Keep Getting Knocked Off Wireless

[sleepyjohn]

Hi there

I use a G-enabled Macbook.

I had a DLink wireless router in my house for a year. When I got in and opened my Macbook I had about a 50/50 chance of receiving wireless (from the same room). I would turn off my Macbook or reboot the router and away I went again. Annoying.

The router was not mine and I recently bought another, a Belkin. The router lights stay on correctly. Trouble is once again I am being knocked off on a regular basis.....sometimes when I haven't closed down my Macbook.

I live in a poorly wired garden estate with elec cables undersized and hanging between the trees. I thought perhaps there was a voltage drop as a friend had mentioned he'd had a problem that way. I recorded two voltages, 241 and 237. Surely enough unless it goes down when people start switching things on in electricity rush hour.

Any suggestions anyone?

John

ps: in both cases I would have a strong signal or no signal. On or off it seems.

[scifi]

Are there any other wireless networks in use around your location? (Neighbours, etc.) You can check this by right-clicking your wireless connection icon in the system tray, or from within the management software for your wireless adapter - look for something like 'view available networks'. If you see several wireless networks listed, you might be getting interference from a neighbour's network using the same wireless channel as you. You can't check the channel your neighbour is using without knocking on their door and asking them (afaik), but it is worth switching to another channel to see if that improves the situation (from within your router management software or browser window). I don't know if this is actually the problem, technically, but I had the same issue, with a neighbour using wireless, and when I changed my channel the problem was solved.

[phazey]

I get this when i use my 2.4GHz A/V extender. Maybe change your channel on your router.

[Khun Jack]

I have experienced more frequent disconnects or not receiving the ip address from the router with WPA security protocol.

You have to logon to the wireless router web admin panel, better disconnect the external adsl modem ( if any) first and reboot all, but the router first.

I haven't worked with a Mac but in windows its ipconfig command and the put the gateway address in the URL bar of internet explorer.

Login with admin - admin (Belkin routers can be different) and look for channel setting, select auto! from the choices of channels or frequencies.

That did the trick for many wireless setups.

[sleepyjohn]

Thanx for the advice it sounds like a real possibility.

There are sometimes, not always, other networks showing.

Which ports would be suitable?

[scifi]

This is a good article that explains how to do it:

http://www.pcmech.com/article/clean-up-a-w...ng-the-channel/

And it provides a link to a utility for checking what channels your neighbours are using, so no need to knock on their door after all.

I don't think it matters what channel you choose, just choose one no one else is using. Log in to your router management screen to make the change - your PC will automatically detect it.

[scifi]

Also, just found this advice:

Unlike television channels, some Wi-Fi channel numbers overlap with each other. Channel 1 uses the lowest frequency band and each subsequent channel increases the frequency slightly. Therefore, the further apart two channel numbers are, the less the degree of overlap and likelihood of interference. If encountering interference with a neighbor's WLAN, change to a distant channel. Both channels 1 and 11 do not overlap with the default channel 6; use one of these three channels for best results.

(From http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wifihom...ifichannel.htm)

[sleepyjohn]

Thanx again all!!

I went to the router management and found a DHCP client list which I believe shows those on my network if not other networks and I was the only one.

Tried the netstumbler but got gobledegook so maybe it's Windows only.....I'm on Mac.

In any case I have changed to channel 3 and will let you know

John

[scifi]

Sorry, forgot you are on a Mac, John. You don't need the NetStumbler thing, just a nice-to-have utility to check what is happening in your vicinity. I hope this cures your problem. I am fairly sure it is down to interference, so if channel 3 doesn't cure it, try another channel hop. Can't do any harm.

[sleepyjohn]

Sorry, forgot you are on a Mac, John. You don't need the NetStumbler thing, just a nice-to-have utility to check what is happening in your vicinity. I hope this cures your problem. I am fairly sure it is down to interference, so if channel 3 doesn't cure it, try another channel hop. Can't do any harm.

No problemo

...and for MAC users here's a great little network scanner called AP Grapher 1.2.1 I had it up and running literally in seconds:

http://www.versiontracker.com/php/dlpage.p...2FAPGrapher.dmg

John

ps: I do note 1,6,11 are the recommended channels for no overlap

Edited June 5, 2008 by sleepyjohn

[rafval]

also try a wok http://www.usbwifi.orconhosting.net.nz/

[scifi]

also try a wok http://www.usbwifi.orconhosting.net.nz/

... WI-FRY

[sleepyjohn]

I have to say that sadly this channel business doesn't seem to do the trick. I have the same problem as before.

One point of interest my Belkin router was set to auto channel suggesting it looks for a clear wavelength....anyone know?

So good idea but any other suggestions please?

John

[slackula]

Do you have a cordless phone or microwave oven in the vicinity of the router? These have been known to provide interference also.

A quick way to find out the other machines connected is to ping the broadcast address of the router. For me my router is 192.168.1.1, connected machines are issued addresses sequentially starting from .1.2 If I ping 192.168.1.255 it shows me the IP addresses of all connected machines.

[sleepyjohn]

Thankyou Slackula

No nearby appliances on this morning and been knocked off 3 times, in fact have to repower router to get on every time now it seems.

I discovered that when I connect ethernet cable between router and Macbook the LAN corresponding to the cable on the router doesn't light, and what's more I only seem to communicate with the router via wireless when it is on, not cable.

I have replaced the cable with new, the router is new, and my Macbook less than 2yo. I would suspect the ethernet port on my Macbook but hey there's too much (not) going on here.

I shall however be systematic and try to plug in elsewhere with airport turned off.

Interestingly when I bought a Belkin I was told they don't work in the country.....presumably meaning a long copper way from a node. Don't quite get this and in any case my internet speed is often blazing.

I must add that I had a wireless problem somewhat before with a DLink router.

Hmmmm......

[sleepyjohn]

THis is purely a note to help others.

I eventually downloaded a firmware update from the Belkin site. THings still weren't right still had to reboot router after reopening laptop.

I was told by Belkin chat support to also reconfigure the router. I have just done so. I put my Macbook to sleep for a minute.....reopened......et voila!!

[sleepyjohn]

THis is purely a note to help others.

I eventually downloaded a firmware update from the Belkin site. THings still weren't right still had to reboot router after reopening laptop.

I was told by Belkin chat support to also reconfigure the router. I have just done so. I put my Macbook to sleep for a minute.....reopened......et voila!!

Belay that last post

My Belkin router is still very unreliable, although it hooks on without rebooting just sometimes.

I tried Belkin's suppport chat last night and lost my connection because of the router three times, though usually it works much longer or until I close down for a while.

I have a clue which might point a clever person to the answer:

I just came home, opened the laptop, waited.........no wireless signal. (Thewireless, adsl and internet lights were on on the router).

Here's the interesting bit......I connected the ethernet cable to the router, the LAN light came on.........but still no connection!!

Any ideas??

John