Vanity: Help Needed with Home Wireless Network

PackerBoy | 5/1/04 | PackerBoy

[PackerBoy]

I apologize for this vanity (and waste of bandwidth), but I need help and have exhausted my other sources.

I have RoadRunner cable at home and have a PC hooked up to it. I also wanted to be able to have my new laptop (which has a built-in wireless modem) access the Internet from anywhere inside the house.

SO I bought a wireless router. But th elaptop cold only pick up the signal if it was located in the room adjacent to the one in which the cable modem and wireless router are located. I have exchanged the router for other models and manufacturers, but there is no improvement.

Is there any way I can "boost" the signal throughout my house, or is there some other solution to my problem?

Thanks for any help.

[PackerBoy]

$100 to FreeRepublic if someone helps me fix this for a reasonable cost.

[annyokie]

Do you have a stereo or tv close to your wireless hookup? You may just need to move it.

[Bilbo Baggins]

You might get a better response if you said a moose bit your sister.   ;)

[red-dawg]

How many sq. ft. in the house?

What is the construction materials in the house? (metal studs? how many floors?)

What is the brand of wireless NIC in the laptop?

What brands of routers did you try?

[evolved_rage]

Move the cable modem to another co-ax connection and get a wireless card for the PC.

You may have to install another cable line.

[evolved_rage]

I'm being opaque. If you can move the cable modem, your wirless router may work better from a different room.

[PackerBoy]

I have tried three kinds, which nclude NetGear an dLynksys and Belkin.

We have 2800 sf, and it is a two story house with basement.

Not sure about constructions materials but I would assume wood studs in this cedar house.

Niot sure of the brand of wireless modem in the laptop, but it is a new Toshiba.

[AgentEcho]

Are you having problems w/ signal strength or link quality?

Depending on the setup you have, if you have a 2.4 GHz cordless phone in the (or your neighbors do in an apartment) it can interfere with the signal sometimes.


Hope this helps. If I think of anything else I'll post.

Æ

[Leisler]

Yes you can buy relay entennas.
Lynsys sells what is called WiFi In A Box, as do others. ( Linksys Wireless-G VPN Broadband Router WRV54G) Anyways they are made for small business that want to have Hot Spots and can, so they say, go up to 1,600 ft. It is under $200, as are others.

Get a longer cables and get the wireless router/antenna off the floor, away from anything that produces EM. I use one, it is rated up to 900 ft, but I find 200 ft max.

Anyways, if you have changed routers and nothing has changed, then maybe the emachine laptop is the problem. Go on the internet and find a public hotspot in your area and check your laptop by using it there. If it sucks there, well then you know it is the laptop.

I run my laptop off a wireless card that has a little antenna off it. I wouldn't doubt that you could get a antenna card. Or disable the built in, and buy a high end card, say $70 or less with some web surfing.

Either that or move the computer out of the that bunker room you have it in, all those assault rifles, ammo, canned water, the disassemble Sherman...

[PackerBoy]

Problem is signal strength -- drops off fast.

[red-dawg]

Wireless modem? Isn't it a wireless network card?
Is the router right next to a speaker or monitor?
Is the router located in a corner of the house?

[tophat9000]

You really should get better range from your access point that what your describing

You may likely have a signal interference problem

You may want to check for other WiFi networks in you area on the same channel and if your using 802 b or g you can have problems from 2.4 gig cordless phones and also microwave ovens

Check out the following links
http://www.netstumbler.com
go to downloads and get the netstumblers software.. it will help show you other WiFi networks in you area

http://www.netiq.com/qcheck/ to check your signal

and finally http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/ for many good tutorial and tips

PS I just went through the same problem setting up a customer network and it was a from another network on the same channel

PS Note on 802 b/g the channels over lap so you really only have 3 channel 1, 6 & 10

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I'll just go ahead and got the cliche' out of the way...

Are you logged in?

[tophat9000]

I forgot to add that if it still just a range issue
Linksys sell a signal booster that goes with there Access points
Dlink sell a repeater that works with there access points
And on any brand of access points that has removable antennas you can find aftermarket antennas that will help
You can even put a second access points at the other end of the house connected by cat 5 cable to your router to get overlapping coverage in that area

[tophat9000]

Problem is signal strength -- drops off fast.

Do you see the signal strength bounce aroung much and come up some times even for a moment or pretty much go in the dirt as you move away and stay contant low?

[Partisan Hack]

Ditto what Tophat9000 said. Excellent advice

[GeronL]

Get a really really small house?

[martin_fierro]

Whew.

For a second there, I thought this was another one of those "I need help with my turn paper homework" threads.

[mikesmad]

There is a lot that can be checked, but first check the channel your equipment is set to. Channels 1, 6, and 11 are non overlapping. Set your wireless router and your NIC to the same channel. If you still have problems try the next one until you try each one of these three. Set your cordless phones to one of the others. Also check your wireless router setup and see if you can adjust the signal strength upward.

[Publius6961]

BUMP!