Me vs. Wireless Network

Arvean

Hi Guys,
As usually I come to you in trouble.
Recently my network is smarter than I am. I was never a big fan of wireless networks but as my each member of my family purchased their own laptop I was forced to establish wireless network. I've chosen BELKIN Wireless G Plus MIMO Router, set everything up and it seemed to be working. From the client side I have 2 HP tx1000 tablets ( wireless G), one desktop (both wired,and wireless G) and one older hp laptop with wireless B.
The problem I'm experiencing is that sometimes it works flawlessly across the whole house, and other days like yesterday it would go down every 30 minutes, or just lose connection staying on limited connectivity always. I just can go on like that, as my family threatens to run cables from my room to every room at home ( that would be a visual disaster) My thoughts are:

a) Router sucks
b) There is some kind of interference
c) I need to get a stronger router(N class )
d) Too many people on the net?
e) That's just the nature of wireless network, they loose it all the time.

Please advice, if this is a routers fault I'm willing to put up and buy a good one if you recommend something, I just don't want to run those cables.....

Thanks,

dynamik

a) Possibility
b) Most likely
c) Might help http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11n#Comparison_chart (that's an expensive upgrade though)
d) Not likely. Unless you're all trying to stream HD video simultaneously, you really shouldn't be saturating the connection that much.
e) My connections at home and at work don't.

You might have to compromise and install more than one WAP. I suppose that depends on the size and construction of your home.

hetty

Change the default wireless channel. Run netstumbler to see conflicting networks on the same channel also, somebody is probably causing you some interference. Change the channel, it might get better.

Schluep

hetty wrote:

Change the default wireless channel. Run netstumbler to see conflicting networks on the same channel also, somebody is probably causing you some interference. Change the channel, it might get better.

Interference on that channel was my first thought as well. If all users lose connectivity at the same time this is very likely. Obviously you don't want to sit your router beside a cordless phone base, on top of the microwave, near some big speakers and so on.

If only one or two users are losing connectivity see if it is related to the area in the house that they are located in. If it only affects one or two users and changing location doesn't solve the problem it could be an issue. I had an older desktop PC using a Linksys PCI wireless card once and it couldn't maintain a connection anywhere even though all of the laptops were fine.

undomiel

Search around for interference and look out for those pine trees. I would also consider the possibility of it being a crappy router. I had a Linksys that would drop connection sometimes every 5 minutes, sometimes a few hours, and every once in a while it would take a day or so before problems showed up. Couldn't find any interference around whatsoever and it was line of site as well since everyone was in the same room. Fought it out with Linksys and got an RMA only to have the same problem. Ditched the Linksys and picked up a Buffalo and it has been all good since then. So if you can't find a source of interference and different channels aren't helping it could very well be a need for a new router.

Tyrant1919

Damn pine trees, I'm tellin' you. You have a pine tree story Undomiel?

I'd bet interferance. Check what you got around you. I've never had any issues with linksys wireless routers, that's why I got 2.

darkuser

remember microwaves and cordless phones can run on the 2.4g spectrum
either on a single channel or spread spectrum

JDMurray

When you say, "it would go down every 30 minutes, or just lose connection staying on limited connectivity always," are you taking about loosing all network connectivity between the wireless hosts or only connectivity to the Internet?

In addition to interference caused by cordless phones, microwave ovens, baby monitors, and remote control units, Bluetooth also plays Hell with 802.11 networks, so check what Bluetooth devices are operating within 10 meters of the area (including outside). Also, get rid of any 802.11b devices on your network. The entire wireless network must operate at 11Mbps just to support the older, slower devices. Buy a 802.11g USB NIC for the laptop and switch your AP to "802.11g only" mode.

hypnotoad

Definently change the channel it is running on. Does it behave the same in G mode as it does in B mode? Does it have an A mode?

Arvean

JDMurray wrote:

Also, get rid of any 802.11b devices on your network. The entire wireless network must operate at 11Mbps just to support the older, slower devices.

Are you serious?? All this time my network was running at b ? I was sure it would differenciate between G and B and provide each according network... ( hehe I guess I have to study more for my Network+ exam :P )

About those 30 minutes drops... It's irregular, sometimes working fine for days and when it looses it, I still have connection, just no internet. Then I reboot the router and I get it back...

Arvean

nl wrote:

Definently change the channel it is running on. Does it behave the same in G mode as it does in B mode? Does it have an A mode?

If I change the channel, do I also have to change something on client's side?

Arvean

darkuser wrote:

remember microwaves and cordless phones can run on the 2.4g spectrum
either on a single channel or spread spectrum

No phones, no microwaves, no bluetooth, no babies :P Router is high on the top of my shelf, only with modem

hetty

Arvean wrote:

nl wrote:

Definently change the channel it is running on. Does it behave the same in G mode as it does in B mode? Does it have an A mode?

If I change the channel, do I also have to change something on client's side?

It depends, you probably wont have to. It should just pick up the new channel. But if youve got some picky 3rd party wireless utility you might have to set it up again.

hypnotoad

Arvean wrote:

No phones, no microwaves, no bluetooth, no babies :P Router is high on the top of my shelf, only with modem

It might be possible you're actually underneith the wifi signal. In an omni-directional antenna, it's going to shoot most of the signal horizontally. If you move the router, does that help?

Do you have a solid connection on the antenna -- it's not lose is it?

xwesleyxwillisx

The radio can only operate at the lowest supported data rate. A B client on your network can only support 11Mbps. This means all your clients must slow down to 11Mbps.

I would definitely advise you to disable 802.11b mode on the device.

I also second the suggestion hetty made and perform a quick and dirty rf analysis with netsumbler. Assuming you live in an apartment or your neighbors are close by you probably have interference coming from someone else's AP (and vice-versa). My bet is your AP is on channel 6 and so is everyone else's. Channel 6 is generally the default.

If you notice an AP showing a strong power (-65 RSSI or higher) on the same channel as your AP I would definitely switch channels.

I would also walk to every room where you have wireless clients. Take a look at how your RSSI of your AP changes. If it drops lower than -70db you will definitely get dropped connections. If this is the case you may want to consider either a wireless repeater or another AP. Keep in mind the repeater only repeats the signal and does hinder your throughput.

hetty

Ive got an AP running in mixed G & B mode and my clients are running at 54Mb.

dynamik

hetty wrote:

Ive got an AP running in mixed G & B mode and my clients are running at 54Mb.

Are you using any B clients though? I think the point was that it would drop down in order to support B clients.

Also, if you're adjusting the channel, I believe 1, 6, and 11 are the only acceptable choices since there is some overlap between the channels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11#Channels_and_international_compatibility

Schluep

hetty wrote:

Ive got an AP running in mixed G & B mode and my clients are running at 54Mb.

If the AP is running in mixed mode for both B & G you should still achieve the higher max data rate if only G clients are accessing the network. If a single client connects using B however the whole network will have to slow down. The best bet is to run it for G only so that no client can connect using B and slow it down.

As already stated in answer but to confirm, changes to the channel typically do not need to be reflected on the clients. It is certainly possible but will quickly be noticed if you change it and one loses connectivity, though this is unlikely.

hetty

dynamik wrote:

hetty wrote:

Ive got an AP running in mixed G & B mode and my clients are running at 54Mb.

Are you using any B clients though? I think the point was that it would drop down in order to support B clients.

My mobile is 802.11b only. All clients are 802.11g only. Never had any problems running mixed G & B mode.

JDMurray

Arvean wrote:

Are you serious?? All this time my network was running at b ? I was sure it would differenciate between G and B and provide each according network... ( hehe I guess I have to study more for my Network+ exam :P )

An 802.11 network works as a half-duplex hub. A host can either transmit or receive, and every host receives packets from all other hosts on the network. A wireless cell can only run at one speed--the speed of the slowest host.

Arvean wrote:

About those 30 minutes drops... It's irregular, sometimes working fine for days and when it looses it, I still have connection, just no internet. Then I reboot the router and I get it back...

When the connection drops, can you plug a computer into the router's switch port and get Internet connectivity? If not, the problem is not with your wireless network connectivity but with your router's connection to the Internet.

Have you updated the firmware on your router lately? Is your router or its power adapter very hot? Have you contacted your ISP to see if they are aware of any conditions or activity that might cause your connection to become temporarily inactive?

phreak

Keep in mind that running in all-G mode requires better quality signal to the clients, because the output power in G-mode is reduced for compliance reasons.

Arvean

JDMurray wrote:

When the connection drops, can you plug a computer into the router's switch port and get Internet connectivity? If not, the problem is not with your wireless network connectivity but with your router's connection to the Internet.

Have you updated the firmware on your router lately? Is your router or its power adapter very hot? Have you contacted your ISP to see if they are aware of any conditions or activity that might cause your connection to become temporarily inactive?

On the wired network, internet is 24/7 the problem is only with wireless

Router has a normal temperature. My ISP are morons, they wanted me to delete cookies in the browser to fix this problem;)

No other condition, usually a full reboot of both router and computer fixes problem.

nanga

are all the clients within the range of the access point ?...I mean what is the strength of the signal.

Are u having a secure connection..I mean WAP/WEP so as to allow only authoirsed 4 people to use the wireless.

Suggest using a different router for some time to see if it helps...would determine if the router is root of the prob