lossing wireless

[songokussm]

My daughter decided she wanted wireless instead of a stationary wired desktop. meaning she wants to be able to move her computer around her room whenever. So i added a linksys WMP54G to connect her wirelessly to the house router. The router is a linksys WRT54GS. It has an excellent signal, connected at 54. The problem is the computer likes to disconnect from the wireless. And does this a lot. as in several times a day. The linksys software that the card came with is garbage as in would connect but then disconnect usually immediately. So i downloaded the newest version off the linksys's website. It works OK. Just on a whim tried the windows software and it works 10x better. As in going from disconnecting every hour to 2-4 times a day.

I tried changing the channels, types of encryption, and lowering speed. Nothing works. It all has the same result. We do not use any hands free phones, just cell phones only. So i really don't know why this is happening.

I have two questions: 1.) any ideas on how to fix this? 2.) any software that will make the wireless adapter automatically reconnect upon disconnection.

Oh one item to note is that, this is the only computer that does this. All of the other wireless devices don't and i have used this adapter many times before with out issue.

 

[helppls]

Try disabling and uninstalling the linksys software. Reboot and set the computer up just using Microsoft.

 

[JackMDS]

May be this can Help, http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html

:sun:

 

[songokussm]

@helppls
tried that. i even uninstalled the adaptor. Then i tried using the drivers on the cd and and the drivers from the website. Making sure when i installed the versions were the correct ones. No luck. I only installed the drivers not any software.

@jackmds
the website you referred me work talks about connection or setup issues. My wireless network works, jsut not all the time.

thanks for you reponces

 

[ScottMac]

Check the "Advanced Properties" on the NIC config: chances are there's a "Permit Power Off " feature or "Power Management" something like that .... disable it/turn it off.

After so many minutes of inactivity the NIC shuts down, and loses it's session.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[songokussm]

the power management fuctions are always disabled. Plus i dont think its ever inactive, through music, tv, and chatting. They all run though the network.

 

[songokussm]

just replaced the card with a netgear wireless product. Some generic $20 card i picked up. So far its a lot worst. i haven't gotten it to stay connected stable yet.

 

[songokussm]

basiclly is what i am looking for is a program that forces the wireless adaptor to reset. or forces it to connect to the internet.

 

[Captante]

My first guess would have to be some kind of interference knocking your daughters connection off the air.. this could be caused by any number of things, but the most likely culprit is yours (or a neighbors) 2.4ghz cordless phone or in particular a wireless router based on one of the so-called "Super-G" chips like the D-Link/Atheros units from a couple years ago... these have very long range & also use multiple channels at the same time making them a common source of problems.

First, I'd suggest re-installing the Linksys PCI card & grabbing a high-gain antenna for it... this should help any reception problem she's having & should prove useful even if you end up getting a new wireless setup down the road. Second, you could get a newer router that uses MIMO technology which is capable of detecting interference & selecting a clear channel by itself.. the new Linksys WRT300N, the Belkin F5D8231-4 & the older
F5D8230-4 routers are capable of this... I have the 8230-4 & it solved all the connection issues I was having with my old Belkin G router.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: Captante
My first guess would have to be some kind of interference knocking your daughters connection off the air.. this could be caused by any number of things, but the most likely culprit is yours (or a neighbors) 2.4ghz cordless phone or in particular a wireless router based on one of the so-called "Super-G" chips like the D-Link/Atheros units from a couple years ago... these have very long range & also use multiple channels at the same time making them a common source of problems.

First, I'd suggest re-installing the Linksys PCI card & grabbing a high-gain antenna for it... this should help any reception problem she's having & should prove useful even if you end up getting a new wireless setup down the road. Second, you could get a newer router that uses MIMO technology which is capable of detecting interference & selecting a clear channel by itself.. the new Linksys WRT300N, the Belkin F5D8231-4 & the older
F5D8230-4 routers are capable of this... I have the 8230-4 & it solved all the connection issues I was having with my old Belkin G router.

are you sure those routers do auto channel selection? None of the pren routers I have seen do that. In fact, the only AP (in my limited experience) that does auto channel hopping are Cisco's

 

[Captante]

I'm not 100% sure about the Linksys, but the Belkin has an auto-select setting which chooses the clearest channel to operate on & is supposed to be able to change the channel on its matching adapters as well. (never actually tested this)
It appears to work very well too because I've had very few problems setting up wireless networks using these routers as opposed to standard G models without the auto setting, even in area's with many sources of interference, also the older model can be had for about $90 now, making it a very good deal.

Edit: Note that the channel-selection feature works only on router-restart as far as I know & the router cannot change channels "on the fly" like some Cisco routers can.

 

[WildViper]

I have had the same issue on my wife's laptop with a Netgear PC Card. My laptop worked fine..not problems...but her did the same as your daughter's.

What I did was unchecked the "Let XP manage the Wireless" button in Network Properties. Then I let Netgear's own software take over. Now..no problem. XP in my opinion, sucks at managing the connection. I have tried another one with D-Link Card and same issues...did the same thing...and no problme.

 

[songokussm]

ive tried using the card's software manager. it works and then doesnt work. its very unpredictable. with windows it seems to connect more.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: WildViperXP in my opinion, sucks at managing the connection.

LOL.

When you read this stuff you think that the expectations is that every few days when a manufacturer have a ?Bad? product (whether hardware, and or software) you expect Microsoft to know about it and change the OS accordingly.

By now, people should get it. The Wireless market is extremely competitive and very under priced. 24 hours transient parking in NYC cost more than a Wireless Cable/DSL Router on sale. I pay $420 a month for parking, $420 is not Entry Level, it is Cisco level prices.

When a manufacturer goofs a little with the chipset and the design around it, does some cosmetic changes in the OEM drivers, and rush to market. Do you thing that that compatibilty with Windows Zero Configuration is the most important issue on their mind?

:sun: