Occasional Wireless internet dropoff

[imported_griffis]

Hey guys, I was writing this in hoping to find an answer to my problem. I have a wireless network setup that works great except for one issue, every once in a while the connection will drop and come right back. This will happen maybe once a day, sometimes when Im not even at the computer. A couple times the connection will drop for a while until i rest the modem and router. Is there something I need to setup to help with this problem? Thanks, all suggestions welcome

 

[ColKurtz]

Welcome to wireless. Could be any number of one billion factors - signal stregnth, competing wireless access points, interference from cordless phones, microwaves. Try changing channels on your router (if you have one). I'm assuming you have XP (you didn't say). Makes sure SP2 is installed, which lessens XP's habit of jumping around to whichever access point seems most interesting at the time. If you have a wireless management utility that came with your PC/Wireless card, use that instead of XP to manage your connections.

 

[imported_griffis]

Thats what I was afraid of, the signal strength should be fine since the router and modem are maybe 10 feet apart with nothing blocking the signal. I do live in a apartment complex with about 10 other wireless networks near me at one given time of the day. Could that be the mean cause? I also changed the router channel to 11 to help keep down on interference from others. As far as XP, yes I do have it and will look into getting SP2 2 installed aseeing as my version isn't exactly microsoft friendly. I do have a utility to manage the connection and use it to monitor and manage the connections. Anyone have any other suggestions or am I out of luck here?

 

[clarkmo]

What kind of equipment do you have? Airlink? Maybe a couple of booster antennae are all you need. Yeah, I know, only 10 apart unobstructed. Any cordles phones that could be interfering? Hooked up to a ups?

 

[spidey07]

ouch. with that high of a density of wireless you may be SOL.

you could try switching to 802.11a.

Of course try changing your channel to 1, 6, or 11.

 

[imported_griffis]

I have all Linksys equipment. I am running wireless B standard. I have no cordless and no ups. I have also changed the channel to 11, I am feeling that it might be the fact that there are so many wireless networks around me that may be causing XP to jump around ya know.

 

[nweaver]

find a card with a utility that doesn't hop. I really dislike WZC for this fact.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: nweaver
find a card with a utility that doesn't hop. I really dislike WZC for this fact.

can you not manually force an access point to attach to?

don't know, I've never used WZC and always the utility for the card. If not then OP could use his cards utility to force him to stay on one AP.

 

[imported_griffis]

I just bought the card, it's pretty good and stable and comptaible with G and B. Any recs on how to limit the card to one access point??

 

[imported_griffis]

bump

 

[imported_griffis]

bumpity

 

[spidey07]

download the client for your card, use that and you should be able to specify your access point and force it to associate only with that one.

also change your channels to 1,6,11 as mentioned earlier and see which one works best.