Vista's handling of a multi-router wireless network

[EightySix Four]

For some reason I'm unable to get either of my Vista laptops to connect to the second AP on my network. We have an office about 20 yards from my house with an AP, and an AP in my house, both acting as a single network (the house router is a Tomato firmwared WRT54GSv4). All the Mac OS X laptops in the house, and the two vista laptops can move between the two and the computers automatically switch between the AP's depending on the strongest signal. For some reason neither of my Vista laptops will connect to the house AP no matter the situation.

Using the Dell Utility I can see the second AP, I can see that the signal is much stronger, but it still chooses the AP in the office.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix?

Thanks,
Nick

 

[spidey07]

The client will pick an AP based on a whole lot of things and they tend to stick to that access point even if a better one is available. Check the driver settings or client utility for 'stickiness'. Also make sure the house AP will work with your client settings by turning off the office wireless.

What I'm saying is there may be nothing to fix and it's working as intended.

 

[kTriNity]

Make sure that the wireless is enable via router.

Follow this on you're laptop

1. Start - Type "cmd" (without the ")- ipconfig /release
2. ipconfig /renew (if it doesn't renew, disable network connections. Open Network Connections by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Network and Internet, clicking Network and Sharing Center, and then clicking Manage network connections. It should say like LAN or Local area network disable that and enable it).

Try those two first see what happens.

 

[EightySix Four]

I've adjusted driver settings but it still won't connect to the house AP.

The house AP, when run standalone works just fine.