Wireless Networks are the devil's work, please advise

bongi

I'm living in a flat (apartment (condo (whatever))) with five other people. We're trying to use wireless internet because it should be pretty sweet. But it's actually shitty. A lot of the time people can't connect (Windows says 'Limited Connectivity'), and even when they can the range is nothing like what we think it should be (it's apparently broadcasting b/g/n).

We're pretty certain that the problem is to do with the router and not with the six laptops, one of which is a MacBook.

However, there are also 4 other wireless routers in the building, belonging to the other flats here.

Could buying another, new router fix this problem? Or is it likely to be unavoidable due to interference from the other routers?

Grygonos

there are 10 wireless routers in range on my street (all houses) and I have no problem. Just pick a nonstandard channel and make sure you're using a WTR54GL for god's sake

.kbf?

Change the Default gateway to something less... default. 192.168.1.1 is what 90% of people use because it's default. If there are other routers in range I's bet they have that IP.

Change it to something like 10.0.0.1 and put a password on it. Last thing you need with 5 people using the internet is someone saying "Hey free internet!" and running torrents.

Speaking of torrents if your router can prioritize traffic put any kind of P2P activity to dead last.

bongi

It's already got a password.

khain

For the channel you should almost always pick 1,6 or 11 as those are the non overlapping channels. You want to do a wireless scan and pick the one that has the least number of APs on it and around it. I have no clue what .kbf is talking about as the default gateway ip is irrelevant as each router would be completely separate network.

What kind of router is it? If you haven't I would suggest upgrading the firmware as a start.

Krikee

The 2.4Ghz frequency is crowded and thus interference issues will arise; the 5Ghz range does not have the penetration abilities of 2.4Ghz. Pick your poison! (802.11n can do 5Ghz while 802.11a is 5Ghz.) As Khain said, definitely scan for networks and change your channel to a less populated one.