Networking & wireless: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help!
- 9/4/09 2:43 PM
Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help!
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 9/4/09 2:43 PM
Question:
Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help!
As a nontechie struggling to survive in a techie world, I look forward to reading the QOTW and responses every Friday afternoon. Thanks for all the insights, I frequently find solutions to things in your e-mails. I now find myself with a question that I hope is worthy of submission:
I have a very basic wireless system for my home--cable modem connected to a wireless access point/router, with a USB network adapter connected to my desktop PC operating on MS XP. The wireless connection has worked beautifully for 2+ years, but recently the connection breaks down and I get a message of “acquiring network address,” which then turns into a message of “limited or no connectivity.” The only way I can get the wireless connection back working is to run a hard-wire cable through the house from the access point/router directly into the desktop PC. After a few minutes the wireless connection will restore and work fine... for a short while, sometimes a couple hours, sometimes a couple days, then we have to go through the whole thing again. The access point/router seems to be broadcasting fine because my laptop connects and works without issue, but I need help stopping the calls I receive from frustrated family members trying to use the desktop... Save me! Thanks in advance.
Submitted by: Cory K. of San Marcos, California
Here are some featured member answers to get you started, but please read all the advice and suggestions in the discussion thread that our members have contributed to this question.
Home wireless problems --Submitted by RonPal
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?messageID=3114231#3114231
Several possible causes --Submitted by Flatworm
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?messageID=3114426#3114426
Home wireless connections --Submitted by ltoribio
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?messageID=3114094#3114094
Wireless is inherently flawed. --Submitted by caskater4
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?messageID=3114230#3114230
Try this instead... --Submitted by alswilling
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?messageID=3115070#3115070
My experience --Submitted by Zouch
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?messageID=3114130#3114130
This is probably a hardware issue... --Submitted by Watzman
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?messageID=3114166#3114166
If you have some sound advice for Cory, please click on the reply link below and post it. Please be as detailed as possible when providing a solution or recommendation. Thanks!
Intermittent Connections Help
by cburton65 - 8/28/09 5:23 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Cory,
For a good while I had the same issues you are having with your wireless connections (my wireless laptop would be inconsistent about connecting to my wireless network). There may be other wireless networks in your neighborhood that may be causing interference, which turned out to be case for me. Check your available wireless networks list to see if your wireless network and some other(s) in the neighborhood are broadcasting on the same channel. What I did was go into my router web interface and change the router broadcast channel to one that was not being used by any other in-range network in the neighborhood. I think I might have changed my wireless laptop card to 'listen' on/for that channel too, but I don't directly remember. I have not had any trouble since.
I wish I could be more specific on directing you further, but things become more manufacturer dependent past this point (as to how to go about doing things like changing settings, etc).
Hope that works for you as well,
Carlton.
Process of elimination
by download_fiend - 9/4/09 7:06 PM In reply to: Intermittent Connections Help by cburton65Basically there are 3 components in this chain. First, the WAP. Second, the cable modem. Third, the USB adapter. You can systematically eliminate each in a test cycle. If this elimination process ends successfully, it should point to the top suspect. My guess is either your USB adapter or the USB port drivers on your laptop.
It may be the USB Wifi Receiver
by spdickey1 - 8/28/09 5:31 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Try a different USB WiFi network adapter in the desktop to see if that fixes your problem. It appears from your description that the WiFi router is working fine. USB wifi adapters can be found for as little as $25 online from places like Amazon and eBay.
connecting from desktop to laptop
by blanch gripper - 8/28/09 5:31 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have been having the same problem for a very long time.my desk top is always connected but my laptop it have all kind of connection.I might not have any connection. It depend on how much time I allow my self.I connect by sharing or finding the address my company allow me to use.The second plan is to go to my desktop and reconnect in this order. It is a lot of trouble but this my only solution unless I want to call the cable guy every day
Your Modem
by onedave - 8/28/09 5:38 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have used wirless and still use hard wire modems. I have found out like your about too that these modems wear out. Like battery's in your car, they need to be replace about every other year. Give or take some months. I know people that's had there's for a few years but lucky them. Just buy a new modem and your problems solved. More then likely.
Home Wireless Connections
by ltoribio - 8/28/09 5:42 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
After successfully installing (for someone else) a wireless network supported by a wireless router and a USB wireless adapter, I got a call from the user to redo the installation. The wireless router had failed and had been replaced. So I went back to reinstall the network connections and left. Subsequently, I received a call indicating that the user was once again experiencing problems.
So I returned for another attempt. This time I came prepared to mount the router on the opposite side of a wall of the room in which it was located. But before taking that step, I decided to play with the antenna. What I discovered was very surprising. Positioning the router's antenna parallel to the USB wireless adapter (horizontal), made all the difference in the world!
I do not have an explanation for this phenomenon, but a varied the position of the router's antenna several times. The USB wireless adapter was fixed in a horizontal position, and the signal strength for the wireless network was always stronger when the router's antenna was also horizontal.
Leo Toribio
Pittsburgh,PA
About orientation on antenas
by Alain Martel1 - 9/4/09 4:33 PM In reply to: Home Wireless Connections by ltoribioThe signal from any antena is inherently polarised. If your antena is vertical, it's signal is polarised verticaly.
If the receiving antena is horizontal, it will do a lousy job capting that verticaly polarised signal.
Take an analogy:
If you take two polaroyd filters, light will go trough perfectly when they are oriented the same way, but will be bloqued if you turn one 90 degrees. The same apply to antenas.
Also, any antena gives it's stronger signal along a plane that is perpendicular to it's length. The signal strength been almost zero along it's axis, and so is it's reception capacity along that same direction.
The signal will be at it's strongest when the two antenas are parallel to each other, and siting with ther bases in about the same plane.
Conversly, if the two antenas are on the same line, the transmition can drop to none.
Home wireless network
by roberto12 - 8/28/09 5:44 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had a similar problem and it turn out that the router was bad. Do you use the reset button on the back of the router that can cause problems for netgear router. Disconnet the router power from the back of the router for one minute and reconnect the power if your poblem clears up and does it again I would change the router
Intermittent wireless connection.
by rockinbaja - 8/28/09 5:56 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had this same problem. Easy solution: I replaced my old Wireless-G Router with a new "N" router and the problem disappeared. I now have a stronger signal with greater coverage and have only had to reset the connection one time in nine months of usage.
Home wireless network connection intermittent connection
by crazykelly - 8/28/09 6:01 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had the same exact problem with 'cheaper' wireless modems. I went through two different 'cheaper' modems and still had the same problem. I then bought a Linksys expensive wireless modem and the problem went away and never returned. With the Linksys wireless modem, my signal strength almost doubled for my 2 wireless laptops and the physical distance from the modem that I could roam almost doubled. Hope this helps
Interference
by ihfwt - 8/28/09 6:06 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Have you aquired any new 2.4 GHz telephones as these will cause interference with your wireless network. Are you using channel 1,6 or 11 for wireless in your router, these are the best channels to use.
Try changing channels as a neighbour may have installed a wireless router using the same channel as you thus causing interference with your network.
My Experience
by Zouch - 8/28/09 6:19 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Cory,
I'm not sure I have an answer to your question but I have seen the same problem, so here's what I found. It may or may not help you get to the bottom of your problem.
I've had a wireless network for several years now. My initial configuration was a cable modem plugged vis an Ethernet cable into my "server" (a Win XP machine running Internet Connection Sharing). That machine had an RJ45 Ethernet cable out to an unmanaged switch, I had an access point plugged off the switch. DHCP and NAT were running on the "server". The access point initially was an 802.11B unit and my laptops were also 802.11B (11 Mb/s). Subsequently, the access point was replaced under Belkin's excellent lifetime warranty programme (the power unit failed) with an 802.11G unit (54 Mb/s). Recently, for reasons we don't have time for here, I replaced this setup with an 802.11N1+ (300 Mb/s) router into which the cable modem was directly plugged, eliminating the "server". DCHP and NAT are now provided by the router. None of these configuration changes made any noticable difference to my wireless network, which seems to tie in with your symptoms.
When I first set up the network, I never saw any wireless drops within the house. At that time, my bandwidth was 600 Kb/s. There were then only a couple of other networks in the area - at least, those broadcasting their SSIDs. Subsequently, my cable provider increased the bandwidth to my present 10 Mb/s speed. The number of networks in my vicinity have also increased to up to about 15 - again, those broadcasting SSIDs, there may be more.
I started to get connection drops about 18 months ago, particularly on the laptop with a built in 802.11B NIC. Same symptoms as you, acquiring network address, followed by a reconnection but some services, Youtube in particular and some downloads, don't restart and a page reload in the browser is necessary.
Possible causes? Well, there have been times when the download speed has exceeded my contracted 10 Mb/s - the ISP offers 10 Mb/s by throttling back its higher speed premium services, and indications are that this is overrunning the 802.11B NIC in the older laptop. Turning it off and using an 802.11G PCMCIA NIC reduces the frequency of drops dramatically. So one step I'd recommend, if you haven't already done so, is to make sure your NIC bandwidth and router bandwidth match and that both are higher than your cable modem supplies.
Another cause of my problem is also increased wireless interference from the increase in the number of networks drifting through my house and a significant number are N class routers being supplied by BT here in the UK. Most people just use the default settings that come with their routers and so most people are transmitting on Channel 11 here. I've experimented using alternative channels and have found a more stable connection on one of these. You might want to try this approach - usually, you can specify the primary (and secondary for N class) channel in the control panel for your router.
Caveat: I'm certainly not a networking expert (it is all cocoa tins and wet string isn't it?), you what helped for me may be useless for you. I'm sure other members will have more educated suggestions!
Good Luck!
Check the WiFi Network You are connected
by sunilsivanand - 8/28/09 6:42 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
One possibility is that there are several WiFi networks within range and those instances when you have "limited connectivity", your computer is picking up another network. You can check this by dragging your mouse over the wireless network icon on the task bar (at the lower right corner). Of course the network icon will show in the task bar only if this was requested. You can do this by enabling the two check boxes after taking this route My Network Places->View Network Connections->Properties (by right clicking on the WiFi connection. You can avoid the computer selecting another network, by selecting your home WiFi network to be the first in order of priority. I would strongly recommend that you give your own name to the WiFi network, than use the default, if this has not already been done.
This is probably a hardware issue .....
by Watzman - 8/28/09 6:45 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
This is probably a hardware issue, and your post suggests that the first place to look is the wireless network adapter that you have installed on your desktop.
That said, if using a cable rather than a wireless connection is not terribly inconvenient, a wired connection is always better than a wireless connection. It is:
-Faster
-More reliable
-More secure
-Usually cheaper
But, obviously, if you can't conveniently run a cable (and I'm talking about a permanent setup that does not have cables stretched across the middle of rooms and hallways), then you may have no choice.
Anyway, it sounds like your wireless network adapter is becoming marginal. It could also be the router. Other possibilities are that some other piece of equipment is creating interference, or that something is passivly affecting signal transmission from the wireless router (or access point) to the desktop. A last possibility is that a neighbor has installed a wireless router (or a cordless phone, or ......) on the same frequency (channel) as your system, and that it is interfering with your setup (try changing the channel !!!).
A couple of peripherally related comments:
My luck with the life of Wireless routers has been very poor, especially with one of the more popular brands ("brand L"). Very few of them have lasted a year, and honestly I think that they have a strong tendency to overheat and destroy themselves. I've had better luck with "brand D", but still have experienced a high failure rate.
Also, you didn't mention it, but, please, do not operate an unsecured (unencrypted) wireless network. That is asking for big trouble.
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