Comments | sparkofcreation: Need geek help

sparkofcreation

Need geek help

Apr 15, 2007 15:32

We have a WLAN with a D-Link Wireless-N router (with the N turned off, though, since we don't have any N adapters yet); a Dell desktop with a Linksys Wireless-G USB adapter; and a Gateway laptop that I *think* is telling me its adapter is an Intel PRO Wireless 2200 B/G adapter. Gareth also has a Palm that has a Wireless-B adapter ( Read more... )

shiny tech

Comments 5

mmaestro April 15 2007, 21:48:24 UTC

The router is supposed to find its best, un-used-by-someone-else channel automatically; we can't change it.

Actually, we can change this manually, although I figured that, if it's supposed to find the clearest channel on its own, what's the point in restricting it to a single channel? I will add that there wasn't another wireless network out there when we first moved in, and now there seems to be one (although I'm not sure from which house it's coming), so that might account for the additional drops in connection. Also, the desktop and my Palm do occasionally drop the connection too, but nowhere near as often as the laptop seems to.

jonjon_nl April 16 2007, 20:11:14 UTC

Well... the fact that it connects at a lower speed than what its top speed is, is prob related to the fact that you have a B connected to the network. Yes, when a lower "quality" device is connected to the wireless network, it slows down all the other devices as well.
Further, it does matter than the speed is reduced even if your internet is 6M because you're talking about the speed at which data is transferred from your wireless router to your computer and vv.
THe fact that it keeps disconnecting can be related to: you live near a river, you live near an electricity pylon, your network no longer has the option for stability on, there's something magnetical near the computer.

Advice:
reset the router, delete all the configurations on all devices and start from scratch. Reconfigure everything and see if that helps.
Use besides a password, a mac-adress filter to make sure no one's playing with your wireless.

Tell me how it works out. :)

sparkofcreation April 16 2007, 20:34:03 UTC

Yes, when a lower "quality" device is connected to the wireless network, it slows down all the other devices as well.

No, actually. I mean, I knew that and it's true of G routers, but not of the new N routers. In fact, that was part of the main appeal: it will connect to the Palm at a B level while maintaining the G level with the computers, whether or not the N band (or whatever it's called) is turned on. And it also happens while (a) the Palm is not on and/or (b) the desktop is connecting correctly at 54Mbps.

THe fact that it keeps disconnecting can be related to: you live near a river, you live near an electricity pylon, your network no longer has the option for stability on, ...

Except that we *only* have this problem with the laptop, not the desktop or Palm. We primarily use all three of them in the same room, and then also use the laptop and the Palm in the living room (and the Palm sometimes in other parts of the house).

there's something magnetical near the computer.It happens no matter where we are in the apartment, and ( ... )

jonjon_nl April 16 2007, 20:42:56 UTC

Hmmm. You do have a strong point there.
Hmmmmmmmmmm. That laptop. Does it have a PC card adapter or is the wireless adapter inside the computer? If it's a PC card, try borrowing someone's PC card to see whether that solves the problem. If it stops behaving like it does now, then the problem is solved. If it's an internal "as was bought" card, I'd check the manufacturer's webpage for known issues.

jonjon_nl April 16 2007, 20:45:24 UTC

Here:
http://support.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-022509.htm

Your adapter, your issue. See if it helps. :))