Connection strength problems WRT54G & DLink 54G Desktop Card

[mplutodh1]

I am having a hell of a time with my connection strength. I just bought a new router (WRT54G) and new desktop card (DWL-G510) The router is in the living room which is about 20 feet away, out the bedroom door, around the corner and there it is... direct line of site there are probably 3 walls between this box and the router. I am connecting at Low or Very Low and have no idea why. I can see an unsecured Linksys router when I check for available networks, and I know its not the apartment above me or below me, so my only guess is possibly next door. But I can connect to them without a problem with Very Good or Excellent strength. So I am confused as to why I can't connect to a router in my apartment with strong signals yet I can connect so someone elses in another apartment. Any ideas?

 

[InlineFive]

It's possible that your networks are overlapping channels, thus causing interference. Then if the nextdoor router was closer that would make sense about the stronger signal quality.

There was a known issue with the WRT54Gs and Intel cards where the Intel card would turn itself on and off and confuse the router. Perhaps your DLink card has a similiar feature?

 

[mplutodh1]

Brand new card and router though... I have tried several channels, moving the router, moving antennas..

 

[cparker]

There might be something in the walls that's causing some reflections and distortion of the signal. You could try one simple thing. Go to freeantennas.com and build two "windsurfer" reflectors that pop onto the two antennas on the router. Then aim them towards the bedroom. They should cause an increase in the signal something like ten times, at least theoretically. It costs virtually nothing, so it might be worth a try. Or you could experiment with a long cable and move the router from one room to the other and see if indeed there is a problem with a wall. Or else if youcan get you hands on another router see if that one works. Also you are using different brands. I think I read something that with a linksys router you may need to set the power level to high as opposed to automatic on laptop pc card wifi adapters if it's another brand. In the case of a pci adapter in a desktop, I'm not sure if that applies (haven't tried it yet) but just in case.

 

[mplutodh1]

I'll play around with the antena idea but it doesnt seem to be working when i made quick ones. i cant set the power to "high" only clocked down from 100% its at 100% though.

 

[camara120]

maybe the linksys you are connecting to has a high gain antenna on it
hard to say

you could get some modified firmware for your router that will allow you to boost the signal strength... I think 20 or 40mw is the default for that router... you could boost it and see if that changes anything

 

[mplutodh1]

no modified firmware for v3 routers yet

 

[Audiotherapy]

^ alchemy 6 works on my wrt54gv3 (aka 2.2 with extra led and button)

 

[mplutodh1]

how long have you been using alchemy 6 on it? and RC5? can you point me to a download for it? or do i have to register on sveasoft? i don't mind paying but would like to know it works before i pay!

 

[Audiotherapy]

do a search for Linksys here thats how i got my firmware...

ive installed it yesterday. it seem to work fine, i tweaked a few features.. (Xmit for signal boost)

alchemy pre7 crashed during flash, had to recover back to linksys firmware, but 6rc5 ran fine.

 

[mplutodh1]

I am going to give Alchemy 6RC5 a shot when I get back to my apartment in a few hrs. From what I have read it could help my situation. I am amazed at all this GPL crap that is involved with this firmware. I just got a laugh out of the whole thing!

Anyways, does anyone know of a good link to screenshots of the firmware web admin? just curious how it all is setup. Thanks!

 

[mplutodh1]

Just realized my one fear with upgrading to Alchemy, the firmware for V3 routers is over 3mb (just barely) so if the flash goes bad... I can't flash with that tft or whatever its called program.

 

[Audiotherapy]

if you read my previous post, i had to recover my firmware.


1 Goto Linksys.com and download the application that will update ur firmware w/ out goin into your router.
2 Unplug router
3 PLugin ethernet (optional start>cmd>"ping 192.168.1.1 -t")
4 plug in router power, hold reset for 10 secs
5 run linksys firmware update program.
6 unplug and plug in the power. should be restored to linksys firmware now

 

[mplutodh1]

well got alchemy installed... laptop seems to have improved strength in my room however my desktop card can't even see the AP I have played around with the RTS, XMIT and a few other things without luck.

Any suggestions?

 

[mplutodh1]

Ah screw it! haha went out and got a Linksys WMP54GS card and it works now for the whole apartment, connection still isnt excellent but ranges from Good-Very good.. and the occassional low... gotta be environmental issue causing that though. The alchemy firmware is pretty sweet to, got port forwarding setup for a few things and will work on a VPN this weekend.