UPC router intermittent connection

mbarosin

I've noticed a good few people complaining about the wireless router UPC provided. But I can't believe it's this bad. I'm hoping it's just a settings issue.

When connected through ethernet to the upc router, I'm getting good steady speeds (it's supposed to be 20Mbs and it gets close enough).
But the when using the wireless router I keep getting disconnected for about 20-30 seconds every 5 minutes. Very frustrating.

It's a Netgear WGR614 v9.
Could it be that this router is just that bad or can I do something with the settings.

Thanks

Lenny

The gf had the wirelss bb from upc, and I am unsure of the model, but she had a white netgear router, and was using the usb key(which made high pitched beeping noises every now and then)
Connection kept going down, be waiting ages on the pages to load(and constantly using the repair feature in windows)
I changed the wireless and it seems much better. I think its the router the supply are just crap and weak if they have to go through a wall or two

thecornerboy

mbarosin wrote: »

I've noticed a good few people complaining about the wireless router UPC provided. But I can't believe it's this bad. I'm hoping it's just a settings issue.

When connected through ethernet to the upc router, I'm getting good steady speeds (it's supposed to be 20Mbs and it gets close enough).
But the when using the wireless router I keep getting disconnected for about 20-30 seconds every 5 minutes. Very frustrating.

It's a Netgear WGR614 v9.
Could it be that this router is just that bad or can I do something with the settings.

Thanks

Having the exact same problem except with the DGN2000 model. I've yet to properly investigate but the wireless connection persists through the outages so it's a problem with the broadband service and not the access point. That's all I know. If it's happening with 2 different models it's likely a problem at UPC's end, though it could also be intermittent signal problems.

hightower1

Try going to www.routerlogin.net or 192.168.100.1

Enter username: admin password: password

Select the "wireless settings" heading on the blue banner on the left
(its just under the first heading of basic settings)

On the main page now select the channel drop down and use channel 11.... oh and set it to b and g here too.

Now hit apply and close down the explorer. See if that helps.

mbarosin

thecornerboy wrote: »

Having the exact same problem except with the DGN2000 model. I've yet to properly investigate but the wireless connection persists through the outages so it's a problem with the broadband service and not the access point. That's all I know. If it's happening with 2 different models it's likely a problem at UPC's end, though it could also be intermittent signal problems.

Connecting wired to the router gives me a perfectly steady connection so I don't think it's a UPC problem

hightower1 wrote: »

Try going to www.routerlogin.net or 192.168.100.1

Enter username: admin password: password

Select the "wireless settings" heading on the blue banner on the left
(its just under the first heading of basic settings)

On the main page now select the channel drop down and use channel 11.... oh and set it to b and g here too.

Now hit apply and close down the explorer. See if that helps.

I actually changed it to channel 11 this morning. It seems to have helped slightly. It only appears to go down for a few seconds instead of 20-30, but it still goes down every few minutes. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I read something about noise margins in a different thread. How can I get my stats for this? I've looked on the router's homepage, can't find it in stats though

I'm wondering should I cut my losses and just buy a better router. I only got the 20Mbs to get the free router. I always planned on downgrading after a couple of months.
I really don't get how crap this router can be since the wireless modem I got when I was with Eircom was €50 and I never once had a problem with it.

Quandary

Hey OP i know exactly what your talking about. I had the same issue but it was with a Linksys Wireless Access point. If you are using Windows Vista then this is quite a common problem.I took the following steps and have never had a disconnection since!

1 - Download the most recent release of driver for your wireless Network adapter, Uninstall your current driver, restart and install the newly downloaded driver. After this step see if the problem still occurs

2 - If the problem persists - See if you can find a firmware upgrade for your wireless router & install that.

3 - Check & see if there is any type of "Speed Booster setting" in your Wireless router config menus. If there is, disable it and see how it goes.


NB. - if you are not very familiar with router configs i would advise you to take note of the settings you changed ie old setting, where in the menu it is and the new setting because it can be easy to lose track of troubleshooting steps you have taken.


Best of luck + hope it helps!

Forgot to ask - does the problem happen when other PCs/Laptops connect wirelessly also because if this is the case then you know for sure that the problem is with the Wireless router - firmware upgrades can really make all the difference if this is the case!

hightower1

I have had the router for a year now with no issues with it at all and nearly all my mates have the same set up and no issues? I'd try upgrading the firmware in it....

Go to routerlogin.net and same username and pass as before...

Now find router upgrade on the blue banner..

The main screen will display a "check for updates" button and display a loading bar once clicked.

If it finds something it will give you a save or open option, select dave to desktop .

Once its saved use the same screen on the router and look at the "browse" line, click it and select the downloaded file fragments (thats what the upgade is listed as on teh desktop) , should take a few mins and will cut the connection to the router once complete.

Try the explorer as normal then?

mbarosin

hightower1 wrote: »

I have had the router for a year now with no issues with it at all and nearly all my mates have the same set up and no issues? I'd try upgrading the firmware in it....

Go to routerlogin.net and same username and pass as before...

Now find router upgrade on the blue banner..

The main screen will display a "check for updates" button and display a loading bar once clicked.

If it finds something it will give you a save or open option, select dave to desktop .

Once its saved use the same screen on the router and look at the "browse" line, click it and select the downloaded file fragments (thats what the upgade is listed as on teh desktop) , should take a few mins and will cut the connection to the router once complete.

Try the explorer as normal then?

No new firmware available

Quandary wrote: »

Hey OP i know exactly what your talking about. I had the same issue but it was with a Linksys Wireless Access point. If you are using Windows Vista then this is quite a common problem.I took the following steps and have never had a disconnection since!

1 - Download the most recent release of driver for your wireless Network adapter, Uninstall your current driver, restart and install the newly downloaded driver. After this step see if the problem still occurs

2 - If the problem persists - See if you can find a firmware upgrade for your wireless router & install that.

3 - Check & see if there is any type of "Speed Booster setting" in your Wireless router config menus. If there is, disable it and see how it goes.


NB. - if you are not very familiar with router configs i would advise you to take note of the settings you changed ie old setting, where in the menu it is and the new setting because it can be easy to lose track of troubleshooting steps you have taken.


Best of luck + hope it helps!

Forgot to ask - does the problem happen when other PCs/Laptops connect wirelessly also because if this is the case then you know for sure that the problem is with the Wireless router - firmware upgrades can really make all the difference if this is the case!

I am using Vista. I never had this problem with the same wireless card with eircom though. So surely it's not the wireless card?

I might bring my old laptop over and see how it's wireless card does.

I will try to install the latest driver for my current card though and see if that works. Thanks!

vibe666

it could be interference from other wireless devices nearby.

download netstumbler and run some scans from various points around your house to see what other wifi networks are in your vicinity. make a note of 'quiet' channels where no other wifi is present, prefereably with empty channels either side of it too if that's possible (depending on how many you find in use) and change to that channel.

it's also worth noting that a LOT of devices emit radio signal in the 2.4ghz range so if it is wireless interference it might not even be wifi that's doing it.

everything from bluetooth, tv/video senders, dect phones and even microwave ovens and car alarms can cause enough interference to disrupt your signal.

try and eliminate as many of these types of things as a possible source of interference as you can. disable bluetooth devices, turn off dect phones temporarily, etc. etc. and see if you get any improvement.

coldfire1x

I am using the Netgear WGR614 provided by UPC for more than 4 years now and only 1 time had a problem.

That had more to do with windows than anything else. Windows update somehow got few updates that screwed the wireless connection. After trying everything for few days, the most simple solution that worked was System Restore. Did once and it sorted out everything. Never had any problem since then either with XP or Vista or Windows 7 beta.

coldfire1x

Like the other poster said.....

Forgot to add that, I had a Video sender and just switching in on used to make the internet wifi completely useless.

vibe666

i actually had to stop using my video sender for exactly that reason. i've had to change wifi channel 3 times due to increased 2.4ghz activity in my street and eventually ran out of clean airwaves so something had to give.

i ended up drilling holes in the outside walls and running a cable outside, up the wall and back into the bedroom instead so i could ditch the video sender altogether.

mbarosin

I think hightower's suggestion of updating my wireless card's router has worked, thanks!
I'm getting a nice steady connection now. I was very near to buying a new router which would have cost a bomb :pac:

Quandary

fair play - its always nice when you get it sorted!

hightower1

No problem man, glad it helped

Sudsy86

Hey Guys,

Just to add aswell...Most issue with the wireless router are not actually caused by the wireless router and is normally a settings issue...Another thing i have found with intermittent wireless is a class in frequency...If your neigbour is using B and your using B and G he is getting priority over your connection...So what you will need to do is change yours connection to a G connection...If your neighbour is using an N connection your screwed...You'll have to go and buy an N router and at that ye will be contesting...

hoanymole

I was on to NTL today and they fixed my intermittent wireless signal by doing this.

Logging in to the router (Cisco EPC2425 @ http://192.168.100.1/ )

(default settings to log in are to leave username & password blank and hit enter. you can assign a password once you're in)

Path: Setup/Wireless/Security - and disabling 'WPS Config' under the 'WiFi Protected Setup (WPS)' heading.

They also switched my wireless channel (Path: Setup/Wireless/Basic) to channel 1 as other routers are defaulted to chanel 11 & 6.

Hope this helps.

BostonB

I have the same problem. I'd be curious what they could have updated that solved this.