Improving wireless reception on a desktop

[OneOfOne]

We have Telstra broadband with a Motorola Surfboard SBG900 wireless modem and a NetGear WG111 usb modem on my computer at the other end of the house (11 metres away). I gather this is a pretty standard installation. The connection however, keeps dropping out (at the worst possible time I might add, like typing a reply to IIS and then hit reply, the back button returns an empty message box :mad2:).

We have contacted Telstra, and after a number of calls they replaced the Motorolla modem. At one stage when the connection was off, I took my laptop into the same room as the modem and could not get a connection, which I believe prooved it was this part of the connection. Well, a month ago the new modem arrived and I installed it. After some mucking around to get the WEP key the same it was working again. But now I am not so sure that the previous one didn't work better :(. The connection still drops out...sometimes it comes back in a few seconds, other times you have to unplug the modem and plug it back in, only to have it die again a minute later :mad2:

The first call from Telstra suggested we turn the modem off when not using it! It does not have a power switch, so I didn't think this was required. The modem sits on top of a book case with nothing around it, so it should not overheat. We tried this, and the connection does not seem any better just after the modem is turned on (surprise, surprise, of course it is not as hot in Melbourne as Mumbai:whistle:).

The NetGear modem is plugged into a 3m extension cord so it can be placed up quite high and should be in direct sight of the Motorola. Originally it was plugged into the back of the computer, but it rarely worked (except of course when the guy installed it :rolleyes:).

I should point out that between the two modems there are three brick walls, so this should not affect the performance...oh, and our gym:D. The height of the two modems should place them above the metal in the home gym, if I put them lower, the signal cuts out. Both modems sit about 2m above the floor.

Can I do something to improve reception? I have the modem on my computer as close to the transmitter as I can, short of setting up inside a cupboard. The transmitter is on the "far" wall but the cables would not be long enough to move to the "near" wall to save 2m in distance. Would wrapping some wire around the stub antenna on the transmitter help? Maybe put them even higher? Is there a different reciever I could try that is more sensitive?

[OneOfOne]

And I might add, it just dropped out when I posted this message....thankfully I have copy and paste, and I am not afraid to use it!

[GTB_an_Owl]

knock out the three brick walls

geoff

[acropolite]

I bought some netgear wireless PCi cards & wap, for some reason it kep dropping the connection every 30 seconds or so, I sent the stuff back after trying everything including updated firmware. If your problem is signal strength an external antenna from Jaycar for around $20 may improve matters. If the problem is signal then a high gain antenna or more powerful access point may help. Freenet Antennas (http://freenet-antennas.com/v-web/portal/73/index.php)have an excellent range of gear and Terry in Sydney is very helpful, may be worth giving him a call.

[IanL]

Look up homeplug networking and go for this option.
This URL will provide info on it
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/default_ShopGroup.asp?ShopGroupID=6 1

This is a UK link but i am sure here in Australia their are companies that do these. Also good for anyone who wants to have ADSL in their observatory if they have electricity coming in from the house


Ian

[acropolite]

One qualification with power plug type network adapters, they only work when connected to the same phase, so if you have 3 phase power you may have problems where power points are connected to different phases..

[Ian Robinson]

I've just changed over from "free' university student dialup via the proxy server which was hopelessly unstable (would regularly drop out a dozen tmes in less minutes .... each time you reconnect .... another phone call ..... was costing me a fortune in local phone calls) to BigPond ADSL (I was told I couldn 't get ADSL+2 here) with unlimited downloads.

It came with one of those USB wireless adapters , was DOA , so they sent me PC Card wireless adapter (it arrived bent , the idiots shipped it to me in an unpadded envelope and it must have got squashed.

Compaigned but since it still worked , they weren't going to replace , so I pulled it out and bent it some more and then rang them again and told them it had died , got a new PC card wireless adapter.

I find ADSL which is not supposed to drop out , does drop out , very regularly. I think the problem is the hardware in the exchange .

The only reason I went with BigPond is be because I already had a long standing landline phone account witn them and I didn't want to change phone providers to get broadband - you can't get separate broadband only.

[OneOfOne]

I had a look on the modem, and the Motorolla doesn't have an external antenna connection :mad2: It would have been a perfect solution too...

[OneOfOne]

Some further info. My wife was using her daughter's computer this afternoon, which is wired into the modem and her internet connection was working. Then my computer dropped out and stayed out for several minutes, her wired connection worked the whole time. So I quickly took the laptop out and booted it up. I was unable to get an internet connection over the wireless. I then moved the laptop into the same room as the modem, about 2 metres away from it. No connection, hers was still working.

So I think this confirms that the modem itself is flakey! Or at least the transmission part of it. I would expect that boosting the signal is not likely to help the situation either.

It looks like yet another call to Telstra! Last time we were on the phone for at least half an hour...and that is after we got through to the right person!:rolleyes:

[DeanoNZL]

Do you have a cordless phone nearby? Or a neighbour?
They play havoc with wireless networking.
Just a thought.

[dannat]

depending on yuour type of modem you may look at getting an antenna, I think a 3db gain is usualy better than the standard one - that comes with the modem. Try telstra or if it fails go to jb hifi or dick smith - take a pic of the connector on the modem to compare it when you get into the shop

[Phil]

I went threw all this with my modem and after weeks and weeks of trying to find out what was stuffing things up it was a 2.8ghz T.V transmitter receiver. Once i change the channel on it everything work fine. It can also be wireless telephone to. Anything on the 2.8ghz band. So i would turn all that stuff of and see how it goes.
Phil

[Ian Robinson]

Call BigPond and complaign about it, tell them the wireless adapter don't work and demand a new one.

[rally]

I have had similar problems with an ISP at one site - but it may not necessarily be the same as your problem.

I am assuming this is a phone line connected ADSL connection that you have.

The issue is that the ISP has many different settings they can use to control your ADSL line connection at the local exchange.
Some phone lines are very noisy and the signal strength is low, as a result of this the ADSL connection drops out and also a new IP address can often be issued - which can make the reconnection not quite so seamless if you are in the middle of something.

The one my ISP had to change it too was called "Persistent" - if my memory is correct. At the same time they also switched a setting which retained the DHCP IP address for a longer period (even if it did drop out) - I think it may have been 12 hours - otherwise everytime there was a drop out even for a second we could get a new address.

They wont tell you about it generally and half the time even the person answering the call doesn't even know about it. So it makes it difficult to get them to do it.
After much talking I get through to a manager or somebody with some knowledge of their own systems.
They make the adjustment and hey presto - we no longer have drop outs happening all the time

The problem I have found is that these settings have the problem with reverting back to the default settings all the time, so its been a source of constant frustration that we have to call them every 2-4 months to get them to "Fix" the problem that was already 'Fixed' before.

I was using a linux server to provide the PPP sevices (rather than the modem) and so was logging all the drop outs and reconnections - that way we could see exactly what was going on and when and for how long - it was terrible.

Once the settings were changed it was chalk and cheese (drop outs by the minute verses a stable continuous connection for months - and they can do it in the space of a few minutes from their desk. (if you get the right person)

This assumes that this is even the problem - but at least its another thing to try.

Cheers Rally

[Maverick]

Hi guys,
Problem you have is with Wireless modem suplied by Telstra.It's not emiting strong signal as you need for these 3 walls.Ask Telstra to replace this modem for non-wireless Motorola 5100 and then buy powerful Wireless Router as Belkin , Lynksis or similar but MIMO or N , N1 series with strong signal out http://www.belkin.com/flash/networking/ Other tips are if your laptop is not connecting wireless , un-plug and plug modem , sometimes they go to "sleep" and don't send new IP address when your lapy ask for one also changing channel on modem/router to Ch6 can help.

Hope this helped

[gman]

I had the same problems.:mad2:
Always dropping out etc etc.
I run a Motorola SB5100 modem and a Netgear WGR614 router

I chased it down that I had both the router and the modem set to be the "DHCP server" for memory.
I shut down the option of being the DHCP server on the modem and all has worked beautifully ever since.:thumbsup:

[edk]

Just to confirm, you have a desktop and laptop both using the same internet connection. You have a wireless usb adapter on your notebook that gives you your connection to the wireless modem that your desktop is plugged into. Your desktop has no problems and is hardwired, your laptop is wireless and loses connection. When you lose your wireless connection, bringing the laptop into close proximity to the modem does not, in itself, restore your connection.

Firstly, your antennas and distance are not the issue. The issue is going to be with the connection parameters that your wireless adapter and your OS use to communicate with your wireless modem. Without knowing which OS you are using, I would advise a simple solution. Start again (any changes to your modems config pages should be done using youtr desktop pc).

Open the config pages for modem and backup the configuration information.
Open "Device Manager" on your laptop and delete the entry for your USB wireless adapter.
Go into the config page for your wireless modem and reset the wireless setting to factory default.
reboot the modem.
Open the config pages for your modem and re-enable the wireless networking - for now leave out/disable and security settings, just get it working first.
For the most part, default settings will work fine. Just make a not of what they are so that you can transpose them on to your laptop.
Reboot your laptop. When your laptop comes back up, it will auto detect your USB device and reconfigure it for default settings; let it.
If you are using Vista, it should detect the wireless network (modem) and present a dialog that will allow you to connect. If you are using XP, you may have to use the Network Wizard to establish the connection, be it should be straight forward enough.
Although this might sound a bit convoluted, it is fairly straightforward. The problems your are having appear to be with settings. When they go wrong, it can be a nightmare to figure out where the problem is. Thats why, sometimes, its just more straighforward to reset the lot and start again. But, you definitely don't have dodgy hardware.

Hope this helps.

[OneOfOne]

Thanks edk, your description of the setup is close...but not quite.

We have one desktop (XP-Pro) connected directly to the Motorola modem which never seems to loose connectivity. This modem is connected to cable (not ADSL). My computer (XP-Pro) is about 11m away in the backroom of the house. Sometimes the internet connection works for hours without a problem. Other times you can be using the internet for some time, and then it just drops out. Sometimes it comes back automatically in seconds, sometimes it takes a minute or so. Other times, the icon on the task bar gets a red cross through it. If you right click on it and select "Repair" it disconnects from the USB modem and connects again, usually successfully. Sometimes it fails. If you unplug the Motorola modem and plug it in again (no power switch) the connectivity often returns, sometimes not. In a couple of cases when the connection has dropped out I have turned the laptop on (Vista) in the back room. In all cases it does not connect if the desktop could not also get connection, it says "there are no wireless connections available". If I bring the laptop up to within a couple of metres of the Motorola it still says there are no connections. If it does connect, I will find that my desktop will have also reconnected.

It appears that the RF transmission side of the connection is "flakey". It is just a matter of how much of my life do I want to spend on the phone (again) going through all the usual BS and trying things you have tried before without success or get stupid suggestions like "you should turn it off when not in use" (so why doesn't it have a power switch?) or "are there any objects that could be interfering" (what, over a distance of 2m?...other than air!). It took nearly a month for the new modem to arrive and a couple of hours to get it working again, only to find the same problem, but I think the first modem was better:(

[Barrykgerdes]

This seems to be a common problem with wireless routers. I have a similar set up with a dynalink ADSL modem and a netgear 614 router. The wireless serves 5 computers. Two of them nearly 50 metres away (accross the road). I in my obsevatory, one in my lap top and one in the games room 10 metres away.

The only one that suffers from dropouts is the one in the games room. I have tried two or three cards from different makers but they all have the same problem. The only thing I can pinpoint is the signal goes through the kitchen which usually have plenty of activity. 2.4 Ghz RF does funny things with propagation.

Barry

[gman]

I think your issue will be resolved by using Mavericks solution.
Install a wireless router.
Turn off the wireless ability of the current modem and use the wireless ability of the router.
The only question then is how much you want to spend

[programmer]

At a guess I'd blame the WG111. Buy another one (perhaps different brand) from somewhere like Dick Smith and test it on the laptop. You can always get a refund, no questions asked. :) If you don't need the portability, get a non-USB modem for the laptop and just disconnect it when you move.

[Maverick]

Hi OneOfOne
Is your desktop connected to Motorola Cable modem through USB cable or Ethernet cable?Ethernet cable is better option:thumbsup:.Also on laptop you have pluged in USB wireless adapter Netgear 111.Your laptop doesnt have wireless built in or the built in wireless died?I hoped that you have read my privious replay.I had cable internet for years and Motorola 5100 modem (DSL now).My wireless was through D-Link Wireless router 524 and never had serious problems;).Disconnections on your wireless you are getting could be interferences of some other radio signals going around(other wireless modems/routers, cordless phones...):doh:.But if you are getting disconected of internet on your desktop (which is connected via cable USB or Ethernet) then, have a chat to BigPond to replace modem or if they can explane why you get disconected sometimes (could be problem on optical cable from your house to exchange):thumbsup:.Before buying good router try to change channel on your modem.They go from 1-13.Channels 1-6-11 are the best because they will hardly conflict with other signals (Ch 6) is favorite;).
Hope this helped

[edk]

Hi OneOfOne. At the risk of turning this into a saga, I'd have to say that your hardware is probably not at fault. I would still recommend that you check settings. You are running a mixed net, XP and Vista. These OS's do not do networking (wireless or otherwise) in the same ways and therefore make the job of communicating that much more, interesting! I run a mixed net at home with 2 XP boxes and Vista laptop. I have recently changed address and used a local service provider at my old address. My old ISP don't provide service at my new address so I switched to BigPond (Big Mistake) I originally used the modem that Bigpond provided (complete rubbish). My laptop saw the change in the network that came with the new modem and Vista being Vista completely reconfigured its networking, blocking out my desktop and my F&P server. Even though it worked OK, the Bigpond modem operated with settings proprietary to Bigpond. I replaced the modem, no change. I disabled and reset all networking on my systems, and after some frustration everything now works OK. I have gone through this process with some 20 other people, all with similar symptoms and all ending up OK. Thats not to say yours is the same problem, but, a new modem/router costs money, reseting you network parameters doesn't.


Cheers :thumbsup:
ed

[wraithe]

I havent been here for months, and returned to see a thread thats about wireless, oh boy what is it with Vista..
EDK has that in one, vista can cause major dramas in a network, try mixing it with xp and linux...dhcp and vista is ok, but the network can be killed by vista, then manual you say, hmmm, i wish, vista tries to do all the work for you, pity its lost in its own little world...
As edk stated, reset and restart, piece by piece, its just time not money...
If you end up with a lack of signal(and i would be inclined to find a friend who can check signal strength for you first) then a solution would be a simple little home made can antennae, place up high so its not able to be looked into or near anyones head...This little piece of gear can give a 40mw router/modem a range of up to 200m with ease...thats not bad as you can make them from a pringles tin, yes the carboard ali lined ones....
I will try to find you a link...

http://www.wlan.org.uk/antenna-page.html
This link has a few diff antennae projects...

http://flakey.info/antenna/waveguide/
This antennae wont cost the earth and can be enjoyable making...


I am in the process of making something simular, but for a range of 7 klms and of course for outdoors use..
Any modem/router with wireless has an antennae of sorts, even tho internal, just find where it is and if possible find schematics of the board, then your more than half way there, but do as EDK said first, or this may be a waste of time....