Wireless router dropping internet connection (Home issue)

[Jamesu]

This has nothing to do with Copiers or Printers...

Whats happening, is i remember when i lived at my parents we had a wireless router, a few times a day my laptop/phone whatever would say it was connected to the router but would not connect to the internet. If the router was turned on and off then it would work again. This would get frustrating as i would have to do it a few times a day. As would the rest of the family. I tried googl'ing it and couldnt find anything as specific as i needed, we even tried changing the router itself and that didnt help either...

In the end i decided to just have a physical wired connection to my laptop and it would work fine, even when my phone would have it's wireless dropped if my laptop was wired it would be fine.

I have now moved out so i dont have this issue in my new place, but getting into work this morning my boss is saying he's having the problem at home and its driving him mad!!!

If anyone has any ideas i'd be thankful!

Regards,

James.

[rthonpm]

Re: Wireless router dropping internet connection (Home issue)

Could be a couple of things:

1. Old firmware on the router. One of the most common fixes with firmware is DHCP issues where a device is never given an IP address, or the lease times out unexpectedly. Check the website of the manufacturer, but pay special note to any hardware revision listed on the label of the router as firmware is often specific to a certain hardware build.

2. If there are a lot of other wireless networks around, you may need to change the channel that the wireless signal broadcasts on. Some newer routers have an 'Auto' option which will choose the clearest channel and broadcast on that.

3. If the router is in a fairly populated area also make sure that it is secured to keep unwanted users off the network. If left open, you could have piles of people leeching off the signal, to the point where all of your possible DHCP addresses are taken up.

4. Have the ISP check their connections as well. Cable companies often have transceivers on the poles that can fail and DSL has a distance limit from the central hub; if you're close to that maximum range your incoming signal will be poor.

[blaze2000]

Re: Wireless router dropping internet connection (Home issue)

Well quite a few possible causes but first thing I would do is check to see what channel the router is using and try using a different one.

[duanew]

Re: Wireless router dropping internet connection (Home issue)

In the router
tell it to keep connection alive

Last thing if your neighbors have a uniden 9000 portable phone evertime they use the phone
kiss your internet goodbye

[Chameleon]

Re: Wireless router dropping internet connection (Home issue)

Few more things to check:

1. The power profile. Control panel> Hardware and Sound> Power options. Most newer laptops with Win7 will kill the power to the wireless adapter when idle. I've had to change this on my last 3 laptops, I turn off all the power saving crap when I'm plugged in and at least leave the wireless adapter going on battery power. I had a huge headache with an HP laptop until I found this setting.

2. If you are in a residential neighborhood consider switching to wireless N. Wireless G and B use similar channels as wireless phones and other wireless household devices. Wireless G/B signals have a longer range while wireless N is short range but stronger and less interference because fewer devices use these channels.