Wireless network nightmares

bloodyroarxx

My girlfriends house has to be wireless only as her mother forbids any kind of wired connection. Problem is we cant get any kind of a stable signal ANYWHERE in the house.

We will use the computer I'm on as the example (which is in the room right above the router). I turn it on and I have to wait about 10 minutes for it to finally connect and when I do it makes everyone else's connection drop then reconnect, this is the case when anyone turns on their computer. Yet not when our PS3 or 360 go online they connect right away, and I'm pretty sure that doesn't drop anybody either.

Also bad packet loss, playing PC games online isn't happening console games don't seem to be affected though.

FYI there are 6 pc's on the wireless network and one wired because it's right beside the router.

Enos316

Well, distance can be an issue. Are the consoles closer to it than your PC? Also the materials used in the construction of the house (is it new or old?). YOu can do some simple things though that might help. Make sure all your wireless drivers are up to date. Turn off any power saving options.

Also, try setting the wireless to a different channel. Its possible you have neighbors taking up your airspace. If you do a SSID survey and see a lot of channel 1's, try 6 or 11. Do not use "off channels", these will only decrease your bandwidth.

Willeth

What router are you using? Have you updated the router's firmware to the most recent one?

Nakatomi2010

Building material is important, other devices are also important. When my wife and I first got married and lived with her parents her step-father had an AT&T phone that ran on the 2.4GHz frequency, and the way that it got it's "Best Signal" was to suck up the entire 2.4GHz band everytime it was picked up, frustrating to say the least.

The building materials come into play because if there's any materials that are reflective to radio signals it'll indeed reflect the signal.

Also try angling the antennas to get a better signal, when my wife and I lived in a 2-story apartment I had to angle the antennas to get a signal that could be received properly downstairs.

Check your distances, 75ft is about the prime max distance, every 25ft after that till you hit about 150ft is when you start becoming very disatisfied with wireless signals. Different routers will give differetn ranges, but on average this is the limit.

Wireless N routers do push further, so that's another option.