interference issues (new router options?)

[Uppsala9496]

Here is my issue:
In a condo running a wireless modem/router (2wire with at&t dsl).
I pick up 8 other wireless signals...and ALL of them are 2wire modems/routers.

So, tons of interference. I have 3 computers running 'g' wireless along with 2 cell phones on the home network, ps3 and kindle.

One of the computers is a Windows 7 64bit machine that constantly has connection issues. I get time outs every other minute when on the web. Drives me insane. The wireless card I have is some crappy rosewill one. I have the same shit card in my Ubuntu machine and never have a connection issue. Not sure if it is because of the distance or not. The Ubuntu machine is 2 feet from the modem/router. The Win7 is ~20 feet (no walls).

I also have a netbook running ubuntu that never has an issue.

So, it's either the network card, or the interference (or both).

Should I go with an 'n' router?
If I do go with an 'n' router, is that going to be a problem for my other 2 computers which only have 'g' cards?

Lastly, any recommendations for a decent but not too expensive router?
I'm also looking to replace the network adapter in my Win7 machine. Any relatively cheap recommendations there?

Thanks.

 

[fleshconsumed]

If you're on a single floor apartment, just throw a cable, if for some reason you do not want to/cannot do that go 5GHz n router. A cheap one is WRT400n, it occasionally goes on sale at $60. It's DD-WRT flashable, it's dual radio simultaneous N 2.4 and 5GHz. The only downside is 100Mbit switch.

BTW, if you're running G clients on the same band as N clients whenever G clients is talking, the router will slow down N clients to G speed, so it's recommended to run N only setup or run two routers, one for G and one for N clients on different channels. However, seeing how you already have 8 other clients around you 5GHz N is your best bet. Or cable.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Are all the neighbors networks on the same channel? If so pick another channel, 1 6 and 11 are the only non overlapping ones so try one of the others and see if you have better luck

 

[Uppsala9496]

Thanks for the input. Cable won't work since my only phone line in (where the modem currently is) is located on the opposite side of the condo as my main computer.

EDIT: I did set mine to channel 11 since all of the others are running between channels 1 and 8.
My netbook and ubuntu machine have no issues. Maybe I'll try a new adapter in the WIN7 machine first to see if that helps since that is the one my wife uses daily (and then bitches about to me).

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Good graphic that shows the overlap in channels

http://www.dslreports.com/speak/sli...U1lLUNoYW5uZWwtV2lkdGgtRXhwbGFuYXRpb24%3D

 

[Uppsala9496]

Any recommendations on a decent, yet cheap, wireless network adapter to see if that solves the issue for my Win7 64bit machine?
I'd like to try that before resorting to a new router.

I had an old motorola modem connected to a crap dlink wireless router and was running XP with the same adapter I currently have and never had a connection issue. As soon as I replaced the dead modem with the new wireless one I've had issues. Guess it isn't fair to compare since I did a clean install of Win7.