A question about wireless connections

lydia1959

15 years ago

When I start up my laptop, I have my Dynex router and 3 other connections available. The Dynex always has the best connection... but the others work when the Dynex won't (most nights between 7 and 10:30). What are these other connections? Are they from my router or from my neighbors?

I still don't know why I am having a problem most nights getting my internet to work, I called customer support and they had me "ping" my internet address and I am getting a good signal. The internet works perfectly at other times.

I am currently on my laptop using one of the other connections. My regular computer is taking too long to load pages, as does the laptop using the Dynex conection.

My regular PC uses Firefox and XP. The laptop uses 2000 Professional and IE.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

bpgreen
15 years ago
Those other connections are probably neighbors who aren't securing their wireless connections (you're securing yours, aren't you?

I don't understand why your router becomes available for three hours a night. Are you in an apartment building? Some phones can interfere with some wireless signals. Maybe somebody is getting on the phone at that time and messing up your signal.

Can you change the channel your router is using?
lydia1959
Original Author
15 years ago
How do you secure the connection?

I'm not in an apartment building, in fact I am in a subdivison where the smallest lots are 1 acre.. so I am not all that close to any of my neighbors.

I don't think someone would be on the phone 3 to 4 hours almost every night, but I guess it could happen.

I can't figure out how to change the channel on my router. According to the laptop, I am on channel 6 and the other connections are all on channel 1.
Related Discussions
Phone rings - Laptop switches wireless connection
Q
Comments (4)
Not all wireless 2.4 phones disrupt it. Tried a $9 GE from Walgreen's here and it very rarely disrupted... and never on ring or dial. Maybe once every three days. Yet my old expensive Sony would daily a time or two for no reason cause loss of wifi for a minute. Have been using DECT 1.9 phones,, 5 of them here .. they never disturb it. If connecting to a neighbors wifi,, you might talk to the neighbor and explain the benefits of securing thier wifi so you 'cant connect to it unless you know the passkey. Then at least you would get a popup asking you to enter the secret and know you're not stealing their connection. Or just get a bigger antenna and cancel your internet connection and use your neighbors.. heh Have read some people have continue to have problems with 5.8 phones too. I forget exactly ... even though they say 5.8, many will communicate or ring or dial or something on 2.4.
...See More
Problems connecting my laptop to wireless network
Q
Comments (15)
Zep - I have 3 devices in my network list: 1) 1394 net adapter 2)intel 82566mm gigabit network connection (this one I was able to get an updated driver - but on my network connections, it still shows as local area connection - "network cable unplugged,fire..." and I'm not able to click that and get the rest of the sentence. if I click it it just gives me the name of the adapter. 3) intel wireless wifi link 4965AGN The first and third ones say they are connected and firewalled. I believe that this last wireless 4965AGN is the one that has problems and gets repaired. I could be wrong about that. The LAN one I think has always been unconnected/unplugged. I don't know what that's for or if I need it. Is that my wired internet connection? Thanks. Lynn. PS - if I go through network devices and select update drivers, it only offered updated drivers for the intel 82566mm gigabit network connection. Is there any point in googling for updated driver if this route indicate no new drives exist?
...See More
Wireless often slow to connect
Q
Comments (5)
Wife's laptop has no problems picking up from this same Belkin wireless router. The Netgear is a 111v3 Wireless-G USB adapter. Powering everything off sporadically helps. The problem is quite sporadic. My experience has been that sporadic problems don't lend themselves well to boilerplate solutions and may result in a lot of hair pulling. Wife says we are on channel six and there is always someone else on channel six. We are out in the xburbs. Who else is on channel six. A neighbor a few hundred yards away perhaps? We have not figure out how to change channels.
...See More
Conflict of wireless connections?
Q
Comments (12)
I wouldn't mess with the wifi adaptor or drivers, if there's a good signal and it works fine when close to the router, I'd try other things first. You change wifi channels by logging on the to router from a PC's browser and then go to the wireless part of the router's settings. If you look at the user info that came with the router, it will tell you how. There's an IP address and a standard password (unless you changed it). Someone in your household would have logged on to the router already when setting up encryption and a wifi password - if that wasn't done before, put that on the to-do list when you connect to the router now. Your PC and other wifi devices will adjust to the new channel setting without any action on your part. Yes, some routers send a stronger signal than others. Also, baby monitors and cordless phones can cause interference. If you have either, try unplugging the base station and moving the phones out of the house to see if that makes a difference. Routers in North America come with channels 1-11 but you shouldn't think of them as being discrete like TV channels because they bleed into one another. Instead, think of it as having three channels to choose from - a low number (1), a middle number (5-6) and a high number (11). Choose one farthest away from what your neighbor is using - most routers ship preset to a middle channel and that's why so many people have conflicts with neighbors' signals. If your neighbor's is in the middle, choose either low or high. Failing that, there are other things to do to boost signals. Google for simple suggestions, including homemade reflector gizmos made from cardboard and aluminum foil. You can buy a high gain antenna for the router, you can buy a repeater (Hawkings makes great ones), you can get a wireline adaptor with a wifi bridge, or you can try to relocate the router to a more central spot or one that minimizes physical obstacles that the signal has to pass through.
...See More
bpgreen
15 years ago
"I don't think someone would be on the phone 3 to 4 hours almost every night"

You must not have a teenage daughter. :)

The phone interference would be most likely if it's in your house since you're not in an apartment. I don't know why you're dropping the connection every night.

Is there any other electronic equipment that gets turned on at your house during that time? Maybe something else is sending off signals that interfere.

Have you tried resetting the router when that happens? Turn it off, let it sit for a minute and turn it back on to see if that helps.

If you're on a 1 acre lot, I'm surprised that you're seeing your neighbors' connections.

To secure your connection, you'd need to go into the router setup and the wireless setup on your computer and set them both to use WPA (or WEP if that is all that is supported). The router should have instructions on how to do this. If not, post here and somebody can help.
lydia1959
Original Author
15 years ago
You must not have a teenage daughter. :) Actually I do. lol It would just be odd to talk on the phone for 3 hours every night for 4 nights, then not talk at all for the next 3. Sometimes I can connect with no problems for a entire week.

I thought it might be the dishwasher, but it's not that.

Thanks for the instructions. I'll mess with it next week when I have more time.

A question about wireless connections

Comments (4)

bpgreen

lydia1959
Original Author

Related Discussions

bpgreen

lydia1959
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

A question about wireless connections

Comments (4)

bpgreen

lydia1959Original Author

Related Discussions

bpgreen

lydia1959Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

lydia1959
Original Author

lydia1959
Original Author