Wireless connection keeps dropping out - need advice.

S

Sue Ellen

Moderator.
Messages
9,893
We have a router that is hooked up to our modem and is set up to give out a wireless signal. The signal is encrypted with a WPA key.

The wireless connection on our computer keeps dropping out. It frequently loses connection to the router. Sometimes when we select repair from the wireless connection options it fixes the problem but other times it remains offline indefinitely until we restart the router and modem.

We have a laptop which connects to the same router and rarely has any problems.

These connection problems only started recently and by coincidence another wireless network appeared in the wireless network window. We did not have any problems before then.

Any advice?
 
CC

What Service Provider are you with - much the same thing happens to me with UTV Internet.

We have to first First 'Activate WZC' from our wireless utility. Then 'View available Wireless Networks'. Once we see our Router, we have to take the 'Repair' option. During this routine, an 'IP address' is sought.

Few questions about this:

1. Why do we have to do this?

2. Is there a configuration we haven't set which will avoid the above?

3. We've noticed in the last few evenings, that the connection drops and during the search for an 'IP address' none is found. Why is this? Does our Router/PC not have a consistent,unique, IP address number? Why does one have to be searched for each time we do this 'Repair'?

4. Why, if our connection is open and up and running for a number of hours, does it die? Thought 'always on' meant that!!!!
 
Sim Two said:
4. Why, if our connection is open and up and running for a number of hours, does it die? Thought 'always on' meant that!!!!
Click to expand...
Remember that your broadband connection and your wireless LAN connection to the router are two separate connections and either could fail independently of the other (e.g. wireless network connection to the router and broadband connection from the router to the ISP are separate connections).

This thread deals with what seems to be a common problem with UTV broadband connections requiring a manual disconnect/reconnect or even router reboot from time to time in case that's of relevance to you.
 
Thanks Clubman

Have to reboot from time to time alright

It also happens that we get two networks available to us and have to select our one. Other times we get none.

Sim
 
Sim Two said:
It also happens that we get two networks available to us and have to select our one. Other times we get none.
Click to expand...
Maybe it just means that your neighbours use a wireless router too and switch it off when not in use?
 
Try changing the channel your wireless AP uses. Chances are that your neighbours are running a similar AP on the same or an adjacent channel. This will cause interference and will cause your connection to drop. Channels go from 1 (or 0) to 11, and the frequency of each channel goes up in sequence, so choose a channel a few numbers away from your current setting.

In basic terms - the radio in your wireless card tunes into a particular frequency as a first step. Everything is dependent on getting a good signal. If your neighbour and you both have APs running on the same frequency then there is bound to be interference. It would be like RTE1 & RTE2 broadcasting on the same wavelength or just slightly different ones . . . . sure you could pick them up, but the signal would be poor and sometimes one would overwhelm the other and in general the performance would be bad.

Because there are only a few manufacturers and because their devices typically use a standard default channel there is a good chance that you will be using the same channel as your neighbours.

z
 
Wireless connections are radio connections and radio waves are subject to deflection (reflection ?) and interference from physical objects.

The reason for the occasional second network is quite possibly due to someone parking (or not parking) their car or van in a particular place at a particular time.

The signal level is also variable, so if for example your neighbour was walking about with their laptop and moved further away from their AP, the signal from the AP would boost to compensate. This may make it strong enough to reach your house at some times and not strong enough at others.

z
 
zag said:
Try changing the channel your wireless AP uses. Chances are that your neighbours are running a similar AP on the same or an adjacent channel. This will cause interference and will cause your connection to drop. Channels go from 1 (or 0) to 11, and the frequency of each channel goes up in sequence, so choose a channel a few numbers away from your current setting.
Click to expand...
Bear in mind (as I posted in the thread linked above) that only channels 1, 6 and 11 are (theoretically if not actually) non overlapping for 802.11 WiFi. So, for example, choosing channel 2 if your neighbour uses channel 1 doesn't really help.
The signal level is also variable, so if for example your neighbour was walking about with their laptop and moved further away from their AP, the signal from the AP would boost to compensate. This may make it strong enough to reach your house at some times and not strong enough at others.
Click to expand...
Or - like many people including myself - your neighbour may simply switch the wireless/broadband router(s) off when not in use.
 
had one too, seems that they are too variable to have a signal all the time. I notice that when using a public Wifi I get the same issues sometimes.Many attempts and dropping out etc. I got sick of rebooting etc and drilled a few holes and ran a few cables from a standard router about the place, never looked back. Plus the router was cheaper.
 
ClubMan said:
Bear in mind (as I posted in the thread linked above) that only channels 1, 6 and 11 are (theoretically if not actually) non overlapping for 802.11 WiFi. So, for example, choosing channel 2 if your neighbour uses channel 1 doesn't really help
Click to expand...

That would be why I said to choose a channel a few numbers up.

z
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top