Signal strength from router to computer weak?

[ingeborgdot]

I can't get my one computer to have excellent signal strength in the other room. How can this be accomplished or is this even necessary? Much of the time it is low and sometimes it is good. Once in a blue moon I have seen it very good. I have the Dlink DI 524 with a usb antenna on my desktop. It is about 30 or so feet away from the router. What do you suggest to boost the signal? Should I switch to a different antenna on my receiving computer? Suggestions?

 

[blemoine]

a good rule of thumb for getting good signal strenghts is to have the wireless router sitting as high as possible in the room. the higher the AP the better the signal you should get. you can also try getting some high gain attena's.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Any suggestions?

 

[blemoine]

Suggestions: 1st you should move your AP has high as you can get it in whatever room it is in.

2nd you should take a look at a high gain attena like this http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=416 this should boost your signal enough.

before i would purchase the attena's i would see if i could borrow a different wireless adapter in case the one you have is defective. good luck

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: ingeborgdot
I can't get my one computer to have excellent signal strength in the other room. How can this be accomplished or is this even necessary?

The Bars are general indicators but otherwise they are meaningless; What counts is the "Speed" that you get.

Link to: What the Signal Strength Bars mean in Wireless hardware?

:sun:

 

[Devistater]

Another suggestion: Get a wrt54g wireless router and crank up the wireless power. Many wireless routers can do 35mw at best. Wrt54g can be configured to go as high as 100mw or 200mw.

Make sure the wireless device on your computer (USB or whatever) is also good quality. Many times people get a good quality wireless router and their wireless cards suck and kill the range. Like older linksys stuff really sucked (dunno about the new 802.11g stuff from them).

Finally, 30'? There's something wrong if it cant go that far. Is the router above or below the computer? Directly above and directly below are the WEAKEST parts of a wireless setup usually. If this is the case then try getting them closer to same level, or moving it so its not directly above or below it. Some wireless routers have adjustable antennas, try adjusting it, especially if the router is directly above or below.

What kinda walls is the signal going through? Just like radio and cell phone, metal walls or concrete walls block a lot of stuff.

 

[nweaver]

use netstumbler to find the best signal to noise ratio as you move the router/client atenna

 

[Devistater]

Originally posted by: nweaver
use netstumbler to find the best signal to noise ratio as you move the router/client atenna

Oooh good idea nweaver. I'll have to remember that one.

 

[ingeborgdot]

I am using this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127151
It did not cost me much and is probably made more for a laptop but I just wanted to try it. Do you think changing this would be my best bet first?? Or would an antenna on the router would be my best bet first??

 

[JackMDS]

Quote from the link in my previous post: ?The real meaningful measure of the Wireless signal capacity is Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), a measure that takes into consideration the relevant Signal adjusted to the Noise Level. Unfortunately, none of the Entry Level Wireless drivers provides such a measure.
There is a freeware utility that can be installed on a Wireless Connected computer and would provide SNR: Netstumbler..

Howver, if you stuck this thingie directly to the USB port behind the case you probably would get very little to Nothing.

Get a 3' USB extension and place the Wireless unit above the system.

:sun:

 

[ingeborgdot]

I did have it on the 3' usb extender. Many people have said earlier that was worse. I don't know what to think.

 

[ingeborgdot]

What about getting a pci card antenna for this. There are some with cabling and an antenna that can be mounted higher up. Would this make much of a difference??????

 

[nweaver]

really, the USB extension+ netstumbler should work for placment and then you should be fine. If you need to replace the card, then you probably had a craptastic card to begin with.