Wireless Home Network probs

MisterAnarchy

I have been setting up a wireless home network over the last 2 days.
I am using a D-Link 624 router and 2 Trendnet Tew-423 54mb/s wireless cards.
I setup the router and modem in the kitchen beside the telephone line.
The 2 pc's I am networking are in an L shape.
One is about 10 yards in a straight line from the router,thru 2 walls.
The second one is about 4 yards at right angles to the second Pc thru another wall.
It is about 12 yards from the router but diagonally thru 4 walls.
I set up the router correctly and installed the network cards.
PC 1 is picking up a very strong signal off the router ,54mbps.
Its working perfectly.
The second PC's reception is very poor, it keeps on dropping an internet connection.
I tried switching the cards but it made no difference.
I've tinkered with the settings on the router but again no increase in signal.
I varied the angles of the antennae but the difference was negligible.
Its weird that the fall off in signal is so great and I think something must be wrong.
Would it be possible to wirelessly connect PC1 to the router and then connect PC2 to PC1 wirelessly ,hence I should maintain a strong signal ?
Or do I need a bigger aerial ?
Anyone have any ideas ?

irlrobins

Make sure u have latest drivers and firmware installed for router and drivers.

You can download them from manufacturers website.

Any cordless phones near the 2nd pc?

MisterAnarchy

Make sure u have latest drivers and firmware installed for router and drivers.

Yes I have the most up to date drivers .
No cordless phone near the 2nd PC,although I did have one near the router .

irlrobins

disconnect it and see what happens. cordless phones often interfer with wireless if they're on the same freg.

qBot

Maybe try disabling any encryption you have such as wpa. I had problems initially when i used large keys for wpa. I eventually ended up using wep 64 bit encryption. Otherwise my connection keeped dropping, especially with large file transfers.

MisterAnarchy

I havent used any encryption yet as whenever I tried it,it caused the router to crash.
I live in the countryside so encryption isnt a major factor.
I turned off the wireless phone,didnt seem to impact on the reception.
I moved PC1 into the same room as PC2 right beside it and it was receiving a much stronger signal.
Signal Quality was 65% and Link Quality was 75%.
This compared to 35% and 50% for PC2.
This seems odd .
PC2 is on the ground and I presume the signal would be better if the aerial was up a few feet .
I then moved PC2 into where PC1 was and it had strong reception just like PC1.
I think that PC2's reception is being dragged down by some unknown force.
It is my main PC and is high spec whereas PC1 is a Pentium 3 PC I rebuilt,albeit it performs very well.
In hindsight I should have bought a Wireless card with a seperate aerial on a cable which I could have put up on my desk to increase reception.
I am still bamboozled as to why PC2 isnt working as well as PC1.
Any ideas are appreciated.

philologos

are you trying to share an internet connection over this?

irlrobins

obviously something causing interference with signal at ground level. Elec wires/ pipes under the floor boards etc.

Maybe this will be of better use to you. It has a cable to connect ot PC so you can move it around for the best signal.

elara.ie,microaid.ie and komplett.ie will have the best prices usually.

MisterAnarchy

I think I'll look around for a more powerful antennae for the second wirelsss card
The router and the cards all use a Detachable 2dBi Dipole Antennae.
I guess if I got a higher rated gain antenna that this may solve the problem ?

irlrobins

yea probably.

MisterAnarchy

I moved PC2 up on my desk and the signal strength increased dramatically.
I am now seeing a very strong signal .
All I did was move it up 3 feet and the improvement was dramatic.
I guess I'll just have to leave the pc on the desk or else get a lead for the aerial and put it on the desk.
Its an Antec server case and its really big and heavy.
I reckon the orientation of the case on the ground was blocking alot of the signal.
Quite amazing really.
I made my own waveguide out of a box of Rice Krispies.
I opened it out into a sheet and covered it in tin foil.
I then put it behind the Pc and curved it to reflect the signal onto the antenna.
Improved the reception hugely.

philologos

good that you got it workin anyhow

MisterAnarchy

Seems my solution was only temporary.Reception has deteriorated again.
I'll just have to get an external aerial on a lead to place for better reception.
I'll buy a new card with this type of aerial and sell the one I have.

philologos

theres no need to do that just unscrew the aerial already on it and connect a new aerial to it

MisterAnarchy

theres no need to do that just unscrew the aerial already on it and connect a new aerial to it

Yes I know that but the new card is almost the same price as an aerial so its better that way.
Its ridiculous that a little aerial costs so much.

MicraBoy

Were you using NetStumbler to check your signal? If not I recommend downloading it. Gives good instant feedback when positioning your machine/NIC/dongle. I had the same problem with my connection dropping off. A few mins with NetStumbler/Extension Cable/USB Dongle has sorted me out.

Or if that brings no joy, consider one of these. Check EBay for for better prices.

http://www.cantenna.com/

philologos

hooking that cantenna to the router would make a lot of sense

MisterAnarchy

I'll give NetStumbler a go,didnt use that.
You can make your own cantenna out of a pringles tin ;no kidding
http://webserver.computoredge.com/editorial/2339/cover.htm
I'm gonna give this a try ,just for fun to see how it performs.

philologos

good luck mate post your method up on boards if it works

eirlink

It could be that the signal being emitted from the router is being masked in one direction.The router could be in a "blind spot"...indeed so could the pc..

Could it be that you are picking up interference on that frequency from nextdoor?
Is the router/modem close to microwave....do you have any video senders nearby?

Wirefree alarm system...wirefree alarm sensors on nearby window?
Wirefree motion detector in kitchen? as you walk around they are transmitting!

You may be able to eliminate interference in the house by powering down /unplugging all appliances to see if interference is causing prob and therefore if it goes away on pwr down.

Just some suggestions which might help

philologos

changing the wireless channel should fix interference right?

bingo9999

could't you just move the router abit to another phone port? Worth a try at least before u start spending so much money

MisterAnarchy

I reckon I know what the problem is.
The router is sending out a strong signal which is strong all over the house.
The problem is due to the actual PC case itself.
The antenna on the wireless card is short .
The case has a lip jutting out on the back of it .
It is this lip that is blocking the signal .
I tried various orientations of the case and positions and I have verified this.
The solution is to either move the PC up on my desk which I dont want to do as its an Antec Dragon Server case or get an external antenna.
I can get a wireless card with an external antenna for 21 euro new so that is what I will do.
I will then sell my current card.
The cost will be minimal then.
The system should work well then.
I will still prob make a cantenna if I can gett the necessary pigtail for it ,which is proving difficult.

atilladehun

Its Good to see your getting somewhere with this.
I wish I could say the same for my own. I had muine working great for ages on both my PC desktop and my ibook. The PC has declined. IT wouldnt work for ages, and then I followed your trick with the tinfoil, I can now connect for about 2 mins and then it fails again. I can put my laptop anywhere in the house and its fine bar behind the fridge. I've also tried my girlfriends pc laptop and my sisters boyfriends pc laptop and both are the same as the desktop., they work when i go right up to the router but moving it is not an option. I really need to get the PC working cause I take the mac to work with me and my sister needs the internet at home for college stuff. I think I'll try a new antenna job but I don't know if it'll help. Anyone got advice.

MisterAnarchy

What kind of a signal are you reading on your PC wireless card ?
Is it strong ?
Could be something to do with the settings of the wireless cards .
I'd try using the newest drivers possible and resetting your router and redoing the settings.
Did you try moving the PC slightly to see if that affects the signal ?
It is prob a configuration prob.
Disable your firewall temporarily too.
You have prob done all tese things already but if not give em a go.

MisterAnarchy

I replaced the Trendnet wifi card with one with a 94cm external antenna.
I put the aerial up on the desk and the reception is now really good.
As i expected the antenna on the Trendnet card was obstructed from the router but now its ok.
Card I got was a Sumvision ,with chipset by Ralink.
Really good card .
I'm selling the Trendnet card in the For Sale forum in case anyone needs one.