I have 4 computers, 3 are wireless.  I have a Netgear N wireless router plugged into main floor puter.  My following 3 computers are a laptop (Vista), and 2 desktops (XP) both dells.

Now here is my problem and it only exists with one computer.  The desktop computer is XP, SP2, soundcard Realtek, and I have a built in Dell Wireless 1505 Draft 802.11 N WLAN minicard.  Now here is the story..

The other day I plugged in my microphone which I have never used in order to talk to my friend via Yahoo IM.  They use Tracphone and live in another state so that was my option.  I plug it in and went to test it out using the sound card  If I use the 3.5 plugged into the computer and test the recorder, you can see the LINES barely move and it is not as loud as it should be when you play it back.  If you unplug it and use the webcams microphone, the lines move and clear as a bell to record.  Ok..so I went to connect to her via Yahoo and it keep telling me that my WiFI was dropping over and over and over, so therefore it ticked me off.

So I put my laptop in the same POSITION downstairs, it worked perfectly with no LOSS of Wi-Fi signal.  Went to the other *OLD* 6-year computer from Dell, and it worked just fine with no loss of WiFi signal.

Now I can surf the internet with no loss of service but I believe my friend told me that you can lose packets while surfing the net and not know it.

At first I thought it was because my computer is in the basement but my signal strength to wireless router shows excellent 100% of the time.  I even put my laptop in the basement and tested it everywhere in the basement including right beside my desktop and it picks up just fine with no loss of WiFi signal during the use of YahooIM call feature. 

Could it be a faulty wireless care in this laptop that while it APPEARS to be working fine surfing the internet, and being on yahoo just sending messages etc, however it won't let me use the call feature without giving me the dropped WiFI signal error every 10-15 seconds if not more?  Just at a loss I guess....then there is the issue of the voice recorder working fine and picking up excellent using my webcam, but reduced recording volume when I plug it directly in...

So..any ideas?

Forgot to add that the laptop uses a built in card (works fine)
the other desktop which is 6 years old uses the Netgear Wirless-N USB 2.0 adapter (works fine)
and this one that drops signal uses the Dell Wirelss 1505 Draft 802.11 N WLAN Mini-card.....I will say that from time to time about 10X's probably this one upon reboot gives me a Dell Wireless error..but it connects up on its own after I click *don't report*...Thats an issue with Yahoo messenger, not your computer. Go to the options and set your internet connection speed. It may be too high and yahoo messenger thinks there is a problem.That was one of the first things I tried.  Connections for speed are set the same on all 4 puters in the Yahoo preferences program.ok so the dropped signal error message you are getting, what program are you getting that message from. the windows wireless client utility or the yahoo messenger program?

P.S. it is common for data packets to be lost. when a data packet is lost the packet is resent from the source, the problem comes in with lost data packets when you cannot recieve the same packet when the packet is resent. an occasional lost packet will not make a difference and 99% of the time you cant tell if a data packet has been lost!try reinstalling the driver for the wireless by going in to device manager and uninstall and then re install it again I just ahd to do it on my neice's laptop and it worked Following up on brett74's reply; are there "updated" drivers available for that wireless device?My house is big but my parents bought the wrong router for the wrong house. You should use a good router which covers your home. Make sure the Router is Wireless N 300 or better, not 150. You could also use a 3G router.