My ongoing wireless internet problems. HELP.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - My ongoing wireless internet problems. HELP.

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:31:33 AM EDT

Basics:

I have a wireless set up from a host location beaming hi-speed about 3/4 of a mile away to me. It comes in my house through a bridge then to an AP and wireless throughout the house. I have a laptop set up with a wireless card and and a VOIP phone that work on a wireless gaming adapter.

It works great 50% of the time. It will drop off and lag every 5 minutes or so, I can go watch that no packets are being received for a minute or so then it fires up and flies. About every 15 minutes the laptop will lose it's IP addy and have to wait for another. Also when the laptop loses it's IP it gets hot and the fan will kick on, the only time I have ever seen it do so.

The kicker:

The VOIP phone will work fine during this time. I have also set up a continuous ping to my host router and it will do so during this time also.

I have connected directly to the bridge via ethernet and still have the same problem.

Anyone have any ideas?

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:46:07 AM EDT

[#1]

all wireless computers loose connection or just that one. might try a different wirelss card or maybe a newer or different driver. for that paticular wireless card

if you hardwire to the bridge and you have problems only on the bridge double check fireware's. configuration. if you still have problems with it replace it

edit avator just brought up a good point. are ANY of the systems saying their is a ip address confilct anymore. check the router STATUS page and make sure all wireless devices are using seperate ip address's

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:46:18 AM EDT

[#2]

Maybe the VOIP phone and your network card are stepping on each other.

Aviator

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:48:15 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
all wireless computers loose connection or just that one. might try a different wirelss card or maybe a newer or different driver. for that paticular wireless card

This the only one I have on the network.

if you hardwire to the bridge and you have problems only on the bridge double check fireware's. configuration. if you still have problems with it replace it

Explain fireware's configuration.

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:49:26 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Quoted:
all wireless computers loose connection or just that one. might try a different wirelss card or maybe a newer or different driver. for that paticular wireless card

This the only one I have on the network. I would defintly try a different driver then

if you hardwire to the bridge and you have problems only on the bridge double check fireware's. configuration. if you still have problems with it replace it

Explain fireware's configuration.

sorry i can't spell today. firmware. all linksys devices have firmwares that occasionally need to be updated for compatibility issues

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:49:30 AM EDT

[#5]

This is an 802.11 setup? 3/4 of a mile is a long ways without a good antenna. What's the loss rate on the pings? Even a 1% loss rate can result if horrible TCP performance, though it's less of an issue with UDP.

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:51:31 AM EDT

[#6]

Give all your systems static IP addresses. That will certainly eliminate DHCP issues as a source of the problem. Your setup is so small DHCP isn't necessary.

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:51:33 AM EDT

[#7]

When it takes a crap, try a trace route and see what IP address things are not getting past.

Aviator

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:52:01 AM EDT

[#8]

Could be that something is wrong with the wireless card in the laptop.

Posted: 12/25/2005 10:58:50 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
This is an 802.11 setup? 3/4 of a mile is a long ways without a good antenna. What's the loss rate on the pings? Even a 1% loss rate can result if horrible TCP performance, though it's less of an issue with UDP.

24 dbi gain antennas. Trying to finally decide if I have an inside or an outside problem.

Posted: 12/25/2005 11:00:10 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
This is an 802.11 setup? 3/4 of a mile is a long ways without a good antenna. What's the loss rate on the pings? Even a 1% loss rate can result if horrible TCP performance, though it's less of an issue with UDP.

Usually >1%

Posted: 12/25/2005 11:00:58 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Could be that something is wrong with the wireless card in the laptop.

But is still will do it when I am direct to the bridge.

Posted: 12/25/2005 11:01:35 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Give all your systems static IP addresses. That will certainly eliminate DHCP issues as a source of the problem. Your setup is so small DHCP isn't necessary.

How do I do that?

Posted: 12/25/2005 11:50:30 AM EDT

[#13]

Also when the laptop loses it's IP it gets hot and the fan will kick on, the only time I have ever seen it do so.

Maybe it is something wrong with your laptop, not the rest of the system?

Maybe it is getting hot, things shutting down, and THEN losing its IP?

Perhaps it is a heat issue. Get some canned air and blow through the vents. Cloud of dust? Are the vents blocked? You mentioned gaming... do you have a Pent IV, hot graphics card? Those produce a LOT of heat.

Posted: 12/25/2005 7:04:08 PM EDT

[#14]

This is a PIII 350 Dell. I use it wireless at other locals w/o problems. It has to be with my system. Keep in mind that I can get a continuous ping during the lag.

I will run one now.

Posted: 12/25/2005 7:10:28 PM EDT

[#15]

Loose nut behind the keyboard.......

Posted: 12/25/2005 7:22:01 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Loose nut behind the keyboard.......

There is a screw loose...

I broke yet another laptop.

Posted: 12/25/2005 7:23:12 PM EDT

[#17]

Tag, my family is probably going to go with satellite instead of a 5 mile line of site wireless.

Posted: 12/25/2005 7:28:20 PM EDT

[#18]

OK I just watched the icon "Aquiring a new network address" while I went nowhere on the net for about 2 minutes, all the while I was pinging my router at an average of 3ms.

Does this mean the problem is something else?

Posted: 12/26/2005 4:05:59 AM EDT

[#19]

the only way you are going to find out if its your laptop or network card. is to get another wireless computer and laptop setup. if it works reliably its your laptop. if it doesn't its in the network.

do you have any othe wireless devices that could be interfering?

Posted: 12/26/2005 6:55:17 PM EDT

[#20]

Man PCR is gonna be pissed when he sees this thread!

Posted: 12/26/2005 7:30:33 PM EDT

[#21]

+1 on other devices interfering.
Our wireless phones were causing ours to cut out; I switched the router's channel (to channel 11 IIRC), and it's worked without a hitch. Wireless phones, video transmitters, etc can jam the transmission intermittingly...

Posted: 12/28/2005 7:00:50 AM EDT

[#22]

R.I.F.

Posted: 12/29/2005 8:52:19 PM EDT

[#23]

Anyone else in the peanut gallery?

Posted: 1/1/2006 10:24:53 PM EDT

[#24]

<>

Posted: 1/1/2006 10:28:01 PM EDT

[#25]

Probably it's something with your network topology. Depends on how your bridge / access point are set up.

Posted: 1/1/2006 10:53:24 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Probably it's something with your network topology. Depends on how your bridge / access point are set up.

I really didn't change anything from default settings

Posted: 1/1/2006 11:19:33 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Usually >1%

With more than 1% packet loss you'll have horrible performance and timeouts on most TCP applications, including web downloads. You need to get packet loss down to perhaps one or two tenths, at least.

It sounds to me like the underlying network connection isn't very reliable.

Posted: 1/1/2006 11:27:15 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Usually >1%

With more than 1% packet loss you'll have horrible performance and timeouts on most TCP applications, including web downloads. You need to get packet loss down to perhaps one or two tenths, at least.

It sounds to me like the underlying network connection isn't very reliable.

Why would the VOIP phone continue to work? Also that should read <1%, I don't believe it reports less than 1%

Posted: 1/1/2006 11:30:31 PM EDT

[#29]

Sometimes, things go completely wonky. I'm on a backup dialup access line at the moment since my DSL just went to SHIT. (modem might be bad)

I suspect interference or malfunctioning hardware if you haven't changed anything.

Posted: 1/1/2006 11:44:25 PM EDT

[#30]

I should say, it has never worked correctly since installation

Posted: 1/2/2006 4:07:11 AM EDT

[#31]

still sounds like an equipment problem to me

Posted: 1/2/2006 4:43:16 AM EDT

[#32]

If you still have the problem when hard-wired to your router, then I would think you could safely rule out your laptop and wireless card as being the problem.

When you say "a host 3/4 mile away" is it a commercial entry point, or a private home system configured to allow you access? If it is a private system, is the person at the other end having the same problem with internet access?

Posted: 1/2/2006 5:33:20 AM EDT

[#33]

Sounds like the problem is with your provider's equipment. How long have they been in business? It usually takes them a couple years to figure out how things work.

I've had a wireless connection for several years.

Posted: 1/2/2006 5:48:07 AM EDT

[#34]

At the host location, what kind of a router do they have? If it's a Linksys, that's your problem...a lot of Linksys devices are known to drop their connections intermittently...might try a firmware update at the host location on the router to see if that helps. There are some great hardware forums over on www.dslreports.com for each router type, so you might check that out to see if a specific firmware revision is recommended for each router..at the host and your location. Good luck.

Posted: 1/2/2006 5:51:38 AM EDT

[#35]

I suspect your voip phone is between your laptop and your router, or your router and your AP. If it is, it could be that it's doing some traffic shaping that's dorking you.

Don't go with static IPs - this isn't your problem. We need a clear picture of your topology.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - My ongoing wireless internet problems. HELP.

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