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Reliable wireless connection?

jthg

Member
I've used three different wireless clients (two laptops and one desktop) and two different wireless access points. My experiences with them basically say that wireless connections will drop once every 10 minutes to an hour. The disconnects could be for anywhere between a second and half a minute. The signal strength I get is always excellent though.

Normally, I wouldn't mind short delays once in a while. I wouldn't notice it for web browsing. Streamed video and audio is cached so they wouldn't be much affected either. What it does affect, though, is gaming. I recently started playing some competitive online games and it's basically game over if I hit one of these disconnects. I've been forced to move my computer down stairs and plug it in next to the cable modem. I'm thinking about putting in a lan cable that winds around the room and up the stair case so that I can move my computer back to its original place.

Before I do that, I just want to ask: Are my experiences with wireless connections the norm or is it possible to set up a wireless connection that is nearly as reliable as an rj-45 connection?
 
There is always a possibilty of Strong Enviromental Noise that is Not under your Control (like a nieghbor acrosss the wall that uses few low grade 2.4GHz Cordeless phones.There is always a possibility of Strong Environmental Noise that is Not under your Control (like a neighbor across the wall that uses few low-grade 2.4GHz Cordless phones.

Otherwise, make sure that the power saving of the cards is disabled, and that you SSID is broadcasting, and the IP lease in the DHCP is max.
 
Mine is reliable, I never get dropped. I have a Linksys WRT54G Router and a Linksys WMP54G wireless card in the computer. The router is hooked up by cable to one computer and my computer is in the room next to it wirelessly. It works fine. In the past when I first got it the router would disconnect all the time especially with large file transfers. Linksys released a firmware fixing this (the clock speed was too slow on the router and it make it unstable). Now it works fine. I also have a 2.4Ghz cordless phone up here too.
 
Microwaves will also screw up your connection.

My wireless connection (during file transfers) will mess up my bluetooth connection. I've not sure if it effect as strong the other way around.
 
Thanks for the responses.

So I'm gathering that it's just pure luck whether the connecton drops or not... There's nothing I can really do... no system that's proven to be resistent to common neighborhood interference (or no reasonably priced system).

I'll get to laying that cat-5 then.
 
In the commercial world this never happens. Nor has it ever happened in my home.

I don't understand why people would have trouble unless the SOHO gear just doesn't have quality radios.

You could always try changing channels to 1, 6 or 11. Or possibly see what data rates your access point are operating at....it might be forcing you to a high data rate when it should back down some due to interferrance.
 
It would seem from that diagram that 1 and 11 are the ones that overlap the least with other channels. Channel 6 overlaps with 8 other channels.

I'm not detecting any other wireless routers nearby though, so I don't think this would matter.
 
its not that they dont interfere with other channels, but that they dont interfere with eachother.

it does sound like your having outside interference. just to be sure, update all your client drivers and router firmware. turn off all wireless clients except 1 laptop and place it 5 feet from your router. turn all encryption off and run it wide open, connect and see what happens.

if its still experiencing issues, sounds like its a problem with your router or something else that out of your control.

edit:
does your router support 11a...it operates at the 5ghz range. good test to see if a 2.4ghz cordless phone is causing your issues. then again, they make 5ghz phones too ;x
 
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