Need help improving wireless signal strength

[McPhreak]

Here's where I stand:

I have a D-Link DI-624 802.11G router and D-Link DWL-G520 Wireless PCI card. The router is ~20ft. away from my computer in nearly a direct line of sight. There are no large metal objects next to my computer (other than the computer itself), and yet I'm only getting ~40% signal strength. The strangest thing is that I also purchased a D-Link DWL-G650 Wireless laptop card for my laptop and the signal on that is superb (Even when positioned in the same location as my desktop). I don't think it's the PCI card because I've recently swapped it out with another identical D-Link card and the signal strength is still low.

Is there a reason why my laptop is getting better signal than my desktop (the laptop is much older BTW)? How can I improve the signal to the desktop? I've already tried switching channels and that didn't work.

help

 

[oldman420]

at 20 feet away you should get great sig strength, did you try to reset the router? and is the antenna on the pci card installed correctly?
i would also remove the card reboot without it shutdown and reinstall it that may help
but you may just have got two bad cards in a row did you test the card with another network to see if is the same?
good luck

 

[nanaki333]

you have a cordless phone chillin next to or near your router/PC? maybe a cell phone? perhaps there's something near your desktop that's causing interfence.

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: oldman420
at 20 feet away you should get great sig strength, did you try to reset the router? and is the antenna on the pci card installed correctly?
i would also remove the card reboot without it shutdown and reinstall it that may help
but you may just have got two bad cards in a row did you test the card with another network to see if is the same?
good luck

I'm pretty sure the antenna is installed correctly. You just screw it in, right?

Originally posted by: nanaki333
you have a cordless phone chillin next to or near your router/PC? maybe a cell phone? perhaps there's something near your desktop that's causing interfence.

Nope, nothing near the 2.4GHz range except for my CPU. Would it be possible that my wireless keyboard and mouse are interfering? They use radio frequency...

I'll try and reinstall the card. Hopefully that'll do something.