Wireless router question

[scotjimland]

Every once in while my lappy drops the wifi connection, the only way to reconnect is by re booting the router .. it happens on both Mac and Windows machines. It's not a signal strength problem as the router is in the same room ..
.. is this due to it being a cheap Netgear router as supplied by the ISP .. would buying a 'decent' router solve this, any suggestions. ?

 

[slobadoberbob]

Doubt it jim

I have used a few different routers over the past few years, those supplied by AOL and purchased from PC World ..all the same.. All drop of every now and then and have to reset the router.. Reset button and power off button.

I thinkit is fairly normal

Bob

 

[Mixter]

Well im on Virgin wifi, and have recently been sent a new D series router to replace the old netgear, as i kept dropping the signal. (im app. 10 feet from the router usually). This has worked a lot better, but im still dropping out once in a while. I dont know if its Virgins crappy set up or what. but if it continues, im swapping ISP's.

 

[JohnH]

Wireless routers can be affected by "wireless telephones" microwave cookers and even some wireless remote controlled devices.
When your connection is dropped is anything switching on or off near to the router which could interfere with the signal?
Sorry cannot offer any more suggestions. Happy new year anyway.
John

 

[Larrynwin]

Can't answer your question Jim but I have one of the BT wi fi routers with as many as six laptops on it with no problem
Larry

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[scotjimland]

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas.. pretty much what I thought.

Don't think it's interference, don't have a micro wave or a ray gun .. its' on the lounge window ledge close to the phone master socket with nothing else close by .

Also with Virgin .. may complain and see if they upgrade the router

 

[Mr Colpot]

You should report the drop in service to your ISP. We use Netgear and Xyxel routers with our ADSL connections and have never had to reset the router. We are on Orange at home and have a Griffen conection at the Office. If it doesnt cost you too much, report every drop to the ISP who should be able to sort it out. It could be a problem with the phone line which the ISP should be able to diagnose.

 

[scotjimland]

If it doesnt cost you too much, report every drop to the ISP who should be able to sort it out. It could be a problem with the phone line which the ISP should be able to diagnose.

Thanks, calls to Virgin are free when you have the phone package.. , and it does seem to happen most evenings around 8pm .. so it may be a line or exchange problem ..

Ohhhhh how I miss my 10meg cable service I had in my last house.. :Sad:

 

[buttons]

I had a Netgear for some time, recently up-rated my package and was sent a Virgin router. Both are similar but cant say either have ever dropped out on a regular basis. I normally sit one floor and 2 rooms away from the router so not on a full signal.

 

[scotjimland]

I had a Netgear for some time, recently up-rated my package and was sent a Virgin router. Both are similar but cant say either have ever dropped out on a regular basis. I normally sit one floor and 2 rooms away from the router so not on a full signal.

As I recall you are on Virgin cable.. same as I used to have and never had a problem with it dropping out either..

This old fashioned overhead lines across fields and about 8 miles from the exchange is crap .. and the worst part is, it costs the same as cable ... that is a rip off and there are no plans to upgrade it :Sad:

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[JeanLuc]

I use a Netgear DG834G - had it for a few years. Never known it to drop a WiFi connection and we have two MacBooks connected, plus fairly frequent visitors with other machines.

You could try switching the wireless channel. I think the default is channel 11, but I remember reading that Mac hardware often uses channel 13. I changed mine accordingly. Not sure it made much difference but my setup is reliable.

Philip

 

[buttons]

As I recall you are on Virgin cable.. same as I used to have and never had a problem with it dropping out either..
This old fashioned overhead lines across fields and about 8 miles from the exchange is crap .. and the worst part is, it costs the same as cable ... that is a rip off and there are no plans to upgrade it :Sad:

But think of the benefits of living in such a beautiful part of the country. It is a small sacrifice.

 

[scotjimland]

I use a Netgear DG834G - had it for a few years. Never known it to drop a WiFi connection and we have two MacBooks connected, plus fairly frequent visitors with other machines.

You could try switching the wireless channel. I think the default is channel 11, but I remember reading that Mac hardware often uses channel 13. I changed mine accordingly. Not sure it made much difference but my setup is reliable.

Philip

Thanks for suggestion, I had it set on Ch 6 .. will try 13 ..

 

[Douglas]

Every once in while my lappy drops the wifi connection, the only way to reconnect is by re booting the router .. it happens on both Mac and Windows machines. It's not a signal strength problem as the router is in the same room ..
.. is this due to it being a cheap Netgear router as supplied by the ISP .. would buying a 'decent' router solve this, any suggestions. ?

I have the same problem with a billion router, I think, in my case, its because I was running the router on a dongle only, there no ADLS line connected to it, the dongle port is supposed to be a fall over backup for the ADSL line.

Doug...

Doug...

 

[gozomike]

Hi.

Mine does a similar thing dropping out on occasions but it’s not the WiFi it’s the incoming line. I have the laptop on WiFi and the main PC on a cable from the modem, both go off also the internet light on the modem goes off at the same time. Sounds as if your problem is with the provider as mentioned.


Mine is a Thompson router, the provider (GO) has agreed to change it when they have some more in stock but I think it is a feed problem.

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[American Dream]

Hi Jim..

The comments of the router defaulting to a common mid-channel are valid.

I have always worked to an adjacent router spread of 2 channels different.

The line dropping is also another valid suggestion...Did the adsl led go off prior to dropout or was it off prior to router reboot?

The connection strength from lappy to router is ok?

Hope you are sorted now and wish you a very Happy New Year...

Steve.

.

....

 

[Mixter]

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas.. pretty much what I thought.

Don't think it's interference, don't have a micro wave or a ray gun .. its' on the lounge window ledge close to the phone master socket with nothing else close by .

Also with Virgin .. may complain and see if they upgrade the router

Jim, if youve been with them more than a year, they'll likely tell you what they told me - which was a surprise. I thought all the gear you had from Virgin was 'rented' and their problem if it failed. Not so the router. They only warrant it for 12 months, after which its your baby.

I kicked up a fuss, rightly saying id no idea this was the case, and that i was a valuable customer, and i may not have signed up had i known etc etc. So they sent me this new one FOC. Like ive said, its a lot better, but will still drop out now and then. Ive a feeling its sometimes affected by nearby router signals, of which there are always half a dozen - one or two giving me a better signal than my own!

ps what is an ADSL??

 

[scotjimland]

Jim, if youve been with them more than a year, they'll likely tell you what they told me - which was a surprise. I thought all the gear you had from Virgin was 'rented' and their problem if it failed. Not so the router. They only warrant it for 12 months, after which its your baby.

I kicked up a fuss, rightly saying id no idea this was the case, and that i was a valuable customer, and i may not have signed up had i known etc etc. So they sent me this new one FOC. Like ive said, its a lot better, but will still drop out now and then. Ive a feeling its sometimes affected by nearby router signals, of which there are always half a dozen - one or two giving me a better signal than my own!

ps what is an ADSL??

Thanks , you may well be onto something, there are another six routers close by, three with strong signals.

ADSL = Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line.. a phone line being used for both voice and data transfer ..
see wiki if your feeling like a nap