Solve : wireless link being dropped every so often?

1.	Solve : wireless link being dropped every so often?
Answer» I have a laptop that i have connected wirelessly to a router. The connection was fine until just yesterday when I noticed that every so often the link would get dropped and internet access stopped. And when I went to 'available wireless networks', I didnt see my network anymore. So I unplugged the router from the power, plugged it back after 10 secs, and the network reappeared in my 'available wireless networks'. All was fine for ten minutes and then the connection got dropped again, with my network dissapearing from the 'view available networks'. So I unplugged and plugged the router again to make my network appear again in the 'view available networks'. Ten minutes later the connection was lost again. Why is this happening and how do I fix it? I can see my neighbour's networks but not mine. Also I scanned my system to see if I had a virus. No detection. Im using win XP Home, a Belkin router, and a DLink wireless card in my laptop What are the model numbers of the Belkin router and DLink wireless card? What is the service pack level of your Windows XP Home system? Are you actively using the wireless link when it drops out, or has it been sitting idle for ten minutes?Bypass router, and go straight to the MODEM. Same thing happens?dahlar: I have service pack 2, my belkin router is model f5d7230-4. I have a linksys wireless card (dont know model number of the card) I did call belkin this morning, and they told me to change my encryption from WPA to WEP and change my channel from 1 to 6. I have no idea why I had to do this or what this change means, cause everything was working fine for the first TWO months. Anyway, my internet connection is working properly right now. Could it be that my neighbour's wireless connection was affecting my connection, but if it was, then why isn't it anymore? Not that Im COMPLAINING, but can someone explain to me what the encryption change and the channel change really did. broni: I have a router cause I have three laptops networked. But I did try your suggestion, same thing happened. But anyway, the problem is fixed for now Thanks all for your concern Good news Quote from: shashgo on May 09, 2008, 10:21:12 AM Could it be that my neighbour's wireless connection was affecting my connection, but if it was, then why isn't it anymore? Not that Im complaining, but can someone explain to me what the encryption change and the channel change really did. 1. It's possible your neighbor was on the same channel (or one close to it). From the following link: Should You Ever SWITCH Wireless Channels? Quote So to answer your question, unless you have a specific reason for changing it, I would suggest you keep your wireless channel configured for the manufacturer's default settings. If, however, you must change it, for the best performance I would suggest trying to use one of the other non-overlapping channels first: Channels 1, 6, and 11. Other then interference issues, there really is no other reason or advantage to selecting another channel. 2. Encryption Change. Since two things were changed, channel and encryption, it's not possible to say which one resolved your issue, if any. Normally you would change and test one thing at a time. That being said, Belkin support took the easy way out and set you up with WEP encryption. It is the weakest encryption but the one that's most likely to work when they don't know the "exact" details of your wireless configuration (make/model number, hardware version, and firmware version of linksys wireless adaptor; Microsoft patches applied; hardware version, firmware version of Belkin router). They wanted to get you up and running as quickly as possible. Given a choice you should always choose a version of WPA or WPA2 if all of your wireless components support it. Basically you should be using the best/highest encryption that you can get working. You should read the User Manual for your Belkin Router and Linksys Wireless adaptor before attempting to change it. (And so you have some background in the subject if someone is assisting you in the setup.) Your Service Set Identifier (SSID), aka network name, should be changed from the default. Leaving it as the default lets everyone know you have a Belkin router. I would think it could also cause problems if your neighbors are using the same name and channel on their Belkin routers. 3. Reference(s): Belkin support page for: F5D7230-4 Frequent wireless disconnections from the router/AP (Access Point) User Manualdahlar, Thanks for the info about the encryption strength. I thought WEP was the strong one but after reading your post I changed it to WPA/WPA2. My connection is fine, and I think it was the channel that was causing interference with my neighbour. One question I have is about the strength. When my laptop connects to the internet, it says 'Strength: Excellent'. But then when I click on the monitor icon, it says 'Strength: Low'. And when I go to the 'View available networks, it shows as strength excellent as all the connection bars are green'. So is my connection really excellent strength or low strength even though the view wireless networks says excellent. And if it is low how do i get to be excellent I don't have the answer to your "strength" question. While I have a "wireless" home router, I don't currently have a wireless link available. (Don't have computer with wireless NIC adapter, so I can't play with it.) Extend the range and the strength of your wireless network. Unfortunately I can't find a date on this article so don't know how current it is. If memory serves me correct, I think the transmission RATE for your wireless link may be automatically adjusted down/up based on signal strength. If this is true, monitor the throughput rate on your wireless link. The closer you're operating towards the theoretical limit for your wireless link technology (802.11b? 802.11g? 802.11n?), the stronger your signal is. No, I don't know where or how you can monitor the throughput rate; but I've got to believe the capability exists somewhere.

Answer»

I have a laptop that i have connected wirelessly to a router. The connection was fine until just yesterday when I noticed that every so often the link would get dropped and internet access stopped. And when I went to 'available wireless networks', I didnt see my network anymore.

So I unplugged the router from the power, plugged it back after 10 secs, and the network reappeared in my 'available wireless networks'. All was fine for ten minutes and then the connection got dropped again, with my network dissapearing from the 'view available networks'. So I unplugged and plugged the router again to make my network appear again in the 'view available networks'. Ten minutes later the connection was lost again.

Why is this happening and how do I fix it? I can see my neighbour's networks but not mine. Also I scanned my system to see if I had a virus. No detection.

Im using win XP Home, a Belkin router, and a DLink wireless card in my laptop

What are the model numbers of the Belkin router and DLink wireless card?

What is the service pack level of your Windows XP Home system?

Are you actively using the wireless link when it drops out, or has it been sitting idle for ten minutes?Bypass router, and go straight to the MODEM. Same thing happens?dahlar: I have service pack 2, my belkin router is model f5d7230-4. I have a linksys wireless card (dont know model number of the card)

I did call belkin this morning, and they told me to change my encryption from WPA to WEP and change my channel from 1 to 6. I have no idea why I had to do this or what this change means, cause everything was working fine for the first TWO months. Anyway, my internet connection is working properly right now. Could it be that my neighbour's wireless connection was affecting my connection, but if it was, then why isn't it anymore? Not that Im COMPLAINING, but can someone explain to me what the encryption change and the channel change really did.

broni: I have a router cause I have three laptops networked. But I did try your suggestion, same thing happened. But anyway, the problem is fixed for now

Thanks all for your concern
Good news Quote from: shashgo on May 09, 2008, 10:21:12 AM

Could it be that my neighbour's wireless connection was affecting my connection, but if it was, then why isn't it anymore? Not that Im complaining, but can someone explain to me what the encryption change and the channel change really did.

1. It's possible your neighbor was on the same channel (or one close to it).

From the following link: Should You Ever SWITCH Wireless Channels?
Quote

So to answer your question, unless you have a specific reason for changing it, I would suggest you keep your wireless channel configured for the manufacturer's default settings. If, however, you must change it, for the best performance I would suggest trying to use one of the other non-overlapping channels first: Channels 1, 6, and 11. Other then interference issues, there really is no other reason or advantage to selecting another channel.

2. Encryption Change. Since two things were changed, channel and encryption, it's not possible to say which one resolved your issue, if any. Normally you would change and test one thing at a time. That being said, Belkin support took the easy way out and set you up with WEP encryption. It is the weakest encryption but the one that's most likely to work when they don't know the "exact" details of your wireless configuration (make/model number, hardware version, and firmware version of linksys wireless adaptor; Microsoft patches applied; hardware version, firmware version of Belkin router). They wanted to get you up and running as quickly as possible.

Given a choice you should always choose a version of WPA or WPA2 if all of your wireless components support it. Basically you should be using the best/highest encryption that you can get working. You should read the User Manual for your Belkin Router and Linksys Wireless adaptor before attempting to change it. (And so you have some background in the subject if someone is assisting you in the setup.)

Your Service Set Identifier (SSID), aka network name, should be changed from the default. Leaving it as the default lets everyone know you have a Belkin router. I would think it could also cause problems if your neighbors are using the same name and channel on their Belkin routers.

3. Reference(s):
Belkin support page for: F5D7230-4
Frequent wireless disconnections from the router/AP (Access Point)
User Manualdahlar,

Thanks for the info about the encryption strength. I thought WEP was the strong one but after reading your post I changed it to WPA/WPA2. My connection is fine, and I think it was the channel that was causing interference with my neighbour.

One question I have is about the strength. When my laptop connects to the internet, it says 'Strength: Excellent'. But then when I click on the monitor icon, it says 'Strength: Low'. And when I go to the 'View available networks, it shows as strength excellent as all the connection bars are green'.

So is my connection really excellent strength or low strength even though the view wireless networks says excellent.

And if it is low how do i get to be excellent
I don't have the answer to your "strength" question. While I have a "wireless" home router, I don't currently have a wireless link available. (Don't have computer with wireless NIC adapter, so I can't play with it.)

Extend the range and the strength of your wireless network. Unfortunately I can't find a date on this article so don't know how current it is.

If memory serves me correct, I think the transmission RATE for your wireless link may be automatically adjusted down/up based on signal strength. If this is true, monitor the throughput rate on your wireless link. The closer you're operating towards the theoretical limit for your wireless link technology (802.11b? 802.11g? 802.11n?), the stronger your signal is.

No, I don't know where or how you can monitor the throughput rate; but I've got to believe the capability exists somewhere.

Solve : wireless link being dropped every so often?

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