Why is my wireless signal strength low?

TechnoFreek

There are two pc's in my parents place connected to the standard eircom netopia router. My brother's pc is wired directly to the router with the router right beside the pc. He is running Vista

In my parents room is a second XP pc with a Belkin Wireless G USB adaptor. It connects to the network but the signal strength is really poor. never get better then "low". The belkin adaptor is no more than 40 feet away from the router.
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=179211

Can anyone explain why the signal is so poor and what I can do to improve it.

P.S. The drivers that came with the adaptor were rubbbish and I wasnt able to connect to the network at all. Installing the latest official drivers allowed me to connect albeit with low signal strength

Einstein

because netopia have crap wireless tbh.
U could try using a range extender...works for me in the exact same scenario.

therhythmbyrne

netopia is crap and possibly the obstructions between the router and the PC ie walls windows etc. They severly reduce wireless strength.

Get a better router or relocate it somewhere. Personally I would run ethernet cable to the PC.

MunsterCycling

It's a double whammy really, you have a craptopia router and a busted belkin usb adaptor, not really the best combination, run some cable or figure on replacing the two items above.

MC

dub45

It is very difficult the predict the performance of any wireless equipment in any particular situation. Have you tried varying the position of the belkin via a usb extension cable? Have you tried changing the wireless channel on the netopia?

Have you checked to see if there are any other wireless networks in the area which might be clashing with yours?

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Network-Tools/Network-Monitoring/NetStumbler.shtml

By the way does the 'low' wireless signal actually affect the bb peformance. I have seen 'low' wireless signals being shown but still adequate bb performance.

u2thepale

There are quite a lot of posts re bad wireless connectivity.
I had similar problems , a lot of the problems are caused by solid walls, Incomaptible wireless cards/usb cards,location of router etc.
No-one wants to run a cable for obvious reasons.

AS i've posted a few times lately on these forums cable is the only way to go .I've tried and tested homeplugs and they are the way to go.
Wireless is un-reliable technology at the best of times...
Check it out, especially if you have stationary pc's.

TechnoFreek

Thanks for your replies! Did some tinkering around, moving the router, extending the usb belkin "dildo" and i'm 100% that it is a distance issue. Placed right beside each other i get 100% signal strength, move them apart and it weakens more and more.

I have done some investigations and I too have come to the conclusion that homeplugs are the most reliable way to go. anyone like to support or challenge this?

if I was to go the homeplug route, some recommendations would be great. I really want to keep the price down though as it will be only for a pc thats used to surf the net. no gaming.

thanks in advance

MunsterCycling

PC World do an advent set that is 85Mbs, have a gander at their site www.pcworld.co.uk and see. Have a set here but don't use them at the mo but they work straight out of the pack, no config needed.

MC

u2thepale

Technofreak , I was very wary when I first decided to buy the Homeplugs as it sounded too good to be true , I work in an I.T dept and being sceptical of new technolgy part and parcel of the job.
Having scoured the web and comparing products and reviews the devolo 200mb homeplug got the best reviews. I bought two am will probably buy a third.

I would'nt think of anything lower than the 200mb,you can get them at the same price as an 85mb homplug and even though it says 200mb i'd say you loose a bit , so with 85mb you could possibly get 75/70 mb so make sure you get 200mb.
Even though your only sufing better safe than sorry.
I bought two devolos "ebay" 200mb and cost me €140 including shipping.They were german plugs however (two pins) but i had adpaters.I'll be buying an english plug next time.
If you do decide to buy a homeplug make sure that it; not too wide and doesnt take up two plug sockets as i know some of the well known brands do !!
Hope that helps, as mentioned dabs, pc world will stock or ebay

MunsterCycling

Throughput is more like 25 to 30 Mbs for the 85Mbs so the 200, would be a factor of that if not less.

MC

Voodoo2

What the driver reports to windows zero config and to the client manager of your usb dongle are interpenetrated differently - I would never use these as a judgment of your speed, throughput is the only way to measure. Vista for example shows the maximum connected say 54Mbps regardless if your actually connected at 12 or 3Mbps

MunsterCycling

Voodoo2 wrote: »

What the driver reports to windows zero config and to the client manager of your usb dongle are interpenetrated differently - I would never use these as a judgment of your speed, throughput is the only way to measure. Vista for example shows the maximum connected say 54Mbps regardless if your actually connected at 12 or 3Mbps

We talking about powerline adaptor throughput. Literacy levels in Keeeeerrrry must be slipping


MC

Voodoo2

MunsterCycling wrote: »

We talking about powerline adaptor throughput. Literacy levels in Keeeeerrrry must be slipping


MC

Wow I don't know about literacy levels where you are in Munster, but Last time i could read the kerry way the title said "Why is my wireless signal strength low? " and the person was asking advice from the general forum and i gave my advice - And not to trust signal levels that throughput was more important!

TechnoFreek

OK, so I decided to shell out on a pair of Sitecom 85MBps homeplugs. Picked them up in peats for €85. not the absolute cheapest but reasonable enough when I saw Lidl offering a set of Targa brand ones for €80.

Anyway, there work a treat, no issues and reliable so far.

Just wondering does anyone know how those homeplugs actually work? How it's done through the mains etc? Thanks

MunsterCycling

They use the house wiring to piggyback the signal on the mains line. Google is thy friend..


MC

MrVestek

This may seem like a pointless question but it does have a point. When you run a scan for wireless networks how many do you pick up?

TechnoFreek

MunsterCycling wrote: »

They use the house wiring to piggyback the signal on the mains line. Google is thy friend..


MC

Cheers man. I do understand that much though. I was looking for more technical detail!

TechnoFreek

Achilles wrote: »

This may seem like a pointless question but it does have a point. When you run a scan for wireless networks how many do you pick up?

Just the one, my own. I'm out in the country surrounded by very few neighbours who I know for a fact dont have pcs, broadband or wireless in any form.