wifi router performance

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Rickles

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#12189 4-Mar-2007 11:55

I am using a USRobotics 8054 wireless router/access point.

Network signal on laptop using pc cardbus is excellent within about 3 metres of the router, but drops to very poor/useless any distance after that, even in straight line let alone another room.

I know the router is old, and the last firmware upgrade is dated mid-2005, but shouldn't reception be a touch better than this?

Cheers,

R.

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#62710 4-Mar-2007 14:04

Are you sure its the router? I had the same problem, but with a USB Wifi Dongle. When i tried a friends laptop with built in wifi, the signal turned out to be fine, it was the dongle that was the problem.

richms

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#62715 4-Mar-2007 15:12

If it is a USB dongle, I have had 3 d-links which have had **** reception before getting one that was good enough to work between rooms.

[Moderator edit (tonyhughes); All your swear word are belong to asterisk]

Richard rich.ms

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#62719 4-Mar-2007 16:19

Is this in a house or commercial building? Wireless is fine through the usual jib lined walls but things like brick can cause serious issues.

If the other rooms are on the same level ensure that the aerial(s) are pointing vertically.

muppet

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#62748 4-Mar-2007 22:14

I had one of these routers, it used to drive me bonkers with it's werid *** (not allowed to say bottom) wireless antics.

In the end I got rid of it, USR were helpful but couldn't fix it (upgraded to latest software was about all they could suggest)

Contact USR in NZ, see if they have any suggestions, otherwise look at replacing it (a hassle I know)

Rickles

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#62809 5-Mar-2007 09:40

Thanks for replies, guys.

The adaptor is a brand new pcmcia card, NOT usb ... will test it on another laptop/wifi area.

Building is just a residential house of timber and jib etc .... do have a brick fireplace but testing was in other dirction from it.

Antenna set vertical.

Fortunately, router is a loaner so no money spent yet <bg>.

Cheers,

R.

xlinknz

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#62811 5-Mar-2007 09:54

Have a being there before ;-)

1. What is the signal strengh when the performance is poor ?
2. Are you using 802.11b or g ?
3. Have you tried a different channal in case of interference from 2.4Ghz cordless phones etc
4. Try a basic setup [out the box] to rule out encyption issues etc
5. Raise the AP higher - beleive me the higher the antenna[s] the better the range

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Rickles

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#62812 5-Mar-2007 10:08

Signal strength flickers on the lowest two "bars" of the indicator graph but main problem is complete disconnection after only a few metres.

802.11g I assume ... the pcmcia card is that, so assume the router auto adjusts?

My 'phone is 1.8GHz, and I have set channel to "dynamic" so that it seeks best signal itself. BTW, I do have the router sitting near my Woosh modem ... would that cause any problems?

It's all basic set up, no encryption etc at this stage of testing system.

Tried different orientation of router, but wife now refuses to stand on my desk with her left hand on the curtain track, her other pointing east, and the router stuffed in her bra!! <BG>.

Cheers,

R.

xlinknz

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#62820 5-Mar-2007 11:18

re your wife ROFLMAO

1. Is your router antenna removable ? [if you by one make sure it has a removeable antenna so you get get a more powerful one] most are a single 2dBi antenna

2. I found pcmcia cards ok for small distances but the issue with them is that they have no external anternna and of course it is far from ideal to have an antenna inside a metal casing inside a metal laptop, I went for a usb adapter with removeable 4dBi antenna [$50] which has double the signal strengh and range of a pcmcia

3. My router allows B or G or both - check but with B you will never get more than 11Mbit combined in both directions

4. I got a pre N router [$150] which uses MIMO technology which is far super through walls but that said I use an ordinary 802.11G adapter

5. Regarding interence well you could try turning off the woosh setup, microwave, TV etc and see if it makes any difference to the signal strengh. Try changing the channel of the router as the interference would be external ie other 802.11 setups [your client may show other networks]

Rickles

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#62832 5-Mar-2007 12:59

xlinknz,

1: Two antenna, both removable ... good suggestion re replacements.

2: Point taken about pcmcia card ... I'm quite taken with the little external usb unit offered by LinkSys with its own antenna ... TradeMe seem to have them for under $40 .. any idea if they are good?

3: Router specs say both b and g

4: Placed router about 1 metre higher and indeed reception was a touch better, maybe another 3 metres, YET the icon kept telling me either "low signal" or "no signal" YET kept accessing web site after web site with no discernable speed loss (not cache ) ... any idea why?

Cheers,

R.

xlinknz

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#62834 5-Mar-2007 13:30

Rickles

1. Strongly suggest checking the router to try different channel to see if signal strenght changes - typically you have channels 2 through to 11 and the default is usually 6

2. What model linksys usb adapter is it ? [some usb adapters are only attached to the laptop via cable ie are free standing] which imho is not ideal. Note my usb adapter has a removable 4dBi antenna most usbs have either no antenna or a 2dBi one. Also note if your laptop is usb 1.1 you won't get more than usb 1.1 speed of 12Mbit]

3. mmmm I take client RF utilities eg signal strenght with a pinch of salt - remember low signal strenght may well be more than enough for Net access of <2Mbit when 802.11g is rated at 54Mbit [combined directions] you can download some free RF utilities too.

richms

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#62854 5-Mar-2007 15:34

Make sure you are using the right drivers for the pc card. Loads of cards use the same chipset and will sort of work with the wrong drivers, but things like antenna selection and similar wont work.

edit: also, check it is a card with inbuilt antenna, there are some that are designed for wireless accesspoints, or the old apple airport cards that have no inbuilt antenna.

Richard rich.ms

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Rickles

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#62858 5-Mar-2007 16:22

xlinknz,

Have tried varying channels ... not a lot of discernable difference. The USB adapter I'm referring to is http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Networking-modems/Wireless-networking/auction-90502467.htm

richms,

Yes, did a double check for correct drivers. Specs say it has inbuilt antenna (Integrated Microstrip dual deversity).

While I have you guys, can either offer advice as to why the laptop keeps disconnecting after about 15 mins? I've turned all the usual suspects like hibernate, power saving, etc off.

Thanks,

R.

xlinknz

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#62860 5-Mar-2007 16:43

Rickles

looks like old product

That product is 802.11b only which means only ever get 11Mbit max combined both directions ie 5.5Mbit one way
I also suspect that antenna isn't removable and no WPA2 authetication [WEP is easily breakable]

For $20-$30 more you can get a 802.11G [54Mbit] with removeable 4dBi antenna and one that can attach directly to your laptop rather than a seperate device connected by a USB cable

re your laptop turning off - is the battery pocked ?

Rickles

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#62933 6-Mar-2007 10:09

xlinknz,

>That product is 802.11b only<

Yeah, just noticed that.

I see that Dick Smith has a bi-direct antenna 7dBi for the router.

>re your laptop turning off - is the battery pocked ?<

Happens even when connected to mains. I thought the Woosh connection (also 2.4GHz) might be the culprit but happens away from that receiver AND when Woosh modem is turned off. A quick look at the internet seems to be full of such things happening with pcmci/laptop combinations.

R.

Tonic

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#63090 7-Mar-2007 16:58

Hi Rickles,

What kind of distances are you trying to get?

You say <3mtrs is okay but not further. Are you going into another room etc?

You can get severe drop off in performance if you are getting echos in the signal. The signals sort of cancel each other out and the card gets very confused. Try moving the Access Point, if it's in the middle of the room try moving it to a corner and see if it changes the profile of the coverage.

Colin

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