Networking & wireless: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help!
- 9/4/09 2:43 PM
Running Interference...
by Wolfie2k5 - 8/28/09 10:09 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Cory -
I am not familiar with the layout of your place - where the router is located vs where the PC sits, but if I had to take a stab at this issue, I'd say it's one of two things... Either
A.) The USB dongle is no longer working properly.
B.) There's something between the router and desktop that's causing electromagnetic interference.
You can try moving the PC setup somewhere else in the house/apartment (if only for a quick test) and see if that resolves the situation. You can also take note of when exactly these drops occur and see if there's a cordless phone being used, or perhaps a microwave oven being used to heat something.
You can also try getting another cheap USB dongle (they're about $20 USD) and replacing the one you've got.
You can also try using the laptop in the same area where the desktop usually sits to see if it also suffers from the same drops in connection.
neighbor's wireless competing with ours
by deleyd - 8/28/09 10:35 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I found a neighbor had a wireless network that was competing with ours. I took my laptop and walked around the neighborhood and eventually located it. Came from across the street down a house. So far away I thought it couldn't interfere, but our computer was set up next to the window, and neighbor had a clear shot straight to our window.
I tried a directional antenna but it didn't help.
When connection was lost you could fix it by right-clicking on the icon in the system tray and selecting "Repair Wireless Connection". Always worked, but frustrating doing that often so I eventually just strung an ethernet wire through the attic. Problem solved.
Had a friend complain their laptop wireless worked at Starbucks but not at home. Turned out they had an older 802.b model wireless router.
For Home Networks in general, I've had good luck setting fixed IP addresses for all the computers and especially for the networked printer, which was constantly changing it's IP address every few days, confusing all the computers. You tell the router to always assign the same IP address for a particular computer or printer. "DHCP Reservations List", "DHCP Reservation", "DHCP Client Table". MAC Address uniquely identifies the computer or printer, you specify a fixed IP Address. "DHCP Reservation: Click this button if you want to assign a fixed local IP address to a MAC address." (e.g. use 192.168.1.100, 192.168.1.101, 192.168.1.102, or sometimes it's 192.168.0.101, 192.168.0.101, 192.168.0.102,...)
I wonder if a "dual band" wireless router has a better chance of staying connected.
In ref to "deleyd's answer...
by euspos - 9/6/09 1:22 PM In reply to: neighbor's wireless competing with ours by deleydIn your situation, a solution is likely very simple. Just change channel (frequency) in your access point to another one and try over again.
A few things maby not mentionted wireless connection
by kjl1956 - 10/3/09 12:32 AM In reply to: neighbor's wireless competing with ours by deleydCheek to see if your network card is set to be turned of, usb or pci doesnt mater, win xp oppisite click my computer, go to properties,hard ware tab, pick hardware option, go to networking adapters, click on the plus to expand, look for your device, click it, go to power managment,unclick to TURN DEVICE OFF TO SAVE POWER- ALOWE DEVICE TO WAKE COMPUTER, close.Other issue can be windows likes to configure wireless conections, it can interfear with 3rd party software that came with the device, on xp you need to go into control pannel, networking, wireless devices, uncheek LET WINDOWS CONFIGURE WIRELESS DEVICES, closse.You should download new drivers for your wireless device before any of these steeps so you can upgrade or uninstall insatall new drivers if needed.other key things are ISP may refresh your incoming IP adress every few days and have found resetting the modem by reset switch resets it without lossing any stored information.Ive also found that if you use DHCP then its best not to assing mac and local ip adresses. Also make shure you name your modem and or router SSID somethig diffrent then default, set up your wirless channel on 6 for best security, name all workgroup computers in your intternal network the same but diffrent from the router/gateway, this will help traffic flow behind the router because it will assing mac adress and local IP adresses.I have 2 xp pcs vista pc and vista laptop plus a network storage device running and only the nas is wired.and make shure your firewall is letting the conection through, some will block it automaticly.
My solution for a similar type problem
by airakalanr - 8/28/09 11:49 PM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I will presume you have a secure wireless network which is not being used by the whole neighborhood.
In my instance our problem was the internal wiring of our new home. The person who had installed the inside the walls house cable did not use the recommended crimper for the wall termination. Same symptoms as you. Work for days, hours, then a lot of fiddling about and back working again for days or hours. If there is noise on this connection your ISP tries to re-assign the network address to your cable modem. When you fiddle with the wall connection you temporarily fix the problem. Have someone re-crimp your coax cable connectors.
Maybe the USB gadget ?
by Clockwork Computer - 8/29/09 12:33 AM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Can you borrow an internal network card and try again ?
The messages and timing of the messages
sound very similar to the decline of my last one.
New card turned out to be instant fix.
VERY annoyng because of intermittent nature of old card.
A lot of problems are down to polarization
by darrenforster99 - 8/29/09 1:08 AM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Cory,
Wireless communications breaking down can be due to a lot of different things.
I have had the same problem sometimes in my house. However as I passed my amateur radio test (M1DKZ) and used to do radio with a radio scouting team I learned a lot of useful things about the way wireless works.
One of the main things I find that certainly increases the wi-fi connectivity is to check the position of the antenna on the back of the PC.
This all depends on the type of wireless card you have in your PC, if it is a small USB dongle and it's on it's own cable try moving from vertical to horizontal or vice versa. One way will give a really good signal and the other way will give very little or no signal with random outages of the network and very poor speeds (exactly like what you are describing).
If you have a card in your PC with an antenna sticking out the back, firstly ensure the antenna is fully screwed in, only use your hands to screw it in, if it's too tight it can damage the socket, so hand tightened will do.
You will also notice that these extra antennas also have a pivot point on them that allows them to spin round without unscrewing, again do a similar thing as described above, try it in both horizontal and vertical mode, also when turning it turn the antenna in the same direction you turned it when screwing it in, that way your turning it on it's pivot point and not unscrewing the antenna.
If you are unable to turn the antenna on your PC, if your wi-fi router has an antenna on the back, turn that round, if it has two antenna's (some do), put one vertical and one horizontal and this should sort all problems out.
The reason for this is all to do with polarization. For one device to receive another device through radio it's polarization needs to match the other device (either horizontally or vertically). If it doesn't it can quite easily lose all the signal.
If you have satellite TV and you add new channels you sometimes need to tell them what the polarization is or you don't receive anything, and this works in the same way (although you can't see your "LNB" turning to match the polarisation). Also some areas you will notice have normal TV antennna's sidewards compared to others, again this is all down to polarisation.
The main thing polarisation is used for is to block out unwanted signals, for example near us we have two TV transmitters the main one on Winter Hill which is vertically polarised, we also have a repeater one which is mainly used by the people of Bolton who aren't able to get the Winter Hill transmitter due to the signal flying over the top of them. So that the two don't interfere with each other because the Bolton repeater will carry on out beyond where the Winter Hill one is low enough to be received, Winter Hill is sent out vertically, and the repeater is sent out horizontally, thus allowing all the antenna's that are vertically aligned to ignore the repeater and not cause interference.
You can also use this same trick to block out other wi-fi networks if they are causing interference (although most of the time there is so few in the area you shouldn't run into this problem).
If possible you are far better moving the antenna/usb stick on the computer than on the wi-fi box, because by moving the one on the wi-fi box unless you have two antennas on the box you are more likely to upset things for all the other computers, like the laptop that is connecting to it. Most laptops have bi-polarization antenna's so it shouldn't make any difference, but there are a few out there that are set up to be horizontal polarisation.
I did discover recently that the Sony PS3 only has single polarization as my friend couldn't get his to connect when it was in tower mode, we put it on it's side and it connected perfectly, only problem was he wanted his PS3 as a tower to fit next to the TV, and when we moved the antenna round on the wi-fi box his laptop stopped connecting, in the end he settled for a wired connection on the PS3.
I notice you said that you've had it working before, polarization could still be a problem, because at some point someone may have slightly moved either the computer, or the USB stick or the antenna on the wi-fi box and that would kill the connection. Last night I had the same problem on my desktop computer, I'd only moved the desktop about a centimeter, but it had knocked the antenna at the back from horizontal to pointing fully down (verticall). My signal was at 1 bar, I moved the antenna back to vertical and the signal shot up to 5 bars.
If polarization doesn't sort your problems out then it could be due to numerous other things, think about anything new you may have added to your house, such as a new TV, microwave, fridge freezer, etc. Anything that might interfere with wi-fi networking. Again altering the polarization might sort these interferences out as you would be shielding the wi-fi from them, or just seeing if you can move them a bit. With radio there is a lot that can get in the way, more so over long distances but even in houses some radio can be affected by putting some appliances in the wrong place (and that sticker that says "This device has been checked to not interfere with other electronic devices" all it means is they've tried to shield it to the best of their abilities, but that doesn't 100% guarantee that it will not interfere with anything else, especially radio.
Below is a website with a little bit about polarization
http://www.astronwireless.com/topic-archives-antenna-polarization.asp
Wireless Connection
by TheWiiKid - 8/29/09 3:33 AM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am not a tech, but Ive had this issue many times.
Without being where the equipment is, sounds like the modem and the router are not using the same IP.
Depending on the Internet provider I hard wired my CPU to the modem and router to check the IP. The providers can give you a IP Address to type into your address bar to check this in the modem and router.
That's how I solved my issue but could be completely wrong about your issue.
I BIT TOO LONG BUT MAY BE WORTH IT.
by GEO2003 - 8/29/09 4:31 AM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I just finished restoring a 2 year old pc for a friends business.
The computer was running so bad that instead of just cleanin it I decided to do a clean install from the hidden partition. Now I am not recomending you do this first. Try changing the channnel as other mentioned and making sure you have no phones running in the 2.4 gigahertz that your router is running on, near the router as this may create interference with your router.
The reason why I am gettin involved in this discussion is to help you first and second because I just finish experiencing the same issue with this restoration. But I had it too with other computer in the family running XP.
1-Before you do any of what I am about to discuss, you should create a restore point and have the original drivers you had when you purchase your USB Wireless ready maybe on a thumb drive, downloading them from the manufacturer of your USB wifi.
2-Create a restore point by clicking the start orb, place your mouse over the install applications, go to Advance Options, then System Tools and click on Restore Point. Make sure the restore point succeded and close the window.
3-The following must be done at your own risk, but I most tell you that this is how I have fix the same problems. Specially in your post you indicated that you are a non techie.
- A little bit of background - You mentioned that when you run a cat 5 cable from the router to your pc, that everything works fine. Because the Ethernet controller drivers almost never change, the settings on the register are almost always the same, unless something like an updated driver downloaded from XP update, updates the settings, but because it is consider a STATIC Ethernet Card, it is easy for the pc to connect to the internet via the Ethernet Card and gets a bit tricky when doing it via wi-fi.
This aslo brings me to the point that - We don't know if you have updated your USB wi-fi drivers, AND how many times you have done it.
Updating drivers for Wi-fi, can create the problem you are experiencing, such as I have found out through trial and error.
Uninstalling the drivers from the control panel, hardware tab, does not necessarily fix the problem, because XP keeps folders of hardware install drivers, so as soon as you re-boot the pc, XP will look into those folders, install the drivers found and recreate the conflict.
The only way I have found to STOP XP from loading the same drivers from the folders is by doing a little tweking in the Register. This will give you the ability to start fresh and install the original drivers without any possible changes that may have occur to them or the XP Wireless Zero Configuration manager via an XP patch or a possible update to the USB drivers via Windows Update.
-Another possible situation is that - your wifi usb came with the drivers and application to handle the connection. The software that remembers your password and settings for your router is loaded at startup with windows. However, windows also has its own wifi manager to handle the connection to the router. If for some reason, there is a change on which application handles the wifi connection, this could give you messages such as the one's you are describing, Because there are 2 applications fighting to connect to the router.
-When you install the drivers for the usb, it may have given you the option to use - either the applications that came with the usb or the wifi zero configuration manager that is implemented in windows. If you choose to allow your usb application and then change it to allow windows to manage the connection. The application for the usb is still being loaded at startup and that can create a conflict since two applications are trying to gain access to the router. I have seen this happen, and the internet connection just goes on in circles because you can only have one application managing your connection to the router. After a while it picks one and connects but this a possible explanation for the intermitent connections your are experiencing.
- So that you know - Everytime the Wifi drivers are deleted, the pc rebooted and windows installs the drivers, it creates a new folder in the register. for Example.
-The first installation of the wifi drivers would be named " Wireless Network Connection".
-In removing drivers and rebooting the pc, windows creates a new folder but this time names the connection - Wireless Network Connection 1 " then 2 if you repeat the process, and XP will do this so long as you are trying to fix the problems by repeating the uninstall/install process.
-All of this folders have connections settings, but windows will go throu them until it finds the folder with the appropriate settings.
It will connect but since it has different folders in the register it can also cause a conflict.
-So here is where my help comes in.
1-Revoved the driverss to your wifi usb in the control panel - DO NOT REBOOT THE PC and REMOVE YOUR USB WIFI.
2-Remeber the changes I am about to recommend will be reversed if you did your restore point properly, so don't be too concern, but again it is at your own risk.
3-Click on the Start Orb - Select Run - Type RegEdit.
4-The Register windows will appear.
5-At the top of the register in the menu bar - Select Edit - Select FIND.
6-In the box that appears type Exactly this no quotes - "Wireless Network Connection".
7-DO NOT DESELECT ANY OF THE CHECK MARKS.
8-Press Find Next.
The system will begin searching for that exact phrase. Be patient, it may take a while.
When the first entry is found. Pay attention to this.
The entry will be located insice a folder named Connection (in English) this is the sub-folder - The master folder will be just above this one and is in numerical form.
You must delete the master which inturn will delete the sub label Connections which contains the actual settings.
If by curiosity you look at the Numerical Master, you will see no entries there. It is just the way windows assings a numerical master folder for tracking purposes for the entire os.
We are not done yet.
9- Now that you deleted the first numerical master and sub, you must go back to the toolbar - click edit - click find next.
You most repeat this process, until you get the message from Windows indicating that Searching the register has completed.
-Now I mentioned to you the creation of different folders for everytime you try to uninstall/install the drivers.
so now you most continue doing searches but you will change the search string to (no quotes) " Wireless Network Connection 2 ".
If you find entries continue with Wireless Network Connection 3 - until the search goes through the entire register and comes back with Zero results.
That is the process of cleaning the register from all this wireless connection entries. I KNOW IT SOUNDS hard is not if you do it slowly and carefully.
There is no Register Cleaner in the market that would make the process easier because this are windows register folders and those are not clean as they are not consider safe to clean.
Once you finish and don't find any more entries for Wireless Network Connection, 2,3,4 and so on, now you can reboot your pc.
You will get the message that windows have found new hardware and ask you permission to look for drivers. Cancel this and install your original drivers from your thumbdrive or were ever else you put them.
Finish the installation, there should be a wizard to help you finish the installation, decide if you want windows or yor usb application to manage the connection. Follow the wizard accordingly.
Rember - if you choose Windows to manage your connection, you most make sure that the wizard application that came with your usb do not auto start with windows.
To do this, you can click on the start orb, click run - type msconfig - look at the startup TAB and deselect the usb application.
Restart your computer and you hopefully will be find from here.
Obviously, if you choose to let the usb application manage your connection you don't have to do the above step.
I am sorry that is was very lenghly, I apologize for Grammar Erros and typing and hope that you find a solution to your problem.
Geo
Several possible causes
by Flatworm - 8/29/09 5:54 AM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Your description of the problem doesn't sound to me like it is an actual hardware issue. Yes, wireless routers do fail sometimes, but the symptoms are usually different -- most often, you can't get on at all.
Have you moved your router? Have you gotten any new devices like a printer that is installed near its location? Have you rearranged your furniture lately? Have you gotten any new appliances? Any new neighbors? All of these things can cause a wireless network to work differently. Even parking your car in a different place can cause interpath interference that can knock out a connection.
Are you using encryption? If you have not secured your network, this could be causing the problem you're experiencing and many others besides. WEP is good; WPA is better, but you may have to get your XP up to date to use it, and may even have to update the firmware on your wireless card in your laptop, and possibly even on your router, depending on how old it is.
Have you (or any near neighbors) gotten any new 2.4GHz phones? They can interfere with wireless networks. You can change the channel on which your home network operates, but this may not prove to be a permanent solution, as a lot of wireless phones seek for a channel.
This is not to say that new hardware won't apparently SOLVE your problem. Newer routers pretty much force you to use encryption upon initial setup, and the 802.11n routers provide much faster, more stable, and longer-range connections. The more expensive "dual band" routers also combat interference from other wireless devices.
And I agree with Watzman -- I have had particularly good luck with the "D-Brand," and their customer service has been truly top notch. Indeed, I once had one of their devices, an old 10-base-T wired router, fail after three years of flawless service and, despite it being out of any reasonable concept of a warranty, they replaced it for free. I am giving this advice "against interest," so to speak, because I own stock in the company that manufactures the "L-Brand".
You're right about the "L" product line!
by PRocky - 9/7/09 8:34 AM In reply to: Several possible causes by FlatwormI owned a Y2K company and had dozens of L products. They were 1st rate - they all still work, but are obsolete. Everything I've bought from them more recently has failed - usually the internal power supplies - and they won't help out after the warranty expires. I have a 24 port switch that I bought for emergencies a few years ago, but never used. When I plugged it in it was dead - they told me to go buy another one!
Opinions are like...........
by msgale - 9/7/09 8:56 AM In reply to: You're right about the "L" product line! by PRockyI have used Linksys Router starting with the BEFSR41 (not wireless) thru a WRT 400N, with a few PCMCIA NICs thrown in. I never had a failure. You’re not checking the 24 port switch when you bought it, is not their fault. Electronics warrantees are based on calendar time not usage.
My "L" is still working flawlessly after 5 years
by LionsMike - 9/7/09 10:24 AM In reply to: You're right about the "L" product line! by PRockyMy "L" BEFSR41 is still working reliably and continuously after more than 5 years. Verizon supports nearly evey model made by them. If your ISP does not support a product (any product) get something else. I checked my ISP's list of supported products before I bought my router.
Wireless Network Intermittent Loss
by tmacke1 - 8/29/09 6:21 AM In reply to: Home wireless network connection getting intermittent connections, help! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Guys,
I had this problem a while back. I had hooked up a wireless surveillance camera to my house, straight to a TV not to my wireless network. Everything worked fine for a week or so then the intermittent outages began. Turns out it was conflicting on the 2.4mhz frequency. Once I disconnected the camera, everything was fine again. So check to see if you or possibly a close by neighbor recently connected a new phone, camera or something else that also runs on 2.4mhz.
An often overlooked Problem
by bigbear639 - 9/9/09 9:44 PM In reply to: Wireless Network Intermittent Loss by tmacke1Do you or a nearby neighbor have any Digital Cordless phones in the 2.4Ghz Band? My WiFi would disconnect eevery time I used my Cordless Phone. I had to replace my Cordless phones with 5.8Ghz phones and that solved the problem. No more disconnections. There are even newer Cordless Phones that are wifi friendly.
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