wireless network problems: think i found it

[xSauronx]

recently did some work at my parents since they got cable internet. Used 2 MS MN-500 802.11b base stations (wireless/router station)

one station to act as the primary router from the cable modem, one station to act as a WAP.

connected to router 1 are 3 pcs over cat5 and the crossover cable going to the MN-500 as an AP. two wireless clients in the home (one laptop with a pcmcia card, one pc with a usb adapter)

heres the problem:

all pcs connected over cat5 work fine, no problems.
the wireless clients however, have random problems. they always see the WAPs and get strong signals. they always get their IP from the main router. they say theyre all connected properly to the network. however, even with the proper connections sometimes the wireless clients just dont connect to the internet.

it looks completely random. i restarted the pc with usb adapter 3 times the other day, each time having no problem getting online. so i come home and the next day my sister calls, it wont get online. i have her read me the IP address and DHCP server address. everything is connected like its supposed to be. i didnt have time to go fire it out or look at it...but she calls me back an hour or so later, and says its working, she didnt do or change anything.

so what the hell is going on? i get the same situation with the laptop with pcmcia card. they call, its not working. later in the day, they call...it works fine and they havent done a thing except tried again.

is this some common problem with wireless networks? i was wanting to avoid running cat5 all over the house, or rather, in the new house theyre moving in to. but if i keep getting these problems im gonna have to.

usb adapter is an Epox (forget model)
pcmcia is a SMC

any ideas?

EDIT: pretty sure the cat5 conecting the router to the AP got messed up somehow, dont have a line tester so ill go get it tested tomorrow by a guy i know, but i was trying to log into the ap and it worked intermittently

new cable and it worked fine, every time....pretty sure this is the problem

thanks though guys, i will keep this stuff in mind in the future (as well as better protect the cat5 i run)

 

[DainBrammage]

Your problem is that youn only need one MN500 the other is not needed. The MN-500 is three devices in on. It's first and formost a router, then its a wireless AP and it is also a 4 port switch.

Get rid of the second 500.

Hard reset the first and use the cd to set everything up. The router will still act as an WAP eventhoufg the swicth is being used

 

[xSauronx]

need the range and power of the second, its a large house and built rather strangely...ill try without though and see how it acts, thanks

 

[JackMDS]

Could be Noise from 2.4GHz Phones or Microwave, and or devices.

 

[xSauronx]

microwave
didnt think of that...no 2.4ghz phones, they just have 900mhz phones
should the microwave affect the usb adapter/pc if its at the other end of the house through a double brick wall? usb adapter is 70ft away, behind a double brick wall from the microwave

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: xSauronx
microwave
didnt think of that...no 2.4ghz phones, they just have 900mhz phones
should the microwave affect the usb adapter/pc if its at the other end of the house through a double brick wall? usb adapter is 70ft away, behind a double brick wall from the microwave

Well, 2.4ghz signals are pretty good at penetrating anything not metallic. Keep that in mind when looking for interference.

Try either moving the microwave or the adapter another 10-20 feet and do some testing... (My ancient microwave doesn't interfere with my micro$oft kit, but my friend's brand new one does... Poorer sheilding on the new one maybe? Dunno... )

 

[xSauronx]

post edited, think i found the prob...thanks for the help!