HELP! Wireless network dropping out!

[swebby]

Re - Arranroots

I have a belkin router and this is how you can change the channel, it isn't too difficult.
Type 192.168.2.1 into your internet explorer address bar and this should bring up the router page.
On the left you should see 'Channel and SSID' as one of the options, click on it. It will ask you for a password but you might well be like me and haven't put one in (it isn't your WPA password logging you into the router) so just press submit. You should then be presented with an option to change the channel, choose one which is a little away from the one you are on now and apply changes. It will probably then reconnect to the new channel. If it doesn't work try a different one.

My Belkin kept disconnecting as well and in the end I uninstalled all the Belkin software and relied on the windows xp software to connect me instead, fingers crossed it is working better.

Regards
Sean

[Arranroots]

Hi Sean

Thanks for that - I have tried most things now.  Suddenly one day it all decided to work again & it was fine for a couple of weeks.  In the past few days I have had problems again but nothing I do seems to cure it.

Am rapidly coming to the conclusion that my Pipex so-called 2MG service is too weedy by the time it gets to the lappy to cope!  Best I have ever got is 1MG and that fell over!

BTW Gadget, there seems to be a common denominator here in the Belkin router but just the same I am glad I didn;t shell out for a new one, cos it obviously isn't completely broken.

A 

[Gadget]

Arranroots 

I'm wondering if Belkin have a monopoly on them 

I left my machine on last night so that I didn't have to go through the repair process yet again.

I might check to see if I've got any slots left inside the machine and get an internal one, if it goes on like this - it's a drag.

I'm on 3-4MG - BT say 'up to 6' 


Gadget

[Nick29]

It's a fallacy that routers using the same channel can interfere to the extent to cause total malfunction - wi-fi is a time-shared service, so several routers can share the same wireless channel.  You will only see problems if a router is maxing out the channel with traffic, and that is rare.  Also, there are only 3 channels that are exclusive on the channel plan (Channels 1, 5 and 11) - all the other channels overlap the adjacent one.

The majority of problems with drop-outs and disconnections are due to other factors.  The main factor is that most USB devices attached to PC's and laptops still have the power-saving switched on - Go to Start >> Settings >> Control Panel >> Administrative Tools >> Computer Management >> Device Manager and find the Universal Bus Controllers and select the device(s) used for wi-fi.  Right click on the device, and select Properties, and find the Power Management tab.  Make sure that the box saying Allow The Computer To Switch Off This Device To Save Power is not ticked.

Other reasons for wi-fi problems are reflections of the signal caused by wall materials (lots of modern houses have foil-backed plasterboard which kills wi-fi), or attenuation of signals passing through dividing walls.  Careful placement (with some trial and error) of the receiving and transmitting aerials can help with this.

Mobile and DECT phones do not interfere with wi-fi, but video senders can, although wi-fi affects video senders much more than video senders affect wi-fi.

 

[Gadget]

Hi Nick

The power management seems to have worked    I changed the settings on two of the usb devices, did a restart and the wifi came on as it used to.

Thank you, if it works 

Why would it suddenly misbehave, having worked perfectly until a fortnight ago. No changes that I know of at all 

Gadget

[Nick29]

We live in hopes 

[BettyofKent]

What baffles me is OH's laptop picks up three, sometimes four other networks all at 100% signal strength, but only picks up our network at about 60% & that's in the same room as the router, it's about 40%-50% in another room.

But at least it works & he can browse the internet, so I think I will leave well alone

Betty

[Gadget]

Have you got any metal in the room Betty? The PC I usually use  is always about 80% and it's on the floor above and the opposite side of the house.

Or, I suppose,  it could be a channel thing 

Gadget

[Martin Briscoe]

I have seen a few comments about XBOX interfering with WiFi but don't know if it is true.

Martin Briscoe