way - as these can act as conductors and pull the signal strength away from your PC.

Mobile phones/cordless phones also interfere with the reception/signal strength. Keep your phone away from your PC and see if that helps.

If there are other Wireless AP's in the area operating on the same ad-hoc channel - then change it....they CAN interfere.

Make sure you get the latest drivers for your PCI card, and the latest Firmware for your Router - the ones shipped with the product(s) are by no means guaranteed to be the latest.

Research the net for any any issues pertaining exclusively to the Wireless networking hardware you have - there ARE some sh*t products out there!

Don't forget to apply WPA encryption to your AP!

Let me know how you get on & Good Luck!
Cheers
Kev

 

[ChristopherP]

Why would i want to disable UpNp then?

Dont usually bother securing ours here - we live in a quiet neighbourhood down an unmade lane (dead end) with houses on one side - people would have to literally be sitting on our drive to be in range.

 

[AbsoluteKevster]

Why would i want to disable UpNp then?

Dont usually bother securing ours here - we live in a quiet neighbourhood down an unmade lane (dead end) with houses on one side - people would have to literally be sitting on our drive to be in range.

UPnP can cause issues with the reliability of your service; and did for me/mine. It isn't crucial to the running of the AP.

Everything I suggested was purely that Chris, a suggestion.
Try it - if it works, then all well and good.
If not - then nothing has been lost!

Do you ever do online banking, own an ebay/paypal account?
Unsecured Wireless Networking is extremely interesting to certain types!!

Your choice my friend

 

[ChristopherP]

I have disabled the UpNp - on the wireless modem connected to the internet supplying internet to the wireless access point i connect to.

It still drops.

Have disabled WiFi being transmitted from the modem router, leaving it enabled on the access point i connect to (giving us one wireless network instead of two)

It still drops.

Need to figure out how to get into my 3Com access point (it has the same http address as the linksys so when you type in 192.168.0.1 you get the linksys by default so might need to unplug it...)

Will keep trying....

Thanks Kev

 

[AbsoluteKevster]

Might be an idea to change the IP address of the 3Com AP.. 192.168.0.10 for example...
This 'might' be your problem..

 

[ChristopherP]

Hmm... yeah i have been trying to do that without unplugging the modem... but it seems i will have to do that.

Here are some screenshots...

This is what suddenly happens...

To fix, we do this...

Then we get this... back to normal, how it should always be...

And then this... (which i assume is UpNp on the 3com?!)

 

[skiuba]

did you move the card to another pci slot ? take out the software and reboot again. then reinstall the card into a different slot and reinstall the drivers. for my clients i routinely change the channel to 11 from six because toooooo many cordless phones use this channnel and its possible that the pci card is being hit by a stray signal from someone elses cordless. try that is see if it helps

jim

 

[ChristopherP]

Well i would have done that... but my PC is now dead :S

I'll give that a go when/if it ever goes again

Cheers man